[NTLUG:Discuss] wireless network

[MadHat]

On Mon, 2003-07-21 at 18:49, Tom Tumelty wrote:
> I am considering a wireless SOHO network. Are there
> advantages to  802.11G over  802.11B standard? I know
> G is several times as fast as the B standard. 
> 

I have been using wireless with my linux notebooks for a few years now. 
This is some of my experience.

What are you wanting to do with the wireless?  If you are using it to
surf the web and check mail, think about the fact that if you are on DSL
or Cable, or a T1, you are going to max your Internet connection out at
1.2~1.5Mb/s, so 11Mb/s is going to be more than enough.  If you are
going to be trying to watch a movie MPEG encoded from a central file
server...  use wires.  I hvae been luck in that I have not had issues
with my 2.4GHz phone.  I like the Orinoco cards because almost every
Distro I have played with has it built into the default kernel, at least
as a module, but also have a few Linksys/D-Link cards as well.  The
Prism2 card are cheaper, but as of late have been upgraded to a Prism2.5
or something else and we have discussed on the list issues with those
cards.

> how do security and other capabilities of these
> standards compare? 
> 

Security is the same as of now.  You can make both secure if you want
to, but in this day, if you enable the 128b encryption and don't
broadcast SSIDs, then you are fairly safe because there are so many open
targets.  Unless someone is targeting you specifically, like they know
you are they know you  have something they want, I wouldn't worry about
it.  I usually run mine wide open, but don't route the IPs, just to see
who stumbles across it.  You can always dole out IPs that only route to
a VPN, then you have to use the VPN to get to anything.  This is the way
I have been setting it up for companies and what is recommended by mast
security companies.

> what are the ranges these standards are capable of
> working in ? 

realistically, I can move around my house of ~1.7K sqft with no problem,
and pick it up in the driveway.  I can pick up signals of open relays
while driving down the freeway at 70mph.  If you have a booster on your
reciever, you can get really good distance.  But...  expect to need one
or two access ponts in your house for good coverage.

> 
> Thanks in advance for any information.  
> 
> I am sure i could look this information up but that
> takes much time that i do not currently have and i am
> hoping for some guidance at this point.

Someone already pointed out the Linksys website.  It is a good reference
for information.  I have been using the Linksys and Belkin products.  I
have not had much luck with the G, but it was just ratified, so when you
get it, you'll want to do a firmware upgrade to amke sure it is in
compliance.

-- 
MadHat at Unspecific.com
`But I don't want to go among mad people,' Alice remarked.
`Oh, you can't help that,' said the Cat: `we're all mad here...'
   -- Lewis Carroll - _Alice's_Adventures_in_Wonderland_