Talking about computer network systems could give a heart attack to such people. However, it is not as scary as it may sound. For some people, the computer itself could be a scary topic, considering the fact around how complicated the machine is.

Computer network systems could be understood by separating the two words in the term. A “computer” as we know is a complex machine that helps us to process information. “Network” refers to linking or connecting. Hence computer network would simply mean getting two or more computers connected. When we say the word “connected” in this reference, we mean that one computer could be accessed through the other. This connection can be done by using wire or wireless devices e.g wireless network.

Broadly speaking there are two ways of connecting two or more computers. The first one is called the wired network and the other one is called the wireless network. Both of these are huge subjects to study and understand. However, in layman’s language it could be said that when two or more computers are connected through wires it’s called the wired network. And when they are connected without the wires through wireless router, it is known as wireless network. As the wired networks are limited to the area wherein the wire web is installed, similarly the wireless has range limitations. For wireless network we should consider how many devices will access the network. The number of machines that are on a network would ensure the speed of the network. More machines in a network would mean a slow network.

The various computer network systems could be – Personal Area Network; Local Area Network; Campus Area Network; Metropolitan Area Network; Wide Area Network; Global Network and most importantly internet, intranet or the extranet. The names are given to the network depending upon the arena they have. Like for example the campus area would mean the machines that are in a given physically limited campus are connected through the computer networking. This could be wired or wireless networking.

Internet could be understood as a global network systems. Since Internet connected many network system all over the world. By using network system we can connected to other people in the other side of the planet.

One thing I like about using Windows [copyright Microsoft, Inc.] is that you can customize and personalize your computing experience. Like adding gadgets to your desktop.

Gadgets are small programs that sit on your Windows desktop. They usually are shortcuts to perform a function, automatically access information, display some control or statistic about your computer, and on, and on , and on. There are so many Windows gadgets that the list currently fills 189 pages on the Microsoft Live Gallery site http://gallery.live.com/ . I use the following gadgets on my desktop sidebar: a news feed, Internet TV access, a monitor of my wireless network, and a set of animated gauges that show how much CPU and memory I’m using.

The gallery of gadgets covers Windows XP, Vista and 7, however, right now the vast number are written for Vista. Each gadget in the gallery contains information on what it does, it’s requirements, a rating, and review comments from users. I recommend you use all this information to choose whether you want to download a gadget. For example, pay close attention to whether a Vista gadget is written for 32 bit or 64 bit Vista. It may make a difference in whether it’ll run on your computer or not.

It’s easy to obtain the gadgets too. To begin with, your version of Vista may have been installed with a sidebar of gadgets for you to choose from. A sidebar is a portion of your desktop that can be displayed on the right or left side and contains icons for the gadgets you choose to put there.

Another way to obtain gadgets is to go to Microsoft Gallery Live as noted above where you can search for gadgets by category, the latest gadgets (What’s New), Top Downloads, or you can scan through the gallery page by page. Right now these gadgets are free…I hope they stay that way.

There are other sites such as http://addgadget.com/ that offer free gadgets for download, but I haven’t tried any of them.

As with any download from the Web, beware that an unscrupulous author could use a gadget to load malware (viruses, bots, etc.) onto your computer. Make sure your anti-virus software is up to date and that the source of the gadget is reputable…I consider Microsoft as a reputable source.

Gadgets are a good source of free applications which will save you time, entertain you, or at least make your computing environment a bit more colorful. Give them a look and see if you like any of them.

Wireless networks have become very popular in these day’s market with the continuing increase in technology. A major concern with wireless networks is in fact to secure wireless network. Securing wireless networks has become more and more important with the increase in the number of users of wireless networks. It is now simple for the average individual to set up a wireless network system at home or at the office. These network systems may be within the range of many other potential network intruders with the technology to detect and access the systems.

There are several things you can do towards securing wireless networks. It is common however for many to leave out these steps and just start using the network system. The little time it takes to use these security features is time well spent and can be considered to be great preventative measures in protecting your system. The trouble can be encountered if your network system is not secure can lead to much more expensive and time wastage. e.g data leakage, virus, trojan etc.

One of the first steps in securing wireless networks is the changing of the administrative password for the router. This is important as most default passwords are common standards such as password and can be easily broken into. This password protects your router from unauthorized access and can prevent the unauthorized changing of your settings. The next tip for securing your wireless network is not to broadcast the name of your network systems. The majority of wireless network routers do this and this makes life easier for clients as they can locate the network without having to know the name but this is also an easy way for intruders to detect your network. It is therefore advisable to turn off the service set identifier for your system. And you can limited users accessing your network by registering their devices so you can control who is accessing your network systems.

There are normally two encryption types for the wireless network systems. These are WEP and WPA encryptions. The WEP encryption is not as strong as the WPA system and this means that the WPA is the better choice. This system provides protection that is easier to use and that is harder to crack than the WEP system. The WPA system is now found built in to many operating systems and all modems for wireless systems. This is a great step towards securing wireless networks.

Another action towards securing wireless networks is the reduction of the wireless network routers transmitter power. This has the overall effect of a reduction in the power and range of your signal. It is very difficult to adjust the signal precisely so there is no leakage outside of the required range but with trial and error it is possible to determine approximately how far the signal is leaking and to make adjustments accordingly. This greatly minimizes the opportunity for outsiders to intrude on your network. The disabling of remote administration is also another action that can be taken towards the security of the network.

So, when you setup a wireless network routers, keep in mind who gonna access your wireless network, how to secure your wireless network and don’t forget to change the password, setup encryption and registering who can access your wireless network router.

Having the ability to go wireless in your home or at the office is a great feature to have. Not only is it the freedom to be mobile, but also leaving your house wired free, and not having to route cables through drilled walls, shows another area where wireless is too good to miss out on. The freedom to roam your house from room to room, or even sit under the palm tree of your garden on a hot sunny day, proves there’s no going back from wireless network. However, because of the nature of the technology, wireless has a number of security issues we must be aware of And you will learn how to secure wireless network.

A neighbour, hacker or someone just by your home can easily detect your wireless network signals and attempt to connect to your wireless access point. This is because wireless network systems uses radio frequency and data travels through the air, though they do not need physical access to your router. This is where the security concern comes from.

So let’s get to the point. How bad could it be not secure wireless network?

The common stressing points we hear everyday regarding wireless security is the ability that an evil doer can easily sniff data, coming and going to your wireless access point. Also they will have the ability to use your router to browse the web just as you do… using your bandwidth.

It doesn’t really sound that bad… Does it?

Well how about if your neighbours or anyone on the street outside your home were using your wireless access point and taking part in illegal downloads, visiting illegal websites and generally using the web for criminal activity. Who do you think would get the blame? When you have the FBI busting through your door, and you’re quick to think your children are not as innocent as they claim to be, it may be a mountain for you to climb out of at this point.

The illegal downloads and criminal activity that was occurring from the next house on, was all under your ID. They were using your access point which from the ISP point of view was coming from your home. This is what happened when you are not securing your wireless network.

To add to this, in a couple of months time when your bank statement arrives through the door showing you spent £3000 on a new TV, as well as purchasing a set of Golf clubs, it may just all be too late by then. A hacker could have easily sat outside your home and sniffed your bank details or any other confidential details you may have used when online, all from the comfort of their car or home. All they need is a wireless laptop to do this, and sit within a range of your wireless network router, in other words somewhere outside your house!

Now this also goes for businesses with wireless access points as well and not just for home users. In fact it is so much more crucial for businesses because a hacker can break into their network via the access point, hacking into company confidential data!

Therefore secure wireless network today is crucial for all the reasons above. Identity theft today is on the rise, and hackers will go the distance looking for insecure wireless access points. For this reason you should take the time and ensure you have a secure wireless network.

I recently added a wireless-capable printer to my home wireless network .  I was pleasantly surprised to see how easy it is.  Here’s what you need to do.

First you’ll need to know the SSID, the name you gave your wireless network when it was installed, and the Network Key (password) of your wireless router. 

What?…you say you didn’t assign a password when you set up your network?  This is a serious breach of your computer’s security!  Stop right now and assign a password so you’ll be protected from 1. your neighbors using your network to get to the Internet, and 2. drive-by hackers getting access to your computer and network.  Store the password in a safe place.

Okay, I’m calming down now…yes, I’m feeling better about the security of your network and computer now.  Thanks.

Now let’s get back to installing this printer.  Follow the printer’s instructions to run the setup.  This will load the necessary drivers (software) the printer will need to operate, to your computer.  Part of the setup will be a question to find out if you want to connect the printer to your network as wired or wireless.  Answer wireless.  At this point the properties of your wireless router and network setup must be communicated to your printer.  Some printers are “smart” enough to scan for available wireless networks to connect to and others will ask you to connect the printer to your computer temporarily using a USB cable so that the information can be accessed by the printer.  Either way works fine.  At this point you may be asked for your network’s SSID and password to complete the connection.

Next, it’s a good idea to go to your printer manufacturer’s web site to download the latest drivers for your model printer.  This will ensure your printer works properly with the latest software.  To complete the installation, you should test the connection by sending a document from your computer (click print) to the printer.

Well, that’s all it takes to install a wireless-capable printer to your wireless network.  I told you it wouldn’t be too hard.

They have two.  1.  Apple Demo and 2. Apple Store.  I asked an employee and he said to always choose the Apple Store one.  So I guessed correctly!

Must resist buying Apple Airport Express.  Don’t need to do Back to My Mac.  Must resist…

When I bring my laptop to work, this is the first thing I see when I open it:

And ….

_________hours of mindless entertainment

The way that it used to be, is people generally had one computer in their home. Internet access was based on dial-up modems which were connected directly with a serial cable on the home computer. No Local Area Network was needed. With the advancement of technology and the wide spread adoption of high speed internet connectivity at homes, necessitates that home appliances should be networked to facilitate online access and to also communicate and share information between them.

The way that it used to be, is people generally had one computer in their home. Internet access was based on dial-up modems which were connected directly with a serial cable on the home network is your broadband router. This is usually a device that lets you setup a wired network, or use Wi-Fi for wireless. This integrated router provides also the Internet access connectivity. Once you have your home network is your broadband router. This is usually a device that lets you setup a wired network, or use Wi-Fi for wireless.

This integrated router provides also the Internet access was based on dial-up modems which were connected directly with a serial cable on the home network is your broadband router. This is usually a device that lets you setup a wired or a wireless network. You can use Ethernet cables if you’re making a wired or wireless, that networked devices communicate between inside the home, and also share the same internet connection. The base of the home computer. No Local Area Network was needed. With the advancement of technology and the wide spread adoption of high speed internet connectivity at homes, necessitates that home appliances is home computers, next generation game consoles, printers, scanners, network attached storage, etc.

If you just bought a printer with wireless capability and still using cable to print because you think that setting up a wireless printer is a complicated task, then you are missing a lot. Being able to print anywhere in your home without the need to carry or move the printer around is a great flexibility and convenience you get from wireless technology. This is especially true if you are using a laptop computer which generally is about portability. This article will show you how to setup a wireless printer in an existing wireless network.

Read more…

After you have established your new wireless network, you have to determine whether or not you are going to share resources among users. One of the most commonly shared peripheral devices is a printer. Sharing a printer across a wireless network is very easy to do.

In this example, we are going to go through the steps about how to share a printer that already exists and is attached to one of the users’ computers.

commonly shared peripheral devices is a printer. Sharing a printer across a wireless network is very easy to do. In this example, we are going to the Control Panel, click on the Additional Drivers button. This assumes everyone is using Windows XP. As long as you have a report or bank statement you have the device driver disc that came with the printer, installing different drivers for different operating systems on you network, you will need to provide those by clicking on Printers and Faxes. Click on the other machines, the drivers will be provided from the shared printer by opening Control Panel and clicking on Printers and Faxes.

Click on Add a Printer. The Add a Printer. The Add a Printer. The Add a Printer Wizard begins the installation process. You can have the device driver disc that came with the printer, installing different drivers for different operating systems is easily accomplished by first going to share resources among users. One of the users’ computers. Sharing a printer that already exists and is attached to one of the printer. Enter the name you want to share. In this example, we are going to go through the steps about how to share resources among users.

One of the shared printer on the Share this Printer radio button. You are prompted to enter the name you want to identify the shared printer icon and then select Set as Printer Default. This way, any time you are given the choice to print a test page. I recommend you let the wizard browse your network for the printer. When it locates the printer’s host computer and the printer is shown. Upon completion of the users’ computers. Sharing a printer through a print server and how to set up printer sharing on the other machines, the drivers will be completed the next time you choose to print to get to a meeting! If this is the only shared printer on the other machines, the drivers will be sent to this printer as their primary printer go to the Control Panel and opening up the folder for Printers and Faxes.

Click on Add a Printer. The Add a Printer. The Add a Printer Wizard begins the installation of the shared printer name. Both work but I recommend that all users that will use this printer by default. If the computer to which the computer is attached. This is accomplished by providing the name you want to identify the shared printer on the network, I recommend you always do this. This is the only shared printer as their primary printer go to the Control Panel, click on the Share this Printer radio button.

With increasing number of cyber criminals, it is very important to protect your privacy and confidential information from getting hacked. Media Access Control or MAC authentication is a great way to add another layer of security to your home internet. It basically limits access to your router from a list of devices that you specified.

Read more…

Securing Customer Premises Wi-Fi Access Network

The Department of Telecommunications (DoT), Govt. of India, has recently issued a directive dated 23-02-09 to ensure secured use of WiFi based Internet access. Under this directive, all home Internet subscribers are required to ensure that their WiFi networks are secured and cannot be misused. Subscribers are required to register their status with their Internet Service Provider.

There are four methods for securing the access to your Wi-Fi Network. They are briefly given below. More details can be obtained from the Manual of the device and the Manufacturer of the device.

1. Enable WEP/WPA encryption:

This option allows the user to enable the encryption of the data with a key phrase or secret key. Unless the client also has the same keys, the client will not be able to connect with the Wireless Router. Further, since it is generated by the user and chances of any intruder accessing the router will be very remote. Use of WPA is recommended for added security. Use a strong password that is at least eight characters long and is a combination of alphanumeric and special characters.

2. Enabling MAC authentication:

MAC Authentication or MAC binding allows the user to input the MAC address of the PC/Laptop/PDA in the wireless router, for which the access is to be allowed. Router verifies the MAC address of the PC/Laptop/PDA while giving the permission to access the router. This further secures the access to the acess to the router.

3. Does no use Common SSID / Disable SSID broadcast:

Use a Wi-Fi network name (SSID) that does not reveal private information (e.g., your identity or location) or You may disable the SSID broadcast.

4. Change the Administrator’s Password:

Change the default administrator’s password on your Wi-Fi router.If all the above features are enabled in the Wi-Fi device,then the access to the Wi-Fi Device is more secure andintruders will not be able to misuse the Internet.

Change the default administrator’s password on your Wi-Fi router. If all the above features are enabled in the Wi-Fi device,then the access to the Wi-Fi Device is more secure and intruders will not be able to misuse the Internet.

Above article does’nt gurantee 100% full proof security, Avail expert services to secure wi fi network.

Ad hoc wireless network refers to peer-to-peer connection between wireless devices. This means that they directly communicate with each other without the need for an access point (usually broadband wireless router). An ad hoc connection is desirable when you only need a quick and temporary connection to share files or when the network infrastructure is having problem.

Read more…

First let me say that the garage band experience was enough to make me want to buy a MAC for my next computer.  That software was amazing and I am a new believer that MACs are much more user-friendly than PCs and it is fairly easy to teach yourself how to use a MAC vs. a PC.  My finished product was too large of a file to post directly onto my wiki page so Professor Ransom and I tried several work-a-rounds.  We finally decided to try YouTube, but there was a compatibility error (possibly due to my project being longer than the maximum 10 minutes allowed per video by YouTube) and we finally got it to work through Vimeo.  When there’s a will there’s a way.

As for our WebQuest project, I am a little tentative to start it, but I know once I do I will dive in head first, as I have with all other projects until this point.  OK, now onto this past weekend.

I spent this past weekend in Schoharie NY, where the weather is mild and a person can find himself or herself surrounded in country and wildlife.  I traveled here with my girlfriend and her family, visiting her grandparents for her birthday.  I was excited to have a break away from technology, as I thought the most technology that would work where we were headed was my cell phone, in certain areas, as there are bad service areas here and there.  Again, I was wrong.  I was shocked to see that her Grandparents had a fairly new desktop computer and that her father brought a wireless router so that their laptops could connect.  We still kept to the great outdoors for most of the day, hiking up Vroman’s nose, visiting local places such as the Carrot Barn and the Apple Barrel, as well as driving closer to Albany to do some mid-day shopping, but sure enough, I found some time to sit down and do a little homework yesterday evening, which I could not have done without Internet access.  Good old technology.

You can also see it at Scientel Wireless Newsroom

McGraw-Hill | ISBN: 0071494901 | 2007 | CHM | 644 pages | 24.28 MB

Fully authorized by the exam developers at the CWNP program, this comprehensive study guide thoroughly covers all the topics on the CWNA certification exam. Work at your own pace through a system of lessons, scenarios, and review questions to learn the material quickly and easily. CWNA Certified Wireless Network Administrator Official Study Guide will help you prepare for the exam by showing you, step-by-step, how to implement, troubleshoot, and maintain wireless LANs. Get the only study guide endorsed by the creators of the CWNA exam and start your career as an expert wireless network administrator.

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or

http://depositfiles.com/en/files/px9sehkow

Wireless network has become the default package when you install internet access at home. It always comes with a wireless router that gives you the option to connect wirelessly or via cable.

Read more…

With HSPA, EVDO maturing, WiMax getting deployed and LTE getting ready to buzz around, it is soon changing the way mobile phones will access the networks. The bandwidth hungry new services, applications and the non-stop touch clicks on your smart handhelds are eventually going to obsolete these mature 3G networks. Whereas, the 4G access networks are definitely envisioned to control this ever-increasing wireless broadband traffic but what bout the evolution of backhaul?? Is it ready? or is it going to be a major bottleneck analogous to the traffic jams seen if only one lane was operating out of a four lane expressway.

So, let’s have a closer look on how the mobile backhaul network is currently positioned.

The trend below depicts the exponential growth in asynchronous data demand for next 5 years.

Mobile Traffic Projections for the next 5 years

Over the next few years, “user experience” will still continue to rely on 3G (and in some regions on 2G) technology.But for the mobile operator, LTE/WiMax is already part of the game plan. Operators have to learn the technology, and its impact on their networks, applications and service offering. Though, service providers are seeking revenue and profit growth through new differentiated packet-based services. Many of these services, such as mobile Internet and mobile TV, require high bandwidth—and the current backhaul infrastructure is not optimized for handling such traffic. Hence, providers have to add backhaul capacity while keeping operational costs under control, a situation that is forcing carriers to migrate their access and core networks to the new 3G and 4G infrastructure.

There are three main transport technologies in the backhaul arena – fiber, copper and wireless point-to-point microwave.

The costs of backhaul form a significant part of service providers’ revenue accounting for three quarters of mobile transport costs and 25-30% of total operating expenses. The 2G infrastructure carried voice traffic through switched TDM (T1/E1 or SDH/SONET) or ATM. As with 3G/4G services, already  the bandwidth requirements have shot exponentially and to transport voice and data efficiently has been the need of the hour.

Basic requirements for a 4G Backhaul network:

1. Capacity: A single tail site should be scalable to 100Mbps+ capacities to avoid bottlenecks

2. Latency: A solution that supports 10msec or less end-to-end latency

3. All IP: Support IP traffic from head to tail.

Current migrating strategy is transporting Ethernet packets over point-to-point Microwave. Over 50% of all mobile backhaul deployments worldwide (and nearly 70% outside the U.S.A.), point-to-point microwave systems offer simple and cost efficient backhauling for voice and high-speed data services. That’s because point-to-point microwave supports higher data rates than traditional copper T1/E1 lines, it delivers between 25% and 60% more bits compared with similar TDM based systems, and easily overcomes the high cost and limited availability associated with fiber. Thus, operators can connect the TDM ports today, and gradually shift traffic to the Ethernet ports in the future. This shift can be done from remote, so no additional CAPEX or OPEX are needed. The industry has already established that the end game of next generation mobile backhaul networks is all-IP/Ethernet. Ethernet is not only more scalable, it also offers huge cost savings across the entire network value chain.

Ethernet cost savings per 1 Million subscribers

Also migrating to high capacity and lower latency Ethernet/All IP network, the systems should also support QoS aware Adaptive Coding and Modulation and Statistical Multiplexing. The former helps optimizing network for spectrum efficiency, increasing the radio capacity and  thus reducing cost/bit and latter in optimizing traffic management over the network reducing congestion and improving efficiency. An IP over Ethernet infrastructure has the advantage of the bandwidth growth curve of Ethernet moving from 10 Megabits per second (Mbps) to 10 Gigabits per second (Gbps) today and 100 Gbps in future. This coupled with the decreasing cost of Ethernet ports provides growth opportunities with increasing economies of scale.

Ethernet microwave Vs. TDM microwave equipment cost comparison

Thus, of the three backhaul technology options operators can choose from, wireless point-to-point microwave can deliver the best cost-performance features, bringing faster ROI and driving forward the proliferation of advanced mobile services in the LTE/WiMax era. But in the longer run a hybrid  solution of microwave, optical or IP/MPLS core might be seen as a balanced solution that might reduce the OPEX with improved scalability, higher bandwidth, lower latency and better efficiency. So operators pull up the socks and get ready for the great migration.Also, a point to note with CISCO’s recent acquisition of Starnet Networks which makes it now one of the most dominant player in mobile backhaul solutions market.

- Neil Shah

By Anna Marie Kukec | Daily Herald Columnist
Published: 4/3/2009 10:47 AM

Lewis University

Daily Hareld

The campus is perhaps the first in the nation to have wireless, high-speed broadband both inside and outside its buildings, reaching out to its outdoor sporting events as well as its own airport.

It’s also the first time Motorola combined some of its industry-known products, such as Mesh, wireless connectivity for governments and the public sector, and its recently acquired AirDefense wireless security to cover the entire campus.

“At the end of the day, it’s about access for people where those people are,” said Tim Mason, Motorola senior director of wireless broadband in Schaumburg.

Lewis University officials felt something was needed, especially since its current wireless system was outdated and unreliable, and it didn’t meet the needs of the incoming wave of new students. So it enlisted Motorola along with wireless service provider Scientel Wireless.

“In today’s competitive, quickly evolving education environment, it is crucial to provide high-speed wireless Internet access in every part of the campus,” Lewis University President Brother James Gaffney said in a statement.

It also was necessary to not only connect students and teachers, but to provide full services for data, video and voice applications. The new network also serves as a backup to the university’s wired infrastructure, Mason said.

“If they had clouds or wind or when the trees changed with the season, the outside elements all changed the game a bit,” Mason said.

So Motorola combined its products, coupled with AirDefense, which offers wireless security to repel hackers.

Now, students or faculty can open their laptops anywhere on campus, inside or outside the classroom, and connect to the Wi-Fi network, Mason said.

Motorola aims to market similar Wi-Fi systems for other universities, Mason said.

“The benefits are so great and this offers a blueprint,” Mason said. “It’s not as cumbersome or expensive either.”

Surfing: The Greater Aurora Chamber of Commerce has created a profile on Twitter with the username “AuroraILChamber.” The group is using Twitter to tout its business news and events.

• Verizon Wireless, which has its Midwest headquarters in Schaumburg, is joining the Joint Innovation Lab established by China Mobile, Softbank and Vodafone to help create mobile technologies for the mass market. They’re focusing on creating a global platform for mobile widgets, which will enhance the mobile Internet for smartphones as well as some handsets that are on multiple operating systems.

• Chicago-based GenXpense.com offers Generations X and Y a change to keep up on their finances with its educational resources.

• AT&T, which has its Midwest headquarters in Hoffman Estates, said its U-verse TV, Internet and Voice services are now available to more than 1 million of what the company called “living units” around the Chicago and suburban area. Living units – formerly known as households.

Having problems installing your Samsung CLP-315W? Scratching your head after trying to read through the user guide? Wondering where to find the MAC address of your CLP-315W? Can’t connect to your network after several attempts?

If your setup is similar to mine – a Wi-Fi infrastructure mode/access point network (I’m using the Linksys WRT160N router which is set to Wireless-G only) with static IPs and PCs running 32-bit Vista – you may find this post useful.

Samsung’s Color Laser User’s Guide for their CLP-310 series is one of the worst manuals I’ve encountered. Here is an example of the fine writing and editing therein:

Before starting wireless parameter configuration, make sure cable connection status. (Page 25, online release date of September 25, 2009)

Marvelous.

To add your CLP-315W to your wireless network, you will need:

1. Your CLP-315W, powered up with paper in the tray
2. A PC which can connect to the Internet and which is on the same network you wish to add your printer to
3. A router whose settings you know or can obtain which is the access point for the network you wish to add your printer to
4. An Ethernet cable with which you will connect your CLP-315W to the router (a short Ethernet crossover cable is supplied with the CLP-315W, but I used a long, standard Ethernet cable since my router and printer are quite far apart).

Then follow these steps:

Step 1. Connect the CLP-315W to your router via an Ethernet cable.

Step 2. Print the Network Configuration Report and Configuration Report for the CLP-315W. To print both reports, in Ready mode (steady green light), hold the Stop button down for at least 5 seconds.

Samsung CLP-315W Stop button

The Network Configuration Report produced shows current network-related information and the status of your CLP-315W, including its MAC address, current IP address, and wireless network settings. The Configuration Report displays other useful data about the printer, including the serial number, RAM size, and toner levels. The Network Configuration Report may come in handy during the installation process.

Step 3. Visit the Samsung site and download the latest driver. Today, the support page is here. About a third of the way down the page, enter CLP-315W in the Enter model number or keywords box. On the Support for CLP-315W page, click on Driver on the Downloads tab. Download the first printer driver – version 3.04.80:43, release date September 25, 2009. Save it to a location you will easily remember.

Step 4. Install the driver you downloaded in Step 3. Browse to the location where you saved the driver. Then double-click on the driver file name
(CLP-310_Print_32bit).

You should now see the following screen:

It’s OK to accept the default location. Click Next.

Now you should see this screen:

Choose your language and then click Next.

You should now see this screen:

As shown above, select the second radio button labeled Typical installation for a network printer. Click Next.

A search for your printer is then performed. This screen is then displayed:

In this example, 192.168.1.0 is the current IP address of the CLP-315W. This address should correspond to the IP address listed in the Network Configuration Report you printed in Step 2.

In my situation, I set static IP addresses, and this IP address doesn’t fall within my allowed range. To change the IP address, I had to select the radio button to the left of the printer information and click Set IP Address in the lower left-hand corner.

A new screen will appear. Again click the radio button for the CLP-315W. You should then see something similar to this: 

The area circled above in red is the location in which you should enter the IP address you want your CLP-315W to have. Then click the Configure button. A pop-up window will appear to tell you whether the configuration was successful. After you have successfully configured the TCP/IP Port, click Next.

You will then see this screen:

Then, finally, this screen will appear:

Click Finish.

The installation of the Samsung CLP-315W printer driver is now complete.

Step 5. Use Samsung’s SyncThru Web Service to configure the printer for your wireless network. The SyncThru Web Service is installed automatically when you install the driver software. To access it, open a browser window (using IE, Firefox, Chrome, etc.). In the address bar, enter the IP address you set for your CLP-315W in Step 4.

In the example below, the CLP-315W IP address is 192.168.1.203.

Click on the Network Settings tab to get to the wireless settings you will need to change in order to add the CLP-315W to your network. Make sure the SSID, gateway, wireless security, and other settings are correct (check your router for this information, if necessary).

Step 6. Unplug the Ethernet cable which is connecting the printer to the router. After about 20 seconds or so, the blue LED on the top of the printer should be illuminated. If it is, your printer is ready to use wirelessly.

Note: If you have additional PCs on your network which will be using the CLP-315W, repeat Step 3 and Step 4 for each PC. You won’t have to set the IP since you already did it the first time through.

This is taken from a Business Week post: Wi-Fi Is About to Get a Whole Lot Easier

A consortium that includes Intel, Cisco, and Apple is set to release
new technology called Wi-Fi Direct that will turn a slew of gadgets
into hotspots…

—–

It looks like the portable device wireless mesh network is geting closer to reality. Ubiquitous, transparent, AND secure Wi-Fi distribution networks – as “Mike” comented on the above article: “This technology has been developed for years, yet only now do we see it
is close to getting to market due to cooperative agreements…”.  This technology also has wonderful upside potential not just for mesh network functionality, but for cloud computing.

What does this mean for companies like Autonet Mobile and services like uConnect that actually put Wi-Fi into cars via dedicated Wi-Fi routers? Why add another Wi-Fi distribution device in your car if your cell phone (and the cell phone in the car in front of you) are already providing you with a Wi-Fi signal?

Additional information on Wi-Fi Direct is available at:

http://www.wi-fi.org/news_articles.php?f=media_news&news_id=909

Ted

BroMenn Healthcare began their wireless implementation from the outside in

HealthCare

BroMenn Healthcare, located in rural central Illinois, consists of two integrated hospitals: BroMenn Regional Medical Center servicing the Bloomington area with 220 beds; and the Eureka Community Hospital with only 25 beds, residing in the small town of Eureka with a population 5,000. To care for its communities, BroMenn Physical Management Corp. reaches out to eight counties consisting of 15 clinics and 60 physicians including primary care, specialists and urgent care.

Increased demand for connectivity

With a focus on patient care, BroMenn was experiencing a growing need to share and transfer images for surgeries, births and digital mammographies as well as scan and archive registration and medical records. Without the ease of accessing patient information, doctors, nurses and other medical professionals had to wait for records in order to diagnose and treat the patient. If BroMenn was to provide the best service possible to its patients it had to speed up the communications process – and now. But there was a lingering problem that had to be addressed: redundancy. Vice president and chief information officer, Vince Vitali had to ensure the safety, accuracy and accessibility of the information if ever a problem arose. “It is instrumental to the care and well- being of BroMenn Healthcare patients to ensure 100 percent network and systems uptime. If anything were to happen to the data centre in Bloomington, we need to have a redundant data centre that can mirror all of our transactions and appear transparent to the medical professionals.”

The current environment

In rural towns technology choices are minimal. BroMenn was given only one solution: a Verizon T1. They were utilizing four T1 lines aggregated for data and one for voice. The only way to acquire additional capacity and speed was for BroMenn to purchase its own fibre cables at the price tag of $125,000. If the hospital implemented a solution provided by local carriers, all facilities would be taking an enormous risk with reliability and limited technology.

Building a case for wireless

Vitali decided it was time to research and explore other technology solutions, namely wireless. He called upon Motorola, located in Schaumburg, Illinois for assistance. Motorola focuses on the research and development of its wireless solutions relying on partners such as Scientel Wireless for design and implementation. After an in-depth review of BroMenn Healthcare’s wireless requirements, Scientel proposed a high-speed wireless backbone with a lower cost connection to the clinics. It would solve the issues of redundancy, transfer of images, and improved productivity with an ROI up to the hospital’s and its board’s standards.

The ROI model focused on the T1 line savings. BroMenn would eliminate the four T1 lines, 5.5 Mbps, at a cost of $117,000 annually or $135,985 including the voice T1. The wireless solution with 150 Mbps costs $291,000 which includes support for voice and the first wireless connection in Roanoke. Support is only an additional $24,000 per year. That generated a payback period of only 37 months. However, comparing the actual cost per Mbps of the T1 and wireless solution, $21,272 versus $805 respectively, better shows the real value of the new solution.

The result

BroMenn pays less per month and receives a connection with more capacity that’s as reliable if not more so and 25 times faster than its existing approach.

The new wireless solution is currently being installed by Scientel Wireless. Nelson Santos, president of Scientel Wireless and native to Canada, needed to address pre-conceived rumours about the reliability, security and complexity of wireless especially in a rural area. “Most people are not aware that over 90 percent of the public safety backbone networks are microwave networks,” said Santos. “Wireless solutions can be engineered for rain, snow and fog with a 99.999 percent reliability factor.” Most IT professionals are aware of the wireless solutions offered within the four walls of the hospital, but sometimes unaware of its ability to connect outside to mobile devices and Emergency Medical Technicians (EMT). “Enabling clear communications between hospitals, clinics, EMTs, doctors and nurses can sometimes mean the difference between life and death,” continued Santos. BroMenn will continue to expand the network to other locations, integrating the voice traffic, and adding support for handheld two-way radios. Vitali concluded, “With wireless in place, I can focus on applications that enhance communications with hospital professionals in order to provide the best patient care possible.” BroMenn Healthcare Enter #1349