> -Will any wireless adapter work?
There are three common wi-fi standards: 802.11a, 802.11b, and 802.11g.
802.11a provides good performance, but limited range and hefty power
consumption, and remains fairly expensive. 802.11b is limited in
performance (by comparison), but offers more range and uses less power.
802.11g adds higher performance at close range, but uses the same spectrum
of frequencies as 802.11b, and 802.11g devices will interoperate with
802.11b unless explicitly configured NOT to. 802.11g is quite affordable,
so about the only 802.11b stuff still being sold is built into PDAs.
So for our campus wireless network, we're providing b/g coverage
everywhere for public use, and reserving the capability to add private
802.11a hotspots as needed for special purposes. We expect most student and
staff personal equipment to be b (if older/cheaper) or g.
There are some fancy variants on the market ("Super G", "MIMO", "Pre-n")
which attenpt to boost the performance of g systems by guessing what 802.11n
is going to look like when it arrives. If customers have these, either they
will work with standard b/g, or it's not your problem.
> -Is there a special way to find the wireless signal or does the adapter
> automatically search for it?
Each wireless network service is identified by a name, the SSID.
Normally, for public access, the "base station" (access point or router)
broadcasts this fairly often; client devices will usually show the user a
list of SSIDs they detect. The device(s) you buy will come with some
default setting -- change it to something unique and descriptive, like the
name of the hotel.
> Another concern is since the owner/manager's office computer is
> connected, is work-sensitive material more open to hacking and in need
> of special protection?
Since there's a broadband connection to the Internet, you should already
be protecting this machine. Applying the same protection to traffic from
inside the hotel should be pretty straightforward; you may want to put this
machine behind a second small router/firewall.
Hotels typically secure wifi services by installing a "captive portal"
server, which intercepts each user's first web request and redirects the to
a page where they (a) confirm that they are a customer, and (b) agree to
whatever terms and limitations the hotel insists on. Such servers typically
also include the firewall capabilities to enforce those terms.
David Gillett
On 21 Sep 2006 at 9:01, [log in to unmask] wrote:
Date sent: Thu, 21 Sep 2006 09:01:35 EDT
Send reply to: Personal Computer Hardware discussion List
<[log in to unmask]>
From: [log in to unmask]
Subject: [PCBUILD] Hotel wireless DSL connection
To: [log in to unmask]
> Greetings All!
> I work at a small hotel which has recently aquired a wireless dsl network
> due to the fact that our phone system has not been compatible with guests
> computers. I know next to nothing about the way this system is set up and
> what is needed to connect so my first question is "what do I need to ask (if
> anything) the guy who set it up to determine what is needed?"
> He is not a full-time tech support person and I am looking for simple
> explanation that our (non-technical) clerks can give to guests.
>
> -Will any wireless adapter work?
> -Is there a special way to find the wireless signal or does the adapter
> automatically search
> for it?
>
> Another concern is since the owner/manager's office computer is connected,
> is work-sensitive material more open to hacking and in need of special
> protection?
>
> This is a new world for me and I will appreciate any tips on where to
> start!
>
> Thanks All!
> -Phil-
>
>
> Do you want to signoff PCBUILD or just change to
> Digest mode - visit our web site:
> http://freepctech.com/pcbuild.shtml
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