Connecting When You Don t Have a Home NetworkBut Want One

Connecting When You Don't Have a Home NetworkBut Want One

If you want to simultaneously connect your Mac mini and one or more Windows PCs to a high-speed, broadband Internet connection, you need a network.

The easiest to create and most flexible networks use Apple's AirPort Extreme hardware, which is perfectly compatible with both Macs and Windows computers, especially those running Windows XP.

In the next section, I will tell you how to build a wireless network from scratch.

About Broadband

I continue to run into people who don't understand what a broadband Internet connection is or why they might want one. Some people have good reasons for not wanting broadbandfor instance, those who have a fast Internet connection at work and don't use a computer very much at home. There are also people for whom a $50-a-month broadband service is just too expensive. For everyone else, here's why you want broadband, starting with a definition of what broadband is.

There are many ways to think about broadband, most involving the actual speed of the connection it provides to the Internet. Broadband is available from cable and satellite TV companies as well as from telephone companies and the few independent broadband companies that are still in business.

Cable broadband is delivered using the same cable that brings in your cable TV signal. Satellite broadband is downlinked using your dish antenna. You may uplink to the satellite as well or use a dial-up modem to send commands and upload files. Satellite connections are generally a last resort for people who can't get broadband any other way, usually because they live in the sticks. There are also some microwave broadband providers. They typically attach a flat panel antenna outside the customer's home or office and connect to a central antenna located on a tall structure.

DSL is provided by local telephone companies and a few remaining independent providers. DSL is delivered over your existing dial-up telephone line and does not require a separate line. DSL uses a special modem that does not tie up your voice line. You can place and receive telephone calls while you are using your DSL connection (which is always available). Some DSL connections require you to enter a user name and password to connect. However, connection is usually handled automatically by your computer, and you will not even be aware it is taking place.

A broadband connection is (or should be) much faster than a dial-up Internet connection. The precise speeds vary, but a broadband connection typically runs at from 384 Kbps to as much as 6 Mbps. The more you pay, the faster a connection you get. Compare that with your dial-up modem, which tops out at 56 Kbps and rarely runs that fast.

Broadband is useful for sending or receiving files, downloading music or video, watching video or listening to music over the Internet, and sending digital photos as e-mail. You can also use a broadband Internet connection for long-distance voice telephone service. A company called Vonage (www.vonage.com) is a pioneer in making this "Voice over Internet Protocol," or VoIP technology, available to consumers and small businesses.

A broadband connection makes it easier to use the iDisk feature of your .Mac account as well as to download automatic updates from Apple or new software from software companies that make their products available for download. When you have a broadband connection, your instant messaging and e-mail can be left on continually, and you can listen to Internet radio or watch online TV as much as you like.

Broadband is key to using the audio and video conferencing features of iChat AV, included with your Mac mini. You can easily share a broadband connection with the other computers in your homeand even with your neighbors if you use a wireless network to connect your computers to one another.

note

By sharing your Internet connection with others outside your home, you may be violating your agreement with your broadband providersome don't allow sharing a connection. Use caution and find out if sharing your connection will get you into trouble. However, many follow the old adage, "It's easier to apologize than to ask permission."

Caution: A broadband connection may be always on and connected to the Internet, which creates a potential security issue that firewalls are intended to handleafter all, a computer that's always connected to the Internet is more likely to be noticed by hackers than one that's on only when you dial up your ISP.

On the positive side, because the connection is always there, you don't have to wait to use it when you sit down at the computer. There's no waiting for your modem to dial, and no busy signals. Broadband does not require a special telephone line, so if you have a separate line for your computer, you can have it disconnected and apply the money toward your broadband connection. Cable modems, of course, require no telephone line at all.

Depending on how your DSL is connected, you may need one or more inexpensive filters attached between your telephones and wall jacks. These are usually included with the DSL modem but may be purchased separately at consumer electronics and computer stores.

Typical broadband service costs $50 a month. I consider it an excellent investment.