Wireless Access Point

Netgear Wireless Access Point

This powerful Netgear Prosafe 802.11G WG102 Wireless Access Point provides the industry standard access to home and corporate wired network resources, email and the Internet and includes support for MBSSID/VLANs, to enable more granular access to the network. Fully compatible with IEEE 802.11g, (2.4 GHz), it can also be set for dynamic 108 Mbps 802.11g.

With its robust security measures, simplified management and configuration, SNMP support, integrated IEEE 802.3af power over Ethernet (PoE), IntellilFi RF management technology and Wi-Fi certification, the WG102 brings standards-based enterprise-level functionality at a mid-market price.

The WG102 provides support for multiple Basic Service Set Identifiers (BSSID) and virtual LANs (VLANs). You can configure combination of VLANS and BSSIDS to provide stronger or less restrictive access to the network according to your requirements. For example visitors could be given wireless access for the Internet, but could be excluded from any access to the internal network.

WG102 with integrated IntelliFi radio frequency (RF) management technology, enables a wireless network to self-optimize by intelligently choosing channels and dynamically adjusting the power levels to ensure coverage and avoid interference. IntelliFi creates an additional level of privacy by providing self-organizing micro cells for enterprises. An additional level of security is added when used with NETGEAR’s IntelliFi-enabled client adapter, WAG511. In addition, the WG102 supports the ability to detect rogue access points and rogue stations.

Important Specifications:

Device type:

- Wireless access point

Wireless Network Standards:

- IEEE 802.11g

- IEEE 802.11b

Wireless Data Transfer Rates:

- Maximum 108 Mbps

    

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USB Wireless Adapter

Linksys USB Wireless Adapter

Connect your USB-equipped desktop or notebook to a wireless network at incredible speeds with the Linksys WUSB54G USB Wireless Adapter. By incorporating two new, blazing fast technologies -- USB 2.0 and Wireless-G (802.11g) -- the Adapter delivers data rates up to 54Mbps (5 times as fast as 802.11b), without the trouble of opening up the case of your desktop computer.

To install, simply plug the Adapter into any available USB port. (It's compatible with both USB 1.1 and 2.0 ports, but 2.0 will yield the fastest speeds.) It gets its power through the USB connection, so no power cord is necessary. The included Setup Wizard walks you through configuring the Adapter to your wireless network settings, step by step. The Wireless-G USB Network Adapter is also compatible with the Wireless-B (802.11b) network standard, with data rates up to 11Mbps. And your wireless communications can be protected by industrial-strength Wi-Fi Protected Access (WPA) encryption, so your data stays safe.

Important Specifications:

Device type :

- USB wireless adapter

Interface:

- USB 1.1

- USB 2.0

Wireless Network Standards:

- IEEE 802.11g

- IEEE 802.11b

Wireless Data Transfer Rates:

- 54 Mbps

Security Features:

- Wireless Security Wi-Fi Protected Access (WPA, WPA2), WEP (64bits, 128bits)

Transmit power:

- 16+/-1 dBm (Typical) @ 11 Mbps CCK

- 14+/-1 dBm (Typical) @ 54 Mbps OFDM

Receiving Sensitivity:

- -80dBm @ 11 Mbps

- -65dBm @ 54 Mbps

  

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Wireless PCMCIA Card

Linksys Wireless-N WPC300N Notebook Adapter

This WPC300N Wireless-N Notebook Adapter uses the very latest wireless networking technology, Wireless-N (draft 802.11n). By overlaying the signals of multiple radios, Wireless-N's "Multiple In, Multiple Out" (MIMO) technology multiplies the effective data rate. Unlike ordinary wireless networking technologies that are confused by signal reflections, MIMO actually uses these reflections to increase the range and reduce "dead spots" in the wireless coverage area. The robust signal travels farther, maintaining wireless connections up to 4 times farther than standard Wireless-G.

Once you're connected, you can keep in touch with your e-mail, access the Internet, and share files and other resources such as printers and network storage with other computers on the network, wherever you wander. At home, you can surf the web or use instant messaging to chat with friends while sitting out on the patio. You'll also be able to connect with any of the growing number of public hotspots springing up in coffee shops, airport lounges, hotels and convention centers. Your wireless connection is protected by industrial-strength 256-bit encryption. The included Setup Wizard will walk you through configuring the adapter to your network's settings, step by step.

With Wireless-N, the farther away you are, the more speed advantage you get. It works great with standard Wireless-G and -B equipment, but when both ends of the wireless link are Wireless-N, the throughput can be increased even more by using twice as much radio band, yielding speeds up to 12 times as fast as standard Wireless-G. Get your notebook connected to Wireless-N, Wireless-G, and Wireless-B networks with the Wireless-N Notebook Adapter from Linksys.

Important Specifications:

Device type :

- Wireless PCMCIA card for notebook

Interface:

- Notebook’s PC card slot

Wireless Network Standards:

- Draft IEEE 802.11n

- IEEE 802.11g

- IEEE 802.11b

Wireless Data Transfer Rates:

- 300 Mbps

Security Features:

- Wireless Security Wi-Fi Protected Access (WPA, WPA2), WEP (64bits, 128bits)

Transmit power:

- 802.11g: 12+/-1dBm (Typical)

- Wireless-N: 10+/-1dBm (Typical)

Receiving Sensitivity:

- 54 Mbps @ -70dBm (Typical)

- Wireless-N @ -70dBm (Typical)

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USB Wireless Adaptor

Netgear WG111 USB Wireless Adaptor

NETGEAR WG111 (WG111US) USB wireless adapter delivers consistent wireless access to your desktop, notebook or public WiFi hotspot, ensuring no more dropped connections or dead spots. The WG111 is a simple and secure way to share a broadband Internet connection. And, installation is fast and easy with NETGEAR’s Smart Wizard installation software. The WG111 is Standard 802.11g compliant and backwards compatible with 802.11g or 802.11b wireless routers.

NETGEAR’s Wireless-G PC Card (WG511), PCI Adapter (WG311) and USB 2.0 Adapter (WG111) are optimized for use with the Wireless-G Router (WGR614).

Important Specifications:

Device type :

- USB wireless adapter

Interface:

- USB 2.0

Wireless Network Standards:

- IEEE 802.11g

- IEEE 802.11b

Wireless Data Transfer Rates:

- 54 Mbps

Security Features:

- Wireless Security Wi-Fi Protected Access (WPA, WPA2), WEP (40bits, 64bits, 128bits)

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Disassembling a Computer

5 Tips for Disassembling a Computer System

Disassembling a computer can be a painful task. If you're planning to slot in a new hardware component or want to look inside your PC, disassembly cannot be avoided.

Here are few tips for making the task pretty easy:

1. Cut Off The Power

This is important. The first thing to do when disassembling a PC is to disconnect your computer from all power sources.

2. Open the Case Slowly

Next, you want to open the computer case slowly. Some PCs slide off the side - and you may need to remove some screws before the cover can come off. Others open in different ways. You need to check your specific computer case.

3. Learn What is Inside the Case

Once that computer case comes off, you need to familiarize yourself with the internals of your PC. If you want, you can take photos. Usually, the things to look out for are you video card, hard drives, sound card, CPU, memory modules.

4. Disconnecting Adapter Cards

If you need to remove adapter cards, e.g. a PCI based sound card, you will need to take note of the screw at the top of the bracket. Remove that screw first, then you'll be able to disconnect the card.

5. Disconnecting Disk Drives

The other point to note is regarding disk drives. Disk drives (hard disks and floppy disks) usually have screws at the side to secure them in the PC's drive bays. Make sure you unscrew those carefully and hang on to the drive while doing it.

Its important to bear the above points in mind when opening up your PC, it will avoid any potential problems that may happen.

 

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Facts about Power supply connectors

   

     computer power supply connectors can be pretty confusing for the newbie when setting up a new PC.

Get these connections wrong, and you'll have some funny LED lights or behaviors in your PC. In this article, we'll take a look at power supply connectors so you have an idea of what they are and how they function.

1. Best Source Of Information

First up, what's the best source of information to learn about computer power supply connectors? It's definitely the motherboard manual. Most motherboard manuals have specific instructions on how to hook up the computer power supply connectors to the motherboard. Review the manual carefully to make sense of those connectors.

2. Types Of Power Supply Connectors

What are the types of computer power supply connectors, you ask? Well, here they are:

    * Power to hard disk drives There are connectors which power the hard disk drives - you hook these up directly to the power suppy unit using the power cables supplied.

      

    * Power to the CPU The CPU is powered by a power supply connector hooked up to the motherboard. This is usually a small little connector you need to be familiar with your motherboard manual to ascertain what connector this is.

      

    * Power to graphics card Most of the heavy duty graphics cards in PCs have a separate line to power them. The power supply connector to graphics cards might come from the power supply unit, or the motherboard.

      

    * Power to computer beeper Notice how your computer 'beeps' when you first boot it up? That beep sound is powered by a computer power supply connector. You usually hook that connector between the motherboard and the power supply unit.

      

    * Power to LEDs and lights Your computer case will have LEDs and lights to indicate activity in the computer (e.g. hard disk drive activity). To power these lights, there are some small power supply connectors between the power supply unit and the motherboard as shown below

      

   

    * Power to floppy and optical drives Your floppy or optical drives will need to be powered by computer power supply connectors. These are usually hooked up between the drive and the computer power supply unit.

3. Be Careful With The Power Supply Connectors

Whenever you're dealing with the computer power supply, please ensure that you've grounded yourself properly. Very often, I hear of motherboards being short-circuited simply because the user forgot to ground himself or herself before meddling with the computer power supply connectors.

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Facts about Thermal grease

        
         The application of thermal grease between a CPU and its cooler is an important step in installing a CPU.

I know this process intimidates many beginners, but it is really simple. Here are some important facts you need to know about applying thermal grease.

Thermal grease application has long been the domain of hardcore computer enthusiasts. But recently, as more people build their own computers, it is becoming more commonplace.Applying thermal grease is important for cooling a CPU

1. Why Use Thermal Grease?

Do you know why we need to use thermal grease when installing CPUs on a motherboard? Well, the reason is simple. Most CPUs come with a cooler. The contact between the CPU and the cooler is not perfect. Hence, thermal grease needs to be applied to close off the contact between the CPU and the cooler.

2. Found in Many Kinds Of Packages

Thermal grease is available in many different forms. It all depends on the brand and quality of grease you are looking for.

3. Remove Original Thermal Grease

One of the most important steps to remember when applying thermal grease between your CPU and its cooler is to remove the original thermal grease. You see, the original CPU packaging may already come with some thermal grease on them. Make sure you remove it before you apply any new thermal grease.

4. Common Mistakes

There are 2 common mistakes I can think of when applying thermal grease. One of them is to apply too much. Using too much thermal grease endangers your system because it could leak out to other components and causes short circuits on the motherboard.

The other common mistake concerns processors with seals on them. When you buy a CPU, please make sure that there is no seal on it. Otherwise, when applying thermal grease, you will have a lot of difficulty.

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Reasons for Hard Disk Drive Failure

         If you've been using computers for any length of time, you should know that one of the most important parts of a PC is the hard drive.Now, it is critical that you understand this - the hard drive is one of the most delicate components in a PC and it can fail.

The worst thing is, when that happens, you could lose your favorite data as well. So it is important to do regular backups of your data to ensure no problems occure.

This article will look into some reasons why hard drives fail and what you can do to protect your stuff.

1. Why Hard Drives Fail

What are the primary causes of hard drive failures? Here's a list to ponder over:

    *      Age - hard drives will grow old and get bad sectors. It is a fact of computer life.

       

    *      Viruses are dangerous programs which can infect your hard drive and make them unreadable. You'd be wise to invest in a good anti-virus program like McAfee VirusScan.

       

    *      Physical damage. If you happen to drop a hard drive, the disk can be severely damaged.

       

2. How to Protect Your Data

Since hard drives can fail, what do you do? Well, the wisest thing to do is to regularly back up your data. I think that backup needs to be stored outside of the hard drive. Here are some backup ideas:

    *

      Using a second hard driveicon. You can buy a second hard drive, install it and use it as a quick backup tool. Of course, it will cost you money.

       

    *

      CD-R/CD-RW or DVD-R/DVD-RWicon. This is the method I'd use. I currently use a lot of DVDs for backing up my own data. A CD can hold up to 650 MB and a DVD up to 4.7 GB. That's plenty, plenty of room.

       

    *      Online Storage. Another thing to consider is online storage. It is also very convenient but you probably only want to choose this route if you have a fast, broadband connection.

       

3. What Data Do I Back Up?

It's important to create a standard list of items that you need to backup. Here is my list:

    *

      Pictures

    *

      Music

    *

      Video files

    *

      Important Documents (e.g. Word, PowerPoint, Excel)

    *

      Internet Explorer or Firefox bookmarks

    *

      Email addresses

    *

      Old email

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Connecting 5.1 Speakers

Have you ever wanted to experience surround sound from your PC speakers? If the answer is yes, then This article will show you how you can hook up 5.1 speakers to your current PC setup so you can enjoy computer sound from a whole new perspective.

             First, we need to understand the speaker system, then connect the cables and configure the proper options in your PC. So let's get started right away.

Connecting computer speakers to your PC is a simple task

1. Types of 6-Channel Speakers

If you've bought a set of speakers, you should know that there are two types of 6-channel surround speaker. These include analog and digital speakers. Now, analog speakers tend to be cheaper and can generally be installed on any given computer. In this article we will learn how to connect analog 6-channel systems.

2. Understand Your Speaker System First

Before you go about installing that speaker system, you will need to look at the unit and understand it first. Typically, speaker systems come with the speakers and a subwoofer. The speakers themselves are connected to each other using a connector, while the subwoofer has three connections - one to the AC power point, another cable to the volume control device and also subwoofer wires.

3. Connecting The Cables

If you check out the cables that came with the speaker system, you should be able to discern the ones which connect to the speakers and subwoofer. Make sure you connect them properly before connecting the power cable to the wall socket.

4. Over to the Computer

Now, we go over to the computer. What you need to do is to look at the back of your PC and see if there is a 'Speaker Out' port. This usually comes on the sound card (if you're using one) or from the motherboard (if you're using built-in audio). The best thing to do is to consult your sound card or motherboard manual to see where these outputs are.

5. Configure Your PC

Once you've connected the cables and speakers, the final thing to configure your PC to use 5.1 audio. Usually, if you have a sound card, there will be some kind of software driver that allows you to specify this.

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Difference between PCI, AGP and PCI-Express cards

Do you know the difference between PCI, AGP and PCI-Express?  This article is an attempt to clear up this confusion. PCI and PCI-Express are by themselves not a video interconnects, but AGP is a pure video interconnect. Understanding the difference between PCI, AGP and PCI-Express will go a long way in your understanding of computer technology in general. 

1. PCI

PCI stands for 'Peripheral Component Interconnect'. This is a connection within the system motherboard that has been used for the last ten years in the world of computing. There is a plethora of products available for PCI. These include sound cards, video cards, LAN cards and RAID controllers. The predecessor to PCI was ISA - which was one of the earlier connection types in the modern PC.

2. AGP

AGP stands for 'Accelerated Graphics Port'. It used to be that video cards were installed on the PCI bus. The problem was data transfer rate. The speed at which the PCI bus transfers data to and from the video card was too slow.

Hence, the AGP bus was launched to increase the data transfer rate of video cards. There are three specification of AGP - they are AGP 1.0, 2.0 and 3.0. The latest incantation of AGP is AGP 3.0. AGP data transfer is faster than PCI, but it is slower than PCI-Express.

The fact that AGP is a pure video interconnect (but not PCI and PCI-EXpress) is a key difference between PCI, AGP and PCI-Express.

3. PCI-Express

PCI-Express is the latest incantation of peripheral interconnections. It is destined to replace both PCI and AGP, especially in the world of video cards. More products are slated to be released that support PCI-Express. Most modern motherboards have PCI-Express built-in. The speed of PCI-Express is another key difference between PCI, AGP and PCI-Express.

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Why Monitor goes Blank: Top 5 Reasons

    

          
          Computer monitor problems can be very hard to troubleshoot - I mean, if your monitor goes blank, how do you check anything on your screen. So that's why it's important to have 2 monitors in the house. Usually, if I have my desktop PC's monitor going blank, I'll immediately hook up the video card to another monitor. If the screen remains blank, then it could point to a video card problem. If the new monitor displays an image, then it's probably the first monitor that has run into problems.





Reason 1: Wetness


The number one reason why computer monitors go blank is - wetness. Believe it or not, when your computer monitor is exposed to humid air, sometimes water can condense and accumulate in the monitor. This causes the monitor to malfunction and go blank. I've had this happen to my desktop PC at least three times before. What you need to do is to leave the monitor alone for some time and allow the water to evaporate. That usually solves the problem.


Reason 2: Faulty Graphics Card


The next reason why your computer monitor goes black is due to a faulty graphics card. The best way to detect this kind of problem is to connect up a new monitor to your PC, then check if you have a blank screen. If you continue to have a blank screen, then it's likely your video card is faulty.


Reason 3: Faulty RAM


This one is less obvious and less common, but it can happen. You might sometimes get bad RAM modules which prevent your PC from booting up even to the basic BIOS startup screen. To detect this kind of problem is more troublesome, you might need to remove those RAM modules and insert them into another computer.


Reason 4: Loose Connections


Another reason why your monitor goes blank is due to loose connections. The connection from the monitor to the mains is usually a culprit, as is the connection between the monitor and the video card. Check those connections before you declare your computer monitor as faulty.


Reason 5: A Short Circuit In The Motherboard


And the final reason why your computer monitor goes blank? It's possibly because of a short circuit in the motherboard. This is the most undesirable outcome of course, as you might have to replace your entire motherboard. However, it's possible that this can happen - so keep your fingers crossed and hope it doesn't happen to you.

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How to power cycle your Computer

   

            "power cycle" means, a computer equipment can be rather finicky at times. A device that was working fine ten minutes ago may begin acting strangely or may not be responding at all. Often the low-tech solution of simply turning off the device and turning it back on again will fix the problem. This is because information stored in the device's RAM may have gotten corrupted and caused the device to hang up or stall on a certain instruction. Power cycling the device erases the RAM and allows it to boot up with fresh information. Typically it is a good idea to wait 5 to 10 seconds before turning the device back on to make sure it has chance to fully reset. Of course, if you need to power cycle your computer, you should save any work you currently have open, since it will be erased from the RAM once the system is restarted.

Steps to be followed: 

1. Shut down your computer the proper way if possible, via your "Start" menu. If your system is completely locked up, however, then press your PC's power button and hold for 5 to 10 seconds, and your computer tower will turn off.

2. Unplug your computer – this is a very, very important step! Unplug your PC from its power supply. This will typically be the uppermost black cord at the back of your tower. For a notebook or laptop, remove the computer's battery and then un-plug its cord from the laptop. It is not enough to switch off your surge protector – you must unplug the cord from your laptop.

3. Wait for at least 30 seconds after all you computer is unplugged. This will allow enough time for any residual power to drain out of your different devices. You can speed up the process as you wait, by pressing the power button on your unplugged computer, which will help to drain all the power that is left over in your PC's motherboard.

4. Re-connect your computer  in this specific order: Plug in your computer. For a laptop, you'll put the battery back in and then plug it in. Press the power button to turn it back on. Allow it to fully boot up, which it will now boot up normally. You will now also be able to boot with no problem. You have power cycled your computer.

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