Chapter 6. Finding Hardware and Help

In this chapter...

• Conducting Your Research

• Finding Reliable Reviews

• Buying Equipment Online

• Ensuring Interoperability

• Finding Help on the Internet

• Checking Out the Web

• Finding Answers through Newsgroups

• Getting Assistance from Mailing Lists

• Looking Toward the Future

No matter how much research and shopping you do, one fact will remain : technology changes quickly. You might feel like your equipment is obsolete between the time you walk out of the store and the time you open the packaging to install it. To some degree, it can't be helped. The latest, fastest , and (hopefully) most user -friendly products are constantly in development, and they always have the annoying habit of being cheaper than the equipment you bought last month. Don't worry too much about obsolescence. Do your research, and then jump in.

Once you know what kind of wireless hardware you require, you can start researching the specific models you want and then find them at a reasonable cost. The Web can help.

If you buy smartly, you can also better your chances for interoperability down the line. Knowing that wireless technologies such as 802.11b and 802.11a are incompatible could save you a costly mistake. Especially when buying online, make sure that the product you are purchasing is what you think it is. Price looks too good to be true? Make sure you're getting the latest version of the technology. More than one penny-pinching buyer has found their wireless networking equipment uses older and slower technology that might not be worth the price break. Be a smart consumer, and make a phone call to hardware makers and retailers to get the facts.