Build your own wi-fi network

This guide explains how professional and home users can take advantage of Wi-Fi to achieve their mobility goals around the house or in the office. It features step-by-step processes, tips, sidebars, illustrations and screenshots to convey information visually. Readers will learn about the components of a wireless network including access points, and network cards. Plus how to choose, install and configure them for use in a new or existing network.

Author Notes

Shelly Brisbin has been writing about technology for fifteen years and is the author or co-author of numerous books. She has also written hundreds of articles for magazines including Macworld, MacUser, MacWeek, NetProfessional, SunWorld, and many others

Acknowledgments	p. xv
Introduction	p. xvii
1 The Wireless Revolution	p. 1
Why Wireless Networks Are Cool	p. 1
Mobility	p. 2
Flexibility	p. 2
Cost Savings	p. 2
Scalability	p. 3
Wireless Technology Overview	p. 3
Frequency	p. 4
Spectrum	p. 4
Current and Future Wireless Networking Technologies	p. 5
IEEE 802.11	p. 5
Bluetooth	p. 7
HomeRF	p. 8
HiperLAN	p. 8
How Wi-Fi Fits In	p. 8
2 IEEE 802.11 In Depth	p. 11
Parts of a Wi-Fi Network	p. 11
The OSI Reference Model	p. 12
Layers and Sublayers	p. 13
The Physical (PHY) Layer	p. 14
The Media Access Control (MAC) Layer	p. 15
Frequency Spectrum and Wi-Fi	p. 16
802.11b and DSSS	p. 17
802.11a and OFDM	p. 17
FHSS	p. 18
Network Topology	p. 18
Extended Service Sets	p. 19
Supporting 802.11 Standards	p. 22
3 Choosing a Wireless Access Point	p. 23
Do You Need an Access Point?	p. 23
Is One Access Point Enough?	p. 25
Access Point Parts	p. 25
The Radio	p. 26
Connectivity	p. 27
Antennas	p. 29
Box Design	p. 29
Internet Access, Networking, and Administration	p. 30
Shared Internet Access	p. 30
DHCP Server	p. 30
Firewall	p. 32
Routing and Bridging	p. 36
Security	p. 37
Special Features	p. 40
Access Point Checklist	p. 40
4 Network Adapters and Interfaces	p. 43
Anatomy of a Wi-Fi Network Adapter	p. 43
Kinds of Network Adapters	p. 45
PC Cards	p. 45
PCI and ISA Network Adapters	p. 46
USB Adapters	p. 47
Special Network Adapters	p. 48
NIC Drivers and OS-Compatibility	p. 49
5 Antennas and Accessories	p. 51
Antenna Basics	p. 51
Types of Antennas	p. 53
Connectors and Cabling	p. 57
Home-brew Antennas	p. 58
Choosing Antennas	p. 58
Bridges and Repeaters	p. 63
Software	p. 64
6 Choosing Internet Access	p. 67
How Wi-Fi Internet Access Works	p. 67
The Data Link	p. 68
Hardware and Connections	p. 69
Nontraditional Setups	p. 69
Internet Access Choices in Detail	p. 69
Dial-Up Access	p. 70
Broadband Options	p. 71
Cable	p. 72
DSL	p. 73
Satellite	p. 74
Internet Account Features	p. 75
Account Sharing Issues	p. 76
7 Setting Up and Configuring Access Points	p. 79
Planning Your Network	p. 79
Setting Up an Access Point	p. 80
Interference	p. 81
Connectivity Issues	p. 81
Basic Access Point Setup	p. 83
Linksys BEFW11S4 Access Point/Router	p. 83
Connect the Hardware and Configure the Setup Computer	p. 84
Initial Setup	p. 85
Advanced Access Point Configuration	p. 93
Running Your Own Internet Server	p. 93
Outbound Filtering	p. 97
Keyword Filtering	p. 100
Enhanced Security	p. 101
Routing	p. 104
Logging and Monitoring	p. 106
8 Setting Up Computers for Wi-Fi	p. 109
Wi-Fi Gear and Operating System Compatibility	p. 110
Windows 2000 and XP	p. 110
Windows 95, 98, and Me	p. 111
Linux	p. 111
Mac OS X	p. 112
Mac OS 8 and 9	p. 112
Installing Adapters and Drivers	p. 113
A Brief Terminology Reminder	p. 113
Installing the D-Link Card Holder and Network Adapter Under Windows XP	p. 114
Installing the Agere/Orinoco USB Adapter Under Windows 2000	p. 121
Installing the Agere Orinoco Silver Card Under Red Hat Linux	p. 124
Enabling Support for a PRISM-2 PC Card Under Linux	p. 127
Installing the Linksys PC Card Under Mac OS X	p. 129
Installing the Linksys PC Card Under Mac OS 9	p. 131
9 Ad-Hoc Wi-Fi	p. 135
The Techie Side of Ad-Hoc Wi-Fi	p. 135
Uses of Ad-Hoc Networks	p. 137
Drawbacks to Ad-Hoc Networks	p. 138
Ad-Hoc Network Setup	p. 138
Set Up an Ad-Hoc Network Under Windows XP	p. 139
Set Up an Ad-Hoc Network Under Windows 2000	p. 143
Set Up an Ad-Hoc Network Under Mac OS X	p. 145
Set Up an Ad-Hoc Network Under Red Hat Linux 7.3	p. 147
Test Your Connection	p. 147
Using an Internet Gateway with an Ad-Hoc Network	p. 149
Gateways Step-by-Step	p. 149
Windows XP Gateway Setup	p. 150
Windows 2000 Gateway Setup	p. 151
Mac OS X Gateway Setup	p. 152
10 Security	p. 153
Why Security Is Crucial for All Networks	p. 153
Understanding Wireless Security Issues	p. 155
How Signals Can Be Tracked in the Air	p. 156
What Is at Risk?	p. 156
Assessing Your Risk	p. 160
How Are You Connected to the Internet?	p. 162
What Information Is Unsecured?	p. 163
Who Has Access?	p. 163
What Security Measures Are in Place?	p. 164
Wi-Fi Security Methods	p. 164
WEP	p. 165
Firewalls	p. 170
Access Control	p. 173
Common Sense Hacker-Proofing Techniques	p. 174
Security Tools	p. 176
SSH Tunneling	p. 176
IPsec VPNs	p. 178
Security Analysis and Cracking Tools	p. 178
Security and Emerging Wireless Standards	p. 181
802.1X	p. 181
802.11i	p. 183
11 Wi-Fi Applications	p. 185
File Sharing	p. 185
Think Before You Share	p. 185
Cross-Platform File Sharing	p. 187
Printing	p. 188
Setting Up an Access Point Print Server	p. 189
Wireless Print Servers	p. 191
Network Gaming	p. 192
Streaming Video	p. 192
12 Building a Better Network	p. 193
Planning Your Network	p. 194
Requirements' Gathering	p. 194
The Site Survey	p. 198
Network Topology and Design	p. 200
A Closer Look at Wi-Fi Range	p. 204
Putting It All Together	p. 207
Installing the Network	p. 208
13 Advanced Wireless Settings and Network Analysis	p. 209
Tuning Access Points	p. 210
Network Analysis	p. 212
Packet Analysis	p. 213
Packet Analysis Software	p. 214
Appendix A Glossary	p. 215
Appendix B Wi-Fi Resources	p. 221
Ad-Hoc and Mesh Networking	p. 221
Antenna-Related Information	p. 221
Antenna Equipment	p. 221
Broadband Connectivity	p. 222
Community Wireless Projects and Information	p. 222
Equipment Retailers (APs and Network Adapters)	p. 222
Equipment Vendors (APs and Network Adapters)	p. 223
Linux and Wi-Fi	p. 223
Macintosh and Wi-Fi	p. 223
Mailing Lists	p. 224
News, Tutorials, and Reviews	p. 224
Organizations	p. 224
Security	p. 224
Software	p. 225
Standards, Regulations, and Technology	p. 225
Windows and Wi-Fi	p. 225
Index	p. 227

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Author Notes

Table of Contents