Why is Wireless networking such a difficult concept?

[Rapscallion]

Off topic,
Anyone else other than me keep a dialup modem handy? In case of service outages, I can still fire up the old "morse code" version

I had to get one a few weeks ago when the junction outside the house fell over. I was praying I didn't need to update the site...

Rapscallion

[Jayn_Newell]

Off topic,
Anyone else other than me keep a dialup modem handy? In case of service outages, I can still fire up the old "morse code" version

I'm not sure if my computer came standard with one or not--bought a pre-built rig, but as my parents can't get cable or DSL yet it's certainly good I have one for when I'm home (like this summer). That said, I do miss being able to bring my laptop to work with me, although for everything else my new desktop is certainly a lot better.

A small bit of irony--I had a laptop for the first two years of university, and there was no wireless access anywhere on campus during those two years (Parts of Dal had it, but I never hung out there). My third year I got a desktop. Guess when the school installed wireless access in the day-students lounge?

And a customer story, sort of--Had a guy come in today wondering if Dad had installed his charting software yet. Or something like that--I quickly realised he probably didn't know exactly what he was talking about, as he said my father was 'installing the internet', which as far as I knew was impossible on a fishing boat. I related the story to Dad later, and he said it was possible to get internet access by using a satellite phone connection. Anyone who would set up internet using a sat phone has waaaay too much money, those things are not cheap to use.

[Crosshair]

I have my first modem somewhere in my computer stuff. It's a 14.4 ISA modem. Dead reliable.

[gbm85]

Off topic,
Anyone else other than me keep a dialup modem handy? In case of service outages, I can still fire up the old "morse code" version

I use my PDA phone as a modem when on the road, or as a backup when at home. With sustained EV-DO download rates of 120kbps, it's not such a bad option

[HawaiianShirts]

Even if the device doesn't have a setup application on the CD for my Mac, I can plug it in and configure it over the web interface, no problem.

I think that is exactly the case. Around here, there are not many Mac users. The few Mac users we do have either know exactly what they're doing and have little to no interaction with people like me, or they have no clue what they're doing. In fact, most of the people I talk to who have or want a Mac have just seen them at the local university's bookstore or have a friend who told them to buy one.

I told the woman I had not seen a Mac set up with those routers. Doesn't mean it couldn't be done. Just meant I hadn't seen it done and therefore didn't know for certain how it was done. (One of the reasons I love this site is that I often get clarification on stuff I don't get.) I'm fairly sure the reference to whether router is compatible or not on the product's package has to do with the installation and configuration software that comes with it. The people who rely on that kind of software to do everything would not be able to get the set up done without help. That's probably what happened with that woman and with the other customers who tell me, "This router won't work with my Mac."

Networking is one area of computers I don't know as much about as I would like. And it's been years since I've touched a Mac. So, admittedly, I wasn't the best person for this cusomter to talk to at the time, but the one person who would have been a better option was off for a month on military duty, and this woman decided I was the only person she wanted to talk to.

[LostMyMind]

As long as we're talking router, you can access the configuation once you find out what address and user/password.

Gateways are different, I was throughly piss when I found out the gateway I bought could only be configured via software.

[Phone Jockey]

"So, I have a wireless router and a cable modem. Why can't I pick up my Internet when I'm at work?"

That reminds me of the cuckoo who called & wanted to be able to walk out of her house & into the woods nearby to use the internet. She even swore at one of our team leads after having the call passed to her. I mean, wtf?? You get MAYBE 150 feet with our service...you can't go running into the woods & expect wireless service!!

It also made me wonder why she wanted to go into the woods in the first place to get online.

[PhotoChick]

Sorry, I'm a bit late to the party, but as a mac user and a person capable of reading between the sc lines, I'm about 97% sure this is what happened:

All routers are mac and windows compatible; like everyone else said the signal the router sends to the computers is the same and if you know what you're doing its easy to configure using the web interface.

BUT this woman is not someone who knows how to do that, or even that its possible. She goes home, opens the package, reads the directions, inserts the software cd and nothing happens. She assumes windows only software = not mac compatible. This happens several times until she found a router packaged with mac software.

[HawaiianShirts]

Yeah, PhotoChick, I think that's exactly it.

On a related note, has anyone else had the same problems with BlueTooth? I get customers all the time who think they need a BlueTooth adapter to get wireless internet (which is true if they're using a cell phone, but I know of no other way to do that, and it's definitely not to let them use the local university's Wi-Fi connection). Or they ask me if BlueTooth Wireless internet is better than normal wireless. Others get BlueTooth adapters for their laptops and wonder why it won't let them connect to their 6-year-old Brick cell phone.

Please tell me I'm not alone in this one.

[Customer Beating Robot]

My owner had the big idea of putting up a Wi-Max wireless system. Towers all around town would transmit to little wireless modems inside the customers home. (Of course he wanted to price it the same as DSL or cable which was stupid)

Anyway, he advertised it as wireless internet. Now, try explaining to a customer that our "wireless" internet did not mean that they could get internet on their laptop, even if they had a wireless card. And yes, we had many discussions about the name, but he always stuck with "wireless internet" for the term. Not to mention that there are several hot-spots around town created by local business. They provided wireless to get people to stay around and shop. So people start wondering why we can't do wireless when (name of random location) does it.

Thank God I talked him into abandoning that.

[ebonyknight]

Yeah, PhotoChick, I think that's exactly it.

On a related note, has anyone else had the same problems with BlueTooth? I get customers all the time who think they need a BlueTooth adapter to get wireless internet (which is true if they're using a cell phone, but I know of no other way to do that, and it's definitely not to let them use the local university's Wi-Fi connection). Or they ask me if BlueTooth Wireless internet is better than normal wireless. Others get BlueTooth adapters for their laptops and wonder why it won't let them connect to their 6-year-old Brick cell phone.

Please tell me I'm not alone in this one.

Bluetooth technology is just a way to get individual devices to talk to each other. For example, there are cars that have bluetooth in them so that you can use your cell phone's addressbook to dial a number (assuming you have Onstar or another such service). The most common use is for connecting a headset to the phone or your phone to the computer. The trick is (just as it is with wired or wireless connections, BOTH ends must use the same hardware specification (analogous to protocols) to communicate with each other. So if your computer has bluetooth and your cellphone doesn't support it, no communication unless you are going to do it through USB (assuming the phone is USB compatible).

Oh, another thing. I think a mod mentioned that it can take a few hours to break WEP. Welcome to the latter half of this decade. You can break WEP within MINUTES with the right software. There are even video demonstrations showing you how to do it on the internet, one in realtime breaking WEP. A lot of wireless users get thier access installed and don't secure it. The phone companies used to secure it but then they would be liable if someone broke in to access the user's network. So they stopped. A WHOLE lotta unsecured networks in my neighborhood. What's even sadder are those that bother to give them niffty SSID (network names) and don't bother to secure them.

The tragedy is that most of these users taking advantage of the "new fangled technology", don't know that thier ignorance can cost them everything. Ex. If a hacker decides to use your unsecured wireless to hack the FBI, the FBI is going to come after THEM, not the hacker, since the hack came from thier new fangled wireless network. Securing your wireless network literally takes minutes and will deter most hackers. WHy? Because, a robber usually goes after the easiest mark and what mark is easier than a fool who goes off to work and leaves the front door, literally open? I myself use shared key WPA (not as good) as using Radius to randomize the keys or WPA2, but the same applies. Someone who can't find an unsecured wireless network, will then spend the few minutes needed to break WEP and leave my network alone, because it's more difficult.

Anyway...SECURE your wireless networks!!!

[MacPrince]

Bluetooth technology is just a way to get individual devices to talk to each other. For example, there are cars that have bluetooth in them so that you can use your cell phone's addressbook to dial a number (assuming you have Onstar or another such service).

Actually, no such service is required for a Bluetooth hands-free system, at least nothing but your cell phone plan. The Bluetooth system in the car connects only to your phone over Bluetooth and to the car's audio system to funnel the conversation over the car's speakers. A microphone in the cabin (usually on the overhead console) picks up your voice.

[LostMyMind]

Oh, another thing. I think a mod mentioned that it can take a few hours to break WEP. Welcome to the latter half of this decade. You can break WEP within MINUTES with the right software. There are even video demonstrations showing you how to do it on the internet, one in realtime breaking WEP. A lot of wireless users get thier access installed and don't secure it.

It can still take a few hours to break WEP depending on the router setup/code. Yes, it's easier with some.

WEP is just an simple encryption. Depending on any kind of encryption will set you up for a security break. Sadly, no encryption is 100% hack proof. Even the newest encryption can be broken in minutes. Which is why I don't use encryption to secure my network

Yes, FBI will come after you, if the hack "appears" to come from your router. But they still have to prove that your computers did the hacking, not that it came from your IP. Any good "hacker" can reroute their IP tracking or even change their IP completely. That why there are soooo many public proxies out there that are 100% anonymous and no logs.

**side note** I don't "hack" anymore My experience are from the old days when hackers were crackers and not what they are today.

[Seanette]

We just got DSL with a gateway capable of doing wireless (we have a fairly complicated home network). My husband says that he's gone through the setup software and disabled wireless. Are we *sure* it's off? (Yes, I'm feeling just a tad paranoid about some slimy jerk routing through our system and creating problems for us.)

[LostMyMind]

You can test it by borrowing someone's laptop that has wireless. If it's activated it will pop up on the list, if not it won't be there.