Getting down to details

Tech Guide No matter which networking standard you choose, installing it involves some basic rules and processes; we'll walk you through them.

The lay of the LAN

Tech Guide Before you jump into wireless, make sure you pick the right equipment for the job.

The basics of wireless networking

Tech Guide Confused by the alphabet soup of wireless-networking technologies? We'll tell you what you need to know.

Belkin Bluetooth USB Adapter review

Review If you have Bluetooth-enabled equipment and you'd like to connect it to your PC, this is a straightforward and affordable way of doing it. A PC Card adapter may suit notebook users better, but it'll be more expensive.

Buffalo AirStation WBR-G54 review

Review For cable modem users at least, the WBR-G54 will allow wired and wireless PCs to connect to the Internet with some degree of protection. Although it may need updating once the 802.11g standard is ratified, it's still fast for wireless.

Asus SpaceLink WL-300 Access Point review

Review The WL-300 is an affordable route into 11Mbps wireless networking. If you can cope with a few odd phrases in the management software, and don't want the very fastest connection, this is a great package.

D-Link AirPlus DI-614+ review

Review Its ease of use, good performance, excellent security features and low price make the DI-614+ a strong candidate for home and office use -- but its limited range and restricted warranty requirements pull it up short of perfection.

Netgear DG814 DSL Modem Internet Gateway review

Review Home/small office networkers interested in a ‘wires-only’ ADSL connection should consider this well-featured and reasonably usable DSL modem/router/switch.

Intel PRO/Wireless 5000 Access Point review

Review This high-speed wireless networking system is more interesting for business users than consumers. Although you can get good throughput at close range with 802.11a kit, it falls off rapidly with distance.

Dell TrueMobile GPRS Solution review

Review Companies with significant numbers of mobile workers would do well to look carefully at Dell’s GPRS solution. It may be expensive to set up, but all the hard work is done for you, and there are serious productivity gains to be had.

BTopenworld / Linksys Instant Wireless Network Access Point review

Review This wireless network access point is good, solid networking equipment. However, it also requires good, solid wireless networking knowledge to set up securely.

Cisco Aironet 350 Series Access Point review

Review If you're serious about using pervasive wireless networking within your organisation, Cisco's Aironet 350 Series Access Point is flexible enough to provide it. If you're only after a single access point for network connections in, for example, a meeting room, you could use a cheaper unit from another manufacturer. However, this is a fast and configurable access point that suits wider deployments.

TDK Systems BlueM review

Review TDK's BlueM add-on module provides m-series Palm owners with Bluetooth functionality, but at a high price.

Wireless networking kits

Buyer's Guide Want to share an Internet connection among several PCs at home? A good-quality 802.11b wireless gateway gives you the necessary connectivity, bandwidth and security features, and frees you from the tyranny of wiring.

Actiontec Wireless-Ready Multimedia Home Gateway review

Review If you want to have an Internet gateway for your wired PCs now, and add wireless capabilities later, this is one of the few ways of doing that. However, it's not cheap, and wireless performance could be an issue.