Finding Reliable Reviews

Your best bet for finding wireless networking equipment is to read comparative reviews. You'll find a number of independent news sources offering their buying advice free on the Web. Here are a handful of computer trade magazines that put wireless networking equipment through lab testing and real-world applications to help you know what you'll be getting before you purchase.

CNET (www.cnet.com)

A great starting place. CNET's Web-only approach might lack some of the depth of a longer article in a print magazine, but easily makes up for it with frequently updated content (Figure 6.3). CNET offers coverage of both PCs and Macs, as well as, to a lesser extent, the Linux operating system.

Figure 6.3. CNET offers wide- ranging advice and wireless hardware reviews.

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PC World (www.pcworld.com)

Favoring concise , plainly spoken advice and tips over jargon, PC World is a great place to find news about new wireless networking hardware, reviews of the latest equipment, and how to set it up. You'll also find the full issue of the print magazine on the web site.

PC Magazine (www.pcmag.com)

PC Magazine has some of the best-known reporters and columnists in the computer industry. Strong, thorough coverage of the latest technologies. Highly recommended.

TechWeb (www.techweb.com)

TechWeb tends to offer more of a hobbyist or information technology (IT) approach to its news, review, and how-to articles. That said, news coverage is top notch , and a great place to learn about the latest trends in wireless hardware and software (Figure 6.4).

Figure 6.4. TechWeb caters to information technology professionals.

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Once you've finished researching hardware, it's time to get your equipment. Whether you're just starting out or upgrading equipment, the sites in the next section can make the job easier.



Complete Home Wireless Networking. Windows XP Edition
Complete Home Wireless Networking. Windows XP Edition
ISBN: N/A
EAN: N/A
Year: 2002
Pages: 118

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