Wireless Networking Absolute Beginner’s Guide

Wireless Networking Absolute Beginner’s Guide

Released February 2013
Publisher(s): Que
ISBN: 9780133381313

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Book description

Make the most of your wireless network…without becoming a technical expert! This book is the fastest way to connect all your wireless devices, get great performance with everything from streaming media to printing, stay safe and secure, and do more with Wi-Fi than you ever thought possible! Even if you’ve never set up or run a network before, this book will show you how to do what you want, one incredibly clear and easy step at a time. Wireless networking has never, ever been this simple!

Who knew how simple wireless networking could be?

This is today’s best beginner’s guide to creating, using, troubleshooting, and doing more with your wireless network…simple, practical instructions for doing everything you really want to do, at home or in your business! Here’s a small sample of what you’ll learn:

•     Buy the right equipment without overspending

•     Reliably connect Windows PCs, Macs, iPads, Android tablets, game consoles, Blu-ray players, smartphones, and more

•     Get great performance from all your networked devices

•     Smoothly stream media without clogging your entire network

•     Store music and movies so you can play them anywhere in your home

•     Keep neighbors and snoopers out of your network

•     Share the files you want to share–and keep everything else private

•     Automatically back up your data across the network

•     Print from anywhere in the house–or from anywhere on Earth

•     Extend your network to work reliably in larger homes or offices

•     Set up a “guest network” for visiting friends and family

•     View streaming videos and other web content on your living room TV

•     Control your networked devices with your smartphone or tablet

•     Connect to Wi-Fi hotspots and get online in your car

•     Find and log onto hotspots, both public and hidden

•     Quickly troubleshoot common wireless network problems

Michael Miller is the world’s #1 author of beginning computer books. He has written more than 100 best-selling books over the past two decades, earning an international reputation for his friendly and easy-to-read style, practical real-world advice, technical accuracy, and exceptional ability to demystify complex topics. His books for Que include Computer Basics Absolute Beginner’s Guide; Facebook for Grown-Ups; My Pinterest; Ultimate Digital Music Guide; Speed It Up! A Non-Technical Guide for Speeding Up Slow PCs, and Googlepedia: The Ultimate Google Resource.

Category:             Networking

Covers:             Wireless Networking

User Level:            Beginning

Table of contents

  1. Title Page
  2. Copyright Page
  3. Contents at a Glance
  4. Table of Contents
  5. About the Author
  6. Dedication
  7. Acknowledgments
  8. We Want to Hear from You!
  9. Reader Services
  10. Introduction
    1. How This Book Is Organized
    2. Conventions Used in This Book
    3. Let Me Know What You Think
  11. Part I. Getting to Know Wireless Networking
    1. 1. How Networks Work
      1. Why You Need a Home Network
      2. Understanding Network Technology
      3. Different Ways to Connect
      4. What Type of Network Is Best for You?
    2. 2. How Wi-Fi Works
      1. Understanding Wireless Network Technology
      2. Alphabet Soup: The Different Wi-Fi Standards
      3. Which Wi-Fi Is Right for You?
    3. 3. How Bluetooth Works
      1. Understanding Bluetooth Wireless
      2. Bluetooth in Action
      3. How Bluetooth Is Used Today
      4. How Do Bluetooth and Wi-Fi Compare?
    4. 4. How Mobile Networks Work
      1. Understanding Cellular Phone Technology
      2. Pulling Some Gs
      3. Sharing a Mobile Data Connection with Your PC
      4. Mobile Data Versus Wi-Fi: Choosing One or the Other
      5. Mobile Service and Bluetooth: Learning to Co-Exist
  12. Part II. Setting Up a Wireless Network
    1. 5. Planning Your Network and Purchasing Equipment
      1. Planning Your Network
      2. Choosing a Wireless Router
      3. Choosing Wireless Adapters
      4. Choosing Network Interface Cards and Ethernet Cables
      5. Upgrading Your Current Network
      6. Where to Buy Networking Equipment
    2. 6. Installing a Wireless Router
      1. Before You Start
      2. Making the Physical Connections
      3. Setting Up and Configuring the Router
      4. Advanced Router Setup
      5. Upgrading from an Existing Router
    3. 7. Connecting to the Internet
      1. Understanding Internet Connections
      2. Choosing the Right Internet Connection for Your Network
      3. Connecting the Internet to Your Network
      4. Setting Up a Public Wi-Fi Hotspot
      5. Security Matters: To Share or Not to Share?
    4. 8. Extending Your Network in a Larger Home or Office
      1. Revisiting Transmission Range
      2. Upgrading to a More Powerful Router
      3. Connecting a More Powerful Antenna
      4. Connecting a Wireless Range Extender
      5. Connecting a Second Wireless Router
    5. 9. Connecting Devices via Ethernet
      1. How Ethernet Works
      2. When an Ethernet Connection Makes Sense
      3. Connecting via Ethernet to a Wireless Network
    6. 10. Securing Devices on Your Network
      1. Facing the Potential Dangers of Wireless Networking
      2. Protecting Against Internet Intrusions with a Firewall
      3. Enabling Wireless Security on Your Router
      4. Limiting Access to Your Network
      5. Protecting Against Malware
  13. Part III. Connecting Devices to Your Network
    1. 11. Connecting Home Computers
      1. Connecting Computers to the Network
      2. Dealing with Network Locations, Workgroups, and HomeGroups in Windows
      3. Configuring File and Printer Sharing
      4. Accessing Other Computers on Your Network
      5. Managing a Windows Network
    2. 12. Connecting a Home Server
      1. What Is a Home Server, and Why Do You Need One?
      2. Exploring the Many Uses of a Home Server
      3. Home Server or NAS: What’s in a Name?
      4. Shopping for a Home Server or NAS
      5. Configuring Your Server
      6. Using Your Server for Media Storage
      7. Backing Up to a Home Server
      8. Connecting to Your Server from the Internet
    3. 13. Connecting Videogame Devices
      1. Why Would You Want to Connect a Videogame Device to Your Network?
      2. Wi-Fi Versus Ethernet: What’s Best for Gaming?
      3. Connecting an Xbox 360 Console
      4. Connecting a PlayStation 3 Console
      5. Connecting a Nintendo Wii Console
      6. Connecting a Portable Videogame Device
      7. Configuring Your Network for Optimum Gameplay
    4. 14. Connecting Other Entertainment Devices
      1. The Many Ways to Consume Web-Based Media in Your Living Room
      2. Connecting an Internet-Capable TV to Your Network
      3. Connecting a Blu-ray Player to Your Network
      4. Connecting an Audio/Video Receiver to Your Network
      5. Connecting a Network Media Player to Your Network
      6. Configuring Your Router for Streaming Media
    5. 15. Connecting Smartphones and Tablets
      1. Connecting to a Wireless Network
      2. Using a Guest Network for Visiting Friends
      3. Switching Between Wi-Fi and Cellular Networks
      4. Using Your Smartphone or Tablet to Control Networked Devices
      5. Using Your Smartphone to Control Things When You’re Not Around
  14. Part IV. Using Your Wireless Network
    1. 16. Sharing Printers and Other Devices
      1. Connecting a Shared Printer to Your Network
      2. Connecting a Wireless Network Printer
      3. Connecting a Printer via a Print Server
      4. Installing a Shared Printer on Other PCs
      5. Printing to a Network Printer
      6. Using Google Cloud Print
      7. Sharing Other Peripherals
    2. 17. Sharing and Transferring Files
      1. How File Sharing Works
      2. Configuring File Sharing in Windows
      3. Accessing Computers on Your Network
      4. Using a Home Server for File Sharing
      5. Backing Up Your Data Across a Network
      6. Sharing Files in the Cloud
    3. 18. Streaming Audio and Video
      1. How Streaming Media Works
      2. What’s Good—And What’s Bad—About Streaming Media
      3. Choosing a Streaming Media Device
      4. Streaming TV Shows and Movies
      5. Streaming Music
      6. Streaming Media Across Your Network
    4. 19. Troubleshooting Network Problems
      1. Managing Networked Computers (Windows Version)
      2. Managing Networked Computers (Mac Version)
      3. Speeding Up a Slow Wireless Connection
      4. Troubleshooting Bad Network Connections
      5. Troubleshooting a Dead Internet Connection
      6. Speeding Up a Slow Internet Connection
  15. Part V. Connecting Wirelessly Outside the Home
    1. 20. Connecting to Wi-Fi Hotspots
      1. Where Can You Find a Hotspot?
      2. Connecting to a Public Hotspot
      3. Logging Onto a Hotspot
      4. Manually Connecting to a Hidden Network
      5. Changing the Order of Preferred Networks in Windows
      6. Working Securely from a Public Hotspot
      7. Troubleshooting Hotspot Problems
    2. 21. Connecting in Your Car
      1. Connecting Your Phone to Your Car for Phone Calls
      2. Connecting Your Phone to Your Car to Play Music
      3. Using Your Smartphone to Access the Internet While Driving
      4. Using a Wireless Router in Your Car
      5. Looking to the Future: The Wireless Car
  16. Index
  17. Ad Pages

Product information

  • Title: Wireless Networking Absolute Beginner’s Guide
  • Author(s):
  • Release date: February 2013
  • Publisher(s): Que
  • ISBN: 9780133381313