Chapter 5. Making Use of Wireless Standards

In this chapter...

• A Good Start: 802.11b

• Wirelessly Networking a PDA

• HomeRF

• Moving Up: 802.11a

• Newcomer: 802.11g

• Sending Files via Infrared

• Printing through Infrared

It's time to choose the wireless networking technology that is best for your home or office LAN . You'll find most of these technologies stacked side by side at your local computer store, so it's a good idea to know how they differ from one another. And we'll look at new wireless standards that increase speed and compatibility.

While we tend to favor the 802.11b standard for its price and widespread use, we'll discuss other wireless networking standards, including 802.11a and 802.11g. Each has benefits and drawbacks that you should know before you buy your equipment.

We'll also look at infrared, a ubiquitous but little-used technology for transferring files and printers. This older technology's speed pales in comparison to that of the latest wireless networking standards, but you can find it on many laptops and PDAs.