Wireless Network Cards

In computer terminology, a network is nothing more than a communication medium which allows two or more computers to talk to one another. Traditionally this communication has taken place over a fixed medium, or more specifically, a wire. In the past few years, however, wireless networks have become extremely popular for both business and home users as the cost of the equipment to set up such a network has dropped dramatically. The infrastructure to set up a wireless home network is quite simple and consists of just two components - (1) a wireless router which coordinates all of the traffic on the network and to the outside world and (2) a network card for each computer which is to be included as part of the network which allows the computer to communicate with the router.

What to Look For in a Network Card

When you begin the process of setting up your wireless network there are two important decisions to make regarding the best network card for your application. The first is the form that your card will take and the second is the speed at which that card will operate.

Card Form: PCI/PCMIA versus USB

The network card (sometimes referred to as a network adapter) can take one of several different forms depending upon the application. The cards for desktop computers take the form of either:

a PCI card which slides into an unused expansion slot on the computer, or

a small external adapter which plugs into a free USB port

For a laptop computer, the network card functionality may already be built into the laptop (for more recent models) or it may be added by installing:

a PCMIA card in an available slot, or

a small external adapter which plugs into a free USB port on the laptop

PCI/PCMIA network cards have the following advantages:

faster data throughput

put less of load on the computer CPU

USB network cards have the following advantages:

easily moved from one computer to another

flexibility in mounting options and positioning for optimal reception

simpler installation as there is no need to open up the computer

Strong arguments can be made for either type of card. If performance is your ultimate goal, you have a spare PCI (desktop) or PCMIA (laptop) slot available and where the card will be located has a decent chance of receiving the signal from your router, then a PCI/PCMIA wireless network card is your best option. On the other hand, if flexibility is essential to you, a USB card is not a bad option either. If you go the USB route and your computer supports USB 2.0, definitely look for a USB 2.0 network card as it offers much greater throughput than the older style USB 1.1 cards.

Card Speed: 802.11a, 802.11b 802.11g or Proprietary

The data multiplexing and carrier frequencies that wireless networks use to achieve such amazing throughput is a topic far beyond the scope of what we hope to cover here. The important point is that there are four different flavors/standards that you will see advertised for the air interface between a router and a wireless network card. A brief summary of these is as follows:

802.11b: the first version to the marketplace and not surprisingly it is also the slowest

802.11a: faster data throughput, supports more simultaneous users, but more expensive, has a shorter range and is not compatible with 802.11b

802.11g: same fast data rate as 802.11a, supports more simultaneous users, best signal range and backwards compatible with 802.11b

Proprietary: A forthcoming standard to be called 802.11n promises more bandwidth and greater range than current 802.11g products offer. Even though the standards are not completed yet, many vendors are getting a head start by producing equipment based upon what they think the standard will be. The downside is that compatibility between equipment from Company A is practically non-existent with that from Company B.

In our opinion the choice of the standard to build your wireless network around is a slam dunk - 802.11g as it provides the best mix of speed, compatibility and value.

Ready to Shop?

The four industry leaders when it comes to wireless network cards are Belkin network cards, D-Link network cards, Linksys network cards and Netgear network cards. Feel free to browse the product selection that each of them has to offer or you can view the  most popular network cards from all manufacturers.

Still Not Sold?

A wireless network is about more than just eliminating wires in your house, it offers you the ultimate flexibility to use all of your computer related equipment whenever and however you want. Want to read your e-mail on the back patio while eating breakfast? No problem. Want to have a video conference in your home-office while the kids are on another computer in their room researching a term paper? No problem there either. The possibilities are endless. In addition to enabling the sharing of a broadband internet connect, a wireless home network also allows:

sharing files (videos, photos, documents, etc.) among all computers in the house

playing games that allow multiple players at different computers

sharing a single peripheral such as a printer among multiple computers

sharing a webcam across multiple computers to create your own family video conference with relatives

Again, all it takes to set up a wireless network is a wireless router and a wireless network card for each computer that is to be part of the network.