Wireless Home Networking for Dummies

Get hooked up without getting tangled up in cords, wires, cables or techno mumbo. With Wireless Home Networking For Dummies, you can go wireless without going mad.  It shows you how to plan, install, secure, and use a wireless home network for PCs or Macs. See how easy it is to share your Internet connection, files, folders, printers, and other peripherals. Put your gaming console on your wireless network and play multiuser computer games—­even online. With lots of helpful diagrams, screen shots, and step-by-step instructions, this guide:

• Gives you the info you need to make wise wireless buying and connecting decisions
• Covers the latest security issues and hardware as well as today's wireless standards, including Wi-Fi/802.11 (a, b, g, e, and i), Bluetooth, UWB (Universal Wide Band), WiMAX, and ZigBee
• Tells you how to use an inexpensive networking kit to connect your gaming console to a broadband Internet connection and speed up your commands; that’s often a matter of virtual life and death
• Discusses alternatives to wireless networking, including Bluetooth, HPNA, and Home Plug

Learn how to network your entertainment center for all kinds of options. Whether you have a $300 TV set or a $25,000 home theater system, you can wireless enable almost any type of A/V equipment. Then you can use your PC to store audio and video tracks for playback on your TV and through your stereo, stream movies from the Internet and play them on your big screen, load pictures from your digital camera on your PC and view them on the TV, and more. This book will show you how to make your home entertainment system much more entertaining, with:

• Info on plugging into wireless with wireless A/V adapters
• The latest on wireless media servers like the Sonos Music System
• The scoop on the ultimate home theater PC (HTPC) that plays CDs and DVDs, acts as a PVR (personal video recorder); lets you play video games on the big screen, and more
• Tips for buying wireless bridges, along with some specific products and their Web sites

Find out about how to go wireless wherever you go, with info on public wireless hot spots and types of free and for-pay networks. Delve into the whole-home wireless revolution and see how you can add smart home devices to your network, connect to your car or your home security video monitors, use your cell phone as a remote control, and more. Wireless Home Networking For Dummies even gives you a look into the not-so-distant future and the wireless wonders in the works!

Danny Briere founded TeleChoice, Inc., a telecommunications consulting company, in 1985 and now serves as CEO of the company. Widely known throughout the telecommunications and networking industry, Danny has written more than 1,000 articles about telecommunications topics and has authored or edited eight books, including Internet Telephony For Dummies, Smart Homes For Dummies, 2nd Edition, HDTV For Dummies, Windows XP Media Center Edition 2004 PC For Dummies, Wireless Network Hacks & Mods For Dummies, and Home Theater For Dummies (all published by Wiley Publishing, Inc.). He is frequently quoted by leading publications on telecommunications and technology topics and can often be seen on major TV networks providing analysis on the latest communications news and breakthroughs. Danny lives in Mansfield Center, Connecticut, with his wife and four children.

Pat Hurley is director of research with TeleChoice, Inc., specializing in emerging telecommunications technologies, including all the latest access and home technologies: wireless LANs, DSL, cable modems, satellite services, and home networking services. Pat frequently consults with the leading telecommunications carriers, equipment vendors, consumer goods manufacturers, and other players in the telecommunications and consumer electronics industries. Pat is the co-author of Internet Telephony For Dummies, Smart Homes For Dummies, 2nd Edition, HDTV For Dummies, Windows XP Media Center Edition 2004 PC For Dummies, Wireless Network Hacks & Mods For Dummies, and Home Theater For Dummies (all published by Wiley). He lives in San Diego, California, with his wife, beautiful daughter, and two smelly and unruly dogs.

Edward Ferris is a consultant and manager of information systems with TeleChoice, Inc., specializing in wired and wireless networking and security technologies, including all the latest VoIP technologies: SIP, vPBX, Hybrid PBX, QoS, and packet labeling and switching. Ed frequently consults with companies looking to tighten information security and expand network operations. He has written many training and technology manuals for corporate use and has created custom training materials and seminars for numerous applications and business processes. He lives in Norwood, Massachusetts, with his wife and three children.