The Book of Wi-Fi: Install, Configure, and Use 802.11b Wireless Networking (Paperback)

by John Ross (Author) "Up to a point, it's quite possible to treat you wireless network as a set of black boxes that you can turn on and use..." (more)
Key Phrases: Admin Utility, Control Panel, Network Stumbler (more...)

Editorial Reviews

Review
". . . covers the issues without belaboring the details." -- DesktopEngineer.com

". . .a bridge over troubled waters for those who want to go wireless but don't know where to start. . ." -- The Sacramento Bee

". . .author's practical and fluff-free style liberates this book from the hype and dogmatic tone that prevail in other books." -- IBM DeveloperWorks

". . .shines a big bright spotlight on the murky world of Wi-Fi." -- Dingbat Magazine

"The author has done an absolutely fabulous job of taking complex information and explaining it in laymen's terms." -- Bityard.com

"an excellent choice for the beginning network installer" -- Greater Tampa Bay PC User Group, August 2004

Product Description
This plain English guide to the 802.11b wireless networking standard teaches readers how to use wireless networks at home, work, or in their neighborhood. Included is detailed, practical information on access points, network interface cards, cables and antennas, and wireless software. Readers will learn how to protect their wireless access point from unwanted intruders with encryption, password protection, and virtual private networks (VPNs), as well as how to configure wireless connections for Windows, Macintosh, Linux, Unix, and PDAs.

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Product Details

• Paperback: 288 pages
• Publisher: No Starch Press; 1 edition (February 2003)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 188641145X
• ISBN-13: 978-1886411456
• Product Dimensions: 9.2 x 7.4 x 0.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.3 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.2 out of 5 stars See all reviews (4 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #871,461 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

12 of 12 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent Overview, October 7, 2003

By	Todd Hawley (San Francisco CA) - See all my reviews (TOP 500 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)

What I liked a lot about this book besides the wealth of information presented in a concise form was also its (at times) informal approach to the topic. The author places himself in the shoes of the average person struggling to set up their own wireless network in either a business or home situation.

The book's first chapter describes how "wi-fi" works, and the next chapter explains the "materials" you need to set up a wireless network. The next couple of chapters describe how to install network access points and interfaces. Since I have some knowledge of LAN's, I was able to see the "comparisons" between conventional networks and wireless. I'm assuming that was what the author had in mind while writing the book.

He also talks about extending your wireless network, guerilla (ie "illegal") networking. and security for wireless networks. I was glad to see that chapter, as I had heard it could be relatively easy to "interrupt" network traffic, as well as breaking into a wireless network illegally. While the author points out no wi-fi network will ever be 100% safe, better to be safe than sorry. And last but not least, the book's final chapter is on troubleshooting your network.

I found this book to be a great introduction to wireless networks.

10 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Covers a lot of ground, June 23, 2003

By	"flash-mx" (Canada) - See all my reviews

I found that this book had VERY comprehensive sections on setting up wireless connections for all the major operating systems, including Windows, Macintosh, Linux, Unix, as well as setting up Wi-Fi for your PDA and other handheld devices.

Overall this is an outstanding book which gives you a good working knowledge of every aspect of wireless networking and how to set up a small home network or a larger corporate Wi-Fi network with a firewall and VPN...

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The Ultimate Guide For Beginner Through Expert, July 19, 2004

By	Thomas W P Slatin "TomSlatin.com" (Schoharie, NY USA) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

This book is great! It covers everything that has anything to do with Wi-Fi, 802.1b, etc. This book presents, in plain, understandable English, everything you need and or wanted to know.

The book covers everything from IP addresses to antennas, to frequency theory. A perfect guide for anyone working with networking, or anybody who is just curious about the topic. Do yourself a favor... buy this book and then give one as a gift to a friend. It's well worth it!