1. Product Types - Client Adapters

Wireless products come in many different "flavors" and differences between some of them are subtle. Let's start by looking at the different types of "Client Adapters".

These products are used to connect one device to a wireless network, much like an Ethernet network interface card (NIC). Most of the adapters can work either in a peer-to-peer network (this is called Ad Hoc mode), or through an Access Point that connects to a larger, usually wired, network (Infrastructure mode). HomeRF based devices also support both methods of communication, but switch methods on the fly.

PC Card
This format is familiar to laptop and PDA users and comes in 16bit and CardBus (32 bit) forms. Unfortunately, manufacturers often don't tell you which technology they use, so if your laptop supports only CardBus adapters, you may have do experiment to find out whether a product will work for you. PC Cards have been the format of choice for laptop users, but have the disadvantages of relatively high power usage and poor antenna orientation.

USB
Our method of choice for connecting desktop machines. These adapters have the advantages of no-opening-the-box installation and a

Wireless products come in many different "flavors" and differences between some of them are subtle. Let's start by looking at the different types of "Client Adapters".

These products are used to connect one device to a wireless network, much like an Ethernet network interface card (NIC). Most of the adapters can work either in a peer-to-peer network (this is called Ad Hoc mode), or through an Access Point that connects to a larger, usually wired, network (Infrastructure mode). HomeRF based devices also support both methods of communication, but switch methods on the fly.

PC Card
This format is familiar to laptop and PDA users and comes in 16bit and CardBus (32 bit) forms. Unfortunately, manufacturers often don't tell you which technology they use, so if your laptop supports only CardBus adapters, you may have do experiment to find out whether a product will work for you. PC Cards have been the format of choice for laptop users, but have the disadvantages of relatively high power usage and poor antenna orientation.

USB
Our method of choice for connecting desktop machines. These adapters have the advantages of no-opening-the-box installation and a cable connection that allows positioning the adapter's antenna for optimum signal. The biggest negative is that you may experience the same driver related problems that plague other USB devices.

Unless you have many active USB devices attached to your computer, you don't need to worry about USB's speed limitation, since most 802.11b adapters' maximum throughput is about 5Mbps compared to the 8Mbps or so that you'll get from most USB host adapters.

PCI and ISA
Given the other choices available, these internal card format devices are quickly fading away. Most manufacturers sell you a separate PCI adapter to use with their standard PC Card wireless adapter, and you'll have to hunt to find companies who also offer an ISA bus adapter.

There are not many nice things that we can say about this method. It's more costly, installations tend to difficult, and the resulting antenna orientation (sticking horizontally out the rear, low to the floor, and pointing toward an outside wall) is usually terrible for performance! If you do choose this method, buy your adapter from the same company as your PC card radio. No manufacturer will support the use of another's radio card in their adapter.

Ethernet
See Bridges

Built-In Updated 3 December 2002
This option is becoming almost standard in current-generation notebook computers and PDAs. The main advantage of building a wireless adapter into a notebook is that the antenna is generally also integrated - usually into the notebook's screen. This puts the antenna(s) into a vertical polarization, matching the polarization of most Access Points, and therefore improving the notebook's range. The built-in adapter is also more robust, since it doesn't stick out of the side of the notebook, begging to be broken off.

The main disadvantages are that this option is usually the most expensive one, and that you are limited to the one adapter that your notebook's manufacturer selects. If you go this route, also check to see how difficult it is to power down the wireless connection. You'll definitely want to do that when you don't need it, since an 802.11b radio can easily cut your notebook's battery life in half, even if you are not actively using the card.