Buying Equipment Online

Let's assume you've found the hardware you need and have a general idea what it will cost you from reading over the trades on the Web. Now it's time to find a fair price and purchase your hardware. A good place to start is with an online comparative pricing service.

CNET Hardware

Formerly called Computers.com, this site was created and is maintained by CNET. The site mixes reviews (rating hardware on a 10-point scale) with links to its shopping site, Shopper.com. A nice mix of editorial and buying advice.

Shopper.com

Unlike Computers.com, Shopper.com (Figure 6.5) focuses on price comparisons among online sellers rather than equipment reviews. The site does offer user reviews of sellers, however, which can help you find reputable vendors .

Figure 6.5. Shopper.com points you to the latest prices.

PriceWatch (www.pricewatch.com)

This underused site offers a no- nonsense design, fast loading pages, and an efficient search engine. Most importantly, PriceWatch displays some of the lowest prices you'll find from sellers. A great site when you're ready to buy (Figure 6.6).

Figure 6.6. PriceWatch can help you determine a fair price for the wireless equipment you want.

Once you have a range of prices in mind, look at some of the larger online stores, such as Outpost or Buy.com or PC and Mac Connection (you can access both through www.pcconnection.com), and consider their special offers. See if a free shipping deal or an attractive rebate might help reduce your bottom line.

Finally, once you have prices in hand, check with your local electronics retailers, such as Circuit City, Best Buy, and office stores, such as Staples or OfficeMax. They might have prices similar to those you find online. And consider that paying a slightly higher price at your local office store might be worth it, especially if you need to return a nonfunctioning wireless network adapter, which happens.

How Much Is This Going to Cost?

What should you expect to spend ? As a general rule, newer technologies will always be more expensive. So, if you're looking to adopt the latest, fastest wireless technology, you'll pay for it. That said, as more people adopt wireless technology, prices will fall. Networking with 802.11b is a bargain, and will become even more economical as new wireless products are introduced.

Table 6.1 presents a quick look at what you can expect to spend on wireless networking hardware.

Table 6.1. Wireless Equipment Costs

Equipment	Approximate price range
802.11b network adapters	$30$120
802.11b access points	$60$250
802.11b access points/routers	$80$300
802.11a network adapters	$60$250
802.11a access points	$200$350
802.11a access points/routers	$120$400
802.11g network adapters	$80$140
802.11g access points	$120$400
802.11g access points/routers	$140$450

Prices and technologies change quickly, of course. Table 6.1 should give you a general idea of what you'll be looking to spend, but check the comparison shopping sites mentioned in this chapter to find the best deals on hardware.