Home Wireless Networks

A home wireless network can be set up using wireless local area network (WLAN) devices. A wireless lan has a wireless interface that enables wireless communication amongst the computers and peripheral devices that are a part of the lan. A wireless lan has limited range and is designed to be used only in a local environment such as a building, office complex or home. The main advantage is the flexibility and mobility provided by a wireless lan.

A wireless home network can be installed easily by connecting a wireless router to the network. The router must be placed in a central location within the home. Computers which are placed close to the router, or in the same room as the router, receive better network speed. Most wireless routers support broadband modems while others support phone line connections. Each computer connected to the wireless lan must have a wireless lan card installed.

It is mandatory to name the wireless network and to ensure that all the computers on the WLAN share the same network name. Though a wireless router contains a built in access point, one may have to use a wireless access point if an existing ethernet home network is extended. The access point must be cabled to the switch, hub or lan router.

Unlike cellular networks with fixed frequencies, users in WLANs have to share frequencies, which sometimes lead to collisions. The choice of frequency depends on whether microwave, spread spectrum, or infrared communication is being used.

The primary WLAN standards include the IEEE-802.11 series and HiperLAN. The IEEE-802.11 (Wi-Fi) standard supports 1 Mbps data rate and several choices of physical medium such as spread spectrum and infrared. An additional feature of this standard is the battery conservation for inactive or idle wireless users. Faster 54 Mbit/s 802.11a (5 GHz) and 802.11g (2.4 GHz) standards are now available. New standards beyond the 802.11 specifications, such as 802.16(WiMAX), are currently being developed and offer several enhancements such as longer range and faster transfer speeds.

The HiperLAN standard can be used to support 23.5 Mbps channel rates. However, it allows use of only spread spectrum physical medium and is not very popular.

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The Disney Cruise Ships

Disney' cruise ships - the Disney magic and the Disney Wonder - embody the style and spirit of the grand ocean liners of days gone by, coupled with every modern amenity you have come to expect from a premiere cruise line. The two ships are basically identical save for some decorating details - the Wonder is decked out in an Art Nouveau style, while the magic is fashioned in an Art Deco style - and the names of some of the restaurants and clubs. Both ships incorporate an interesting dining rotation, whereby your tablemates (in fact- the entire dining room full of guests) is rotated through the 3 restaurants along with your servers and wait staff, so that you get to experience a different restaurant each night without sacrificing the careful attention and pampering of having your own servers. And what restaurants they are - Parrots Cay embodies a fun, tropical flavor (and incidentally serves a fabulous breakfast buffet, and Disney characters often drop by unannounced, so be sure to have those cameras and autograph books handy!). Animator's Palate is a most unique restaurant where the dcor starts out black, white and grey, but by the end of the meal is a full burst of colors and Disney pictures, all coordinated with a musical soundtrack, and Lumiere's/Triton's, which is an elegant restaurant decorated with beautiful mosaics depicting scenes from The little Mermaid on the Disney Wonder and Beauty and the Beast on the disney magic.

Both ships have a variety of features and activities designed exclusively for the younger set, including a family pool and water slide (fashioned as Mickey's gloved hand), snack bars poolside serving chicken nuggets, french fries and ice cream, a fully-equipped kids 'camp' open 'till midnight with counselors, great activities, play areas and computers, great disney-themed shoes (including one starring all of the kids onboard, assisted by their counselors), and more characters than you could ever meet at disney World. All of this attention to the kids certainly doesn't shortchange the adults, who are treated to their own pool and spas, adult-only restaurant (make reservations as soon as you board- Paolo's is a big hit), adult clubs, and even their own beautiful, private cove on the beach at Disney' own Castaway Cay island paradise.

rooms on the disney cruise ships are about 25% larger than comparable rooms on other cruise ships, and many include a unique split 1 1/2 bath, to make getting ready easier for families. There is certainly more food than you could eat or activities you could participate in to fill several cruises, and you'll certainly find yourself wishing that the cruise were longer - or start planning your next cruise before you even disembark!

Stephanie Larkin is the editor of http://www.WaltDisneyCruise.net, as well as http://www.CruiseNewsOnline.info. She and her family love to cruise - her 3 children especially love the towel animals and chocolates left on the beds at night!

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