1. Internet Connection (Source) - The internet comes through a modem and passes through a computer.

2. Broadband Wireless Router - The heart of your wireless network. A broadband wireless network takes your internet connection and allows you to share it with other computers on your network. You can also share all your files, folders, and printers.

3. Wi-Fi Access Adaptors. A WiFi Adapter is a networking adapter that allows each computer to connect to a wireless network. WiFi adaptors are available as a PC Card or SD Card plug in (for notebooks or mobile computers), an internal PCI Card (desktop computers) or as an External USB Device (home computers or game consoles).


The Wi-Fi standard--short for wireless fidelity--is based on the 802.11 specification and is currently the most common standard for wireless home and small-office networking. With an indoor range of about 150 feet and an outdoor range of about 300 feet, Wi-Fi is ideal for small-business hot spots or home wireless LANs. In the simplest networks, a cable or DSL signal is brought into the home via a modem, and a router/access point distributes the signal.

Clients, such as laptops and desktop computers, easily latch onto the network via a network adapter. A downside of that ease is that it's just as easy for an interloper to latch onto your Wi-Fi network. Fortunately, the Wi-Fi spec also provides protocols to secure and safeguard your wireless network. WEP, or Wired Equivalent Privacy, was the first such safeguard, though it is widely known that WEP protection is easily hacked. Better yet, use WPA (Wi-Fi Protected Access) or WPA2 security on your network. There are four common flavors of 802.11, each with its own advantages and disadvantages.

Let Eastbay asses your networking needs. Our trained technician can help set up any secure and cost effective wireless network.