For readers ready to embrace the freedom of wireless, this is the place to start. In these pages they'll learn first about the underpinnings of wireless technology and network basics before getting down to the real business at hand: setting up, configuring, and maintaining a wireless network. Step-by-step instructions delivered in easily digestible chunks make it easy to get a network humming.

Wireless home networks are better than ever! The emergence of new industry standards has made them easier, more convenient, less expensive to own and operate. Still, you need to know what to look for (and look out for), and the expert guidance you’ll find in Wireless Home Networks For Dummies, 3rd Edition helps you ensure that your wire-free life is also a hassle-free life! This user-friendly, plain-English guide delivers all of the tips, tricks, and knowledge you need to plan your wireless home network, evaluate and select the equipment that will work best for you, install and configure your wireless network, and much more. You’ll find out how to share your Internet connection over your network, as well as files, printers, and other peripherals. And, you’ll learn how to avoid the “gotchas” that can creep in when you least expect them. Discover how to: Choose the right networking equipment Install and configure your wireless network Integrate Bluetooth into your network Work with servers, gateways, routers, and switches Connect audiovisual equipment to your wireless network Play wireless, multiuser computer games Establish and maintain your network’s security Troubleshoot networking problems Improve network performance Understand 802.11n Whether you’re working with Windows PCs, Mac OS X machines, or both Wireless Home Networking For Dummies, 3rd Edition, makes it fast and easy to get your wireless network up and running—and keep it that way!

As home networking technologies become more affordable and more popular, this new edition of a bestseller introduces readers to the basics of home networking. Topics include choosing and installing hardware, file sharing, sharing an Internet connection, security, Wi-Fi, and network maintenance.

The Internet is rapidly changing. Every day new programs are added and information is updated. With that in mind, Engst has written a guide that is beneficial to Macintosh users of the Internet, providing comprehensive coverage of a broad range of Internet topics. Also includes an introduction and history of the Internet. The disk contains software needed to get connected to the Internet.

Millions of computers around the world today are connected by the Internet, so why is it still so hard to hook up a few PCs in you own home? Whether you want to share an Internet connection, install WiFi, or maybe just cut down on the number of printers you own, home networks are supposed to help make your life easier. Instead, most aspiring home networkers get lost in a confusing maze of terms and technologies: 802.11g, Fast Ethernet, Cat 5 cable (or was it Cat 5e?), Powerline, and on and confusingly on.That's where Home Networking: The Missing Manual comes in. Using clear language, straightforward explanations, and a dash of humor, this book shows you how to do everything you need to set up a home network. Coverage includes:WiFi, Ethernet, or Powerline? There are several kinds of digital pipes that you can use to create your network, and none of them have friendly names. This book tells you what they are, explains the pros and cons of each, and helps you figure out what you need to buy, and how to install it.Windows and Mac info included. Half the battle in home networking takes place after you've bought your gear and plugged it in. That's because the routers, network adapters, and cables that you need get you only part way towards networking nirvana. Whether you've got PCs or Macs or both, you'll need help tweaking your computers' settings if you want to get all your machines talking to each other. This book covers most known operating system flavors, including Windows XP, 2000, Me, and 98, and Mac OS X and OS 9.Fun things to do with your network. The real fun starts once your network is up and running. This book shows you how to do much more than simply share an Internet connection and a printer. You'll learn how to stream music from your PCs to your stereo, how to display pictures on your TV, how to hook up game consoles to your network, and more!Most important, this book helps you understand the difference between what you need to know to create and use your home network and what's best left to those looking for a career as a system administrator. In Home Networking: The Missing Manual you'll find everything you need to get your network running-and nothing more.