Why is Wireless networking such a difficult concept?

[Comp_geek]

Many times when I'm paged to networking I have to deal with customers who "think" they're ready to go wireless. BOY are THEY wrong. I don't understand why wireless networking is such a difficult concept to grasp.

You need the ROUTER which sends the signal and the CARD which receives it. Think of it like a radio station. Simple right? Noooo not for the people I had today. I finally asked them where their computers will be located (same room) and how far from eachother (about 10 feet) so I told them to just go with wired. I was having enough of it already.

Why is it that people enver seem to understand the most basic explanations?

[ShockQueen]

Yep....I get those too!

SC: My internet doesn't work!
Me: Are you connected directly to the modem or going through a router?
SC: It's connected directly.
Me: Are you using ethernet or USB?
SC: It's wireless to the modem
Me: thinking ....okay, so you have a wireless router then.
SC: Nope...just to the modem
Me: The large black box?
SC: It's blue with antennas on it. Isn't that the modem?
Me:

[HawaiianShirts]

It comes down to people not understanding the concept of broadcasting an already existing service. At least, this is the impression I get from my customers.

To many, "Wireless," is an Internet service, much the same as DSL or cable. Only with Wireless, you get the Internet for free (it's magic!) if you have The Card. Most understand when I tell them that Wireless is just computers communicating with each other without the use of cables. I've also had a few gems, though.

"Wait. So, wireless isn't free?"
"So, I have a wireless router and a cable modem. Why can't I pick up my Internet when I'm at work?"
"I have AOL (dial-up). Will wireless make it faster?"
And my personal favorite: "I don't think I want a WIRELESS router. I mean, I don't want anyone to use their computer to see into my HOUSE!"

[smellystudent]

It doesn't help that AOL are now advertising "wireless broadband for the same price as standard!"

What I suspect this means is that they supply a wireless router for the same price as the standard one, which is a £10-20 one-off cost. Unless, of course, they charge extra each month for customers to have "wireless internet"... which I wouldn't put past them

[Comp_geek]

But I mean we've got diagrams of how it works and what their network will look like. In many cases I just end up telling them whatever they're asking. "yes it will make your kid smart and you'll lose the 300 extra pounds you've got on"

[Der Cute]

What I hate about those Wireless Greedy Bastatges is that they expect it to work EVERYWHERE.

This is why I despise Markteing. BLEH.

I work in a Hospital, and the Drs/ Nurses/ Head People arent all that bad. Really. A few of them somehow ahve the idea that they SHOULD have wireless, and they SHOULD be able to walk thru the hospital surfing the net...and then go to an airport and do the same thing.

Well. For HIPPA reasons, we're on a very secured wireless network. You have to have a Cisco Wireless card w/ special software for login reasons...and doing that you are only allowed to do this on campus. If you go to the Airport or Cafe or Timbuktu you will NOT be surfing. Nada.

**insert long whine here**

You want to work from home? Wireless? Set up your own network. Or RTFM and use the nice expensive card for your own damn wireless network.
And even then- ya better be non default, cuz you've got info on your puppy you shouldnt have!!!!

Can you tell I hate this?

Cute

[Comp_geek]

Oh don't even get me started on the security freaks out there.

C:"But won't someone be able to connect?"
Me:"Yes, but not if you turn on the security, it is built in and most people won't bother with your network if it is secured"
C:"But there's still a chance I will be hacked..."
Me:"There's always a chance of that." *thinking: Do you REALLY think that people find YOU of all people so ineresting they're going to bother hacking you?
C:"So it's better if I go with wired"
Me:"It's harder but yes."
C:"Ok I'll go with that."
Me:"Ok here's your 50 feet of cable and your 20 dollar more expensive router (cos they didn't want to take the cheaper wireless one even when I explained that you can turn that option off)"

[Jet]

I get the people too that think Wireless is a service, or that they have to sign up for it to be able to use it on their laptops. I generally try and go slow and easy on people because honestly some just don't know. But when you explain as best you can and you get the blank stare it makes you want to slam your head into the nearest wall.

Also drives me nuts when people say they "know someone" or "have friends" who can do all this for them. I had one lady tell me her next door neighbor set her own up so she could do hers. I just wanted to ask her how she knew it had been set up properly? Or when people come in and ask me for a wireless adapter because they heard someone in the neighborhood has a wireless connection and they don't want to pay for their own internet when they could just get it for free grrrr.

[Phone Jockey]

I get a lot of idiots who don't understand that wireless won't work if you have something BLOCKING the signal. I also had a woman recently ask if she could get wireless in her house & then use it in the woods w/ her laptop. She threw a FIT & requested a supervisor. The sup told her the same thing. You can't go out much further than 150 ft. from the signal. DUH.

[Crosshair]

I hardwired my families house when I was in high school simply because wireless wasn't an option. At the time, (2000/01) wireless was extremely expensive and nobody used it. In fact, at the time, I thought it would fail because it was(and still is) unsecure and was relativly easy to break into. I worked in the computer department at my school and got to swipe obsolete computer parts that where headed to the trash. Wired it with lengths of spliced cables, some ISA 10 Mbit NIC's, and a 10 Mbit hub. It has since been upgraded of course, however there still is some of the original wires in the house, however they arn't used since they go to rooms that don't have computers anymore.

[cpux]

Recently I learned (somewhat by accident) that my next door neighbor's wireless router was unsecure. I told him about this, and got the response "Oh, well, that'd be a whole lotta unnecessary work." After explaining why it WAS necessary and how easy it was to set up a WEP or WPA system, I walked him through it.

And now I have another on my list of people who come to me with every little computer problem.

[Comp_geek]

You're too nice. I woulnd't have done that.

Oh by the way check out http://en.fon.com pretty cool stuff

[technical.angel]

On the subject of people just not getting a clue... for the students, we require them to have auto updates enabled. To verify this, our verification program will not allow them to get full internet and network access until they enable it.

The screen that tell them this has very detailed instructions on how to enable this. I listened as our work study student explained how to enable it, and ended up reading the screen to her. The student could NOT get it.

That means ***I*** get to go over there and fix it. I get over there. Click Click Click Click. Done.

"Ugh!" She says! "If it was that easy, they could have told me over the phone!"

I said in my best professional voice, "She did, several times, in fact. She even pointed you to this screen, which describes it yet again." She groused. I left. I laughed. I told the work study student, who laughed with me.

Jenni

[Mr. Rude]

I shudder to think of the issues that'll arise with MS yabbering on about an mp3 player that will be wireless. To compete against the Ipod....

How many lusers will want to install a wireless NIC on their old , POS systems. AFTER buying said mp3 player. Then finding out that their sys can't handle it...
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/pages/liv...n_page_id=1770

this is a nightmare waiting to happen

[Moirae]

Shockqueen, the Netgear has a wireless gateway. Customers don't understand the difference between a gateway and a modem. So he may have had that. It sounds like the Netgear.