Building a wireless network at home or in SOHO (Small Office Home Office) is not a very difficult task to do today, even if it is for someone with no computer networking experience. With the wireless DSL modem, you can build a wireless network at home easily and safely.
For most people with no computer networking knowledge, building a home wireless network is even something they have never imagined before. However, if you know all the requirements to build a wireless network that can be replaced by a single all-in-one DSL wireless modem, the technical complexities of computer networking, connection, and setup can be minimized as much as possible.
One of the apparent reasons for building a home wireless network today is to share your broadband Internet connection with many computers in the home. In addition, with the wireless home network you can surf the Internet with your pool side laptop, with your Wi-Fi phone or Skype phone; you can make some Internet calls anywhere in the house without turning on your computer. , or you can play live with your XBOX console in the comfort of your living room without the clutter of cables. All the requirements you need to build a simple wireless home or SOHO network is an all-in-one wireless DSL modem. What really are the requirements to build a wireless network at home?
First of all, you need a DSL modem. A modem is a converter from digital to analog signal and vice versa, and is an interface device between the subscriber’s premises and the local Telco or ISP. Generally, when you subscribe to broadband Internet service, your ISP provides you with a modem that connects directly to a single computer using a USB connection or an Ethernet connection. A wireless DSL modem includes a built-in DSL modem – the first requirements you need.
Second, you need a router or firewall. A router or firewall protects your private internal network from public networks (Internet) against any type of threats. Generally, home routers work with dual firewall function: NAT and SPI. Network Address Translation (NAT) helps you hide your private network from the public network, while Stateful Packet Inspection (SPI) accurately and comprehensively inspects incoming packets against any false positive packets. A wireless DSL modem includes double firewall functionality – the second prerequisites you need.
Third, you need a wireless access point. All wireless devices communicate with the wireless network infrastructure through the wireless access point. The access point joins the network devices on the wireless network with the network devices on the wired network. Wireless access points extend your network wirelessly within wireless coverage. A wireless DSL modem includes the function of the wireless access point – the third requirement you need.
Lastly, you need a LAN switch that connects the wireless access point to the wired network. Typically, the DSL wireless modem includes a 4-port LAN switch. With these Ethernet ports, you can also connect computers directly using the UTP LAN cable; and connect the Ethernet print server to share the printer on the network. Recent products shipped with the 10/100/1000 Mbps Gigabit port, with auto-sensing Ethernet port. With the auto-sensing LAN port, you don’t need to worry about the type of cable used, be it crossover UTP cable or straight cable; the system will detect the type of cable used and adjust the system automatically.
The typical DSL wireless modem includes the above four functions, a DSL modem, a router / firewall, a wireless access point, and a LAN switch. With the purchase of this unique all-in-one device: the wireless DSL modem; You can build a simple wireless network at home or SOHO easily and securely. There is no need to purchase separate devices to reduce the complexity of wireless network connection, setup, and configuration.
Network connection and configuration
Since the DSL wireless modem is a single device, a single solution to build the wireless network, connection and configuration is simple. By default, with a single connection to the DSL line, the wireless network will be functional. Of course, with the default settings, no security encryption is applied to the wireless connection. The security feature is not enabled by default.
Connect the Internet port (or WAN port) of the wireless DSL modem to the telephone line (the DSL line). Unlike the dial-up connection, DSL Internet uses the same line as the phone line without interfering with each other; both Internet and voice can work together at the same time. The traditional Internet using a dial-up modem uses the phone line for Internet connection, but at the same time you cannot use the line for voice (phone calls) until the Internet connection is released. With this single connection, your wireless DSL modem is ready to provide wireless roaming within the house and all computers (with Wi-Fi enabled) can connect to the network with simple setup and even simple plug and play.
Every computer on the network needs an IP address in order to communicate over the network, so how can you provide and configure the IP address? The wireless DSL modem includes a DHCP service that is enabled by default. The DHCP server provides and leases the IP address settings to the computers on the network automatically.
There are many wireless DSL modems available on the market today ranging from devices to 802.11g standards and the latest standard is draft 2.0 802.11n. The draft of 802.11n is the future wireless technology that has not yet been ratified, but most wireless manufacturers have shipped their products using the 802.11n standards.