This weekend I was speaking with a friend of mine who recently purchased a home computer. He knew about my business and wanted to know his options for internet access. He also knows that I'm not just a big fan of VoIP but that I myself use it. His primary objective was internet access, secondary objective was VoIP. Here's where the choices, for him, weren't so straightforward.

First off, his current phone provider is the local cable company. 

He doesn't use cable TV, rather he uses satellite TV. This current scenario meets his needs. He's a huge sports fan and not about to give up his satellite TV because of the sports packages. Do you know anyone else in this type of situation? I told him that 'normal' DSL is out of the question. Our local RBOC won't allow DSL access without phone service. What about naked DSL? Yes, my company has recently signed up a couple providers offering naked DSL, but the price is a bit higher. About the same as cable internet access would cost when you don't have cable TV service. In both cases, naked DSL and cable access, the monthly fee was more than he's willing to pay.

Well then, that was our dilemma. His existing setup won't allow for either DSL or Cable without him spending more than he wants per month. A switch to cable TV service with cable 800AMP BOOSTER CABLE broadband access won't work for him either. He just doesn't want to give up the satellite TV sports package. So what to do?

His options, as it were, are limited. I asked about his phone habits. How many local and long distance minutes do him and his family use? His child is fairly young and his wife's family lives in the area, so long distance minutes don't come into the picture. That leaves local calling. I have a bundled service I could offer him, but guess what, YEP, the RBOC 'will' allow a competitor to offer local service BUT the RBOC will 'not' allow that competitor to offer DSL.

He was trying to avoid the local RBOC, which is why he switched to cable phone service a few years back. Now, although he does have choices, the only thing to meet his budget is to cancel cable phone service and go back with the RBOC. Once phone service is active, then I can get him DSL access. DSL access from the local RBOC's is really dropping in price so he can get his first 6 months at a very reasonable price. Even after that 6-month period, the rate is reasonable as well. This solves his primary objective to get high-speed internet access but doesn't solve his secondary objective to get VoIP. He has no use for a second phone line so that's not an option.

Since the FCC has mandated that RBOC's need to offer naked DSL in roughly 3 years time, that's actually going to work for him. After that 3-year timeframe his young child will be in high school. He'll have more choices in just a few years. So, for this case, he doesn't get everything he wants at the budget he can afford. Rather he solves his primary objective of internet access for now and will go for VoIP once the prices of naked DSL come down.

Although this is doable, it's really a shame. It may be rare and it was the first time I've personally run across this type of situation. Phone from cable, TV from satellite works great for him, but because the phone companies and cable companies don't play well, he looses. I will show him how to make his long distance calls from his computer, but for VoIP as a primary phone service, he'll need to wait.  Sometimes the decision to use VoIP is not such an easy choice. (For now)

Let's just skip the intro and get straight to it. This tutorial is for 700AMP BOOSTER CABLE the Windows XP Operating System. If you don't have it I recommend you upgrade to it.

This portion of the tutorial will apply to people with Comcast High Speed Internet. For other Internet Providers I will include another tutorial specific to those.

Let me start off by saying that despite what Comcast might tell you, you do not have to have Comcast come and set up your wireless network. In addition, you do not need to pay them an additional monthly fee in order to have a wireless network in your home or to have additional computers on your home network.

Let's talk a little about where to buy the equipment . In most walk in retail stores you are going to pay about 20% to 30% more than if you order online (with the exception of Walmart, but the one near me is always out of stock of the wireless products I need.) If you feel more comforatable buying from a retail store because you can easily return something that is defective or that you don't like, keep in mind some retail stores will take back a defective product for a full refund within 14 to 30 days, but some will tell you to ship the defect to the manufacturer for a replacement. If the item is opened and you simply don't like it, most retail stores will take it back within 30 days but you will have to pay a restocking fee, which is usually 30% to 50%. My point here is that I don't see too many advantages to buying wireless equipment at a retail store.

I order almost everything online unless I need to test it first or I can't wait a few days for it to ship. I don't mind waiting a few days in order to save 20 ? 30%.

Equipment

There's a lot of different equipment you can use, but what I'm going to list here is what I've found to be the best, and is what I use myself. If the text is blue it means you can click on it to be taken to a page where it can be ordered online, either from Amazon or Buy, both reputable online retailers.

The following portion of the tutorial applies to the following: I have a Desktop Computer that sits near the cable modem.

First you will need a Wireless Router. I recommend the Linksys Wireless-G Broadband Router.

If you are connecting a desktop computer to your wireless network and the desktop computer is sitting near your cable modem, your desktop computer will need to have an ethernet card. How do you know if your desktop computer has an ethernet card? If you bought your desktop computer within the last 3 years chances are it has one already. Best thing is to get behind the computer and look. If you have one you will have a port in the back of your computer that looks similar to a phone jack port but bigger. If you do not have this then you will need to purchase one. The Linksys LNE100M EtherFast 10/100 PCI card will do fine.

To install this card you will have to unhook your desktop computer and open the case. Before you start to panic let me tell you, in most cases it's really not that hard. In most circumstances the hardest part is opening the case.

The first thing you need to do is open your computer case. Since each computer maker makes a different case and in turn a different way to open the case, I cannot list the steps for all manufacturers. In addition for just one computer maker, the way cases are opened differs from model to model. If the computer is a Dell or HP then the instructions on how to open it should be online on their website in the help section. It may take a little digging to find it but it's there. Sometimes a case is designed well enough that it can be opened simply by unscrewing the two round screws and pulling it off.

Once the case is off it's time to take a look inside.

The slot that you are looking for looks like this picture to the right. You may have several open slots like this or just one. Take a look at the slot and then take a look at PCI Ethernet card that you bought. As you can see the Ethernet PCI card is shaped to fit nicely into the PCI slot in your computer.

There will probably be a small metal cover covering the PCI slot. Holding this cover on will be a screw. You need to unscrew this with a Phillips head and take off the cover. Once you've done that align the ethernet PCI card with the PCI slot. Once you have it aligned it will take a small amount of force to get it to click in, just make sure you have aligned correctly. There is only one possible way it can go in.

Once you have the Ethernet PCI card in put the cover back on the computer and hook your computer up again.

There are other options for wireless adapters that do not involve opening the case but I don't recommend them as they can cause more headaches then they are worth.

Laptop Computer that is fairly new

If you are trying to connect a laptop computer that was bought after 2005 you most likely have wireless capability already so there is nothing you need to add to your laptop. You can check for sure by doing the following:

Click on Start > Control Panel > System > Click on the Hardware tab > click on the Device Manager button in the middle of that window > You will see a list of your hardware here, find the one that says ?Network Adapters > Click on the Plus sign next to Network Adapters > This will show all the network adapters on your computer > If you see something with the word ?Wireless? or ?Wireless Adapter? then you are in good shape, your laptop has a wireless adapter.

If your laptop is older and you do not have a wireless adapter then you will need to add one to your laptop.

Let's talk for second about what kind of adapter to get. Most laptops have what's called a PCMCIA slot in them. If your laptop did not come wireless ready I recommend you get a wireless adapter that goes into your laptop's PCMCIA slot. The Linksys Wireless-G Notebook Adapter will do fine. The instructions that come with this product are pretty good and will tell you step by step how to install and load the software. In a nutshell you are going to load the CD into your cd drive and follow the instructions to load the software for the adapter. Once the software is installed you will shut down your computer, slide the card into your laptop's PCMCIA slot and turn the laptop back on.

Once you have the appropriate adapter installed for your computer you are ready to move onto the next step.

Installing The Linksys Wireless Router

The following directions apply to the following: I have a Desktop Computer that sits near the cable modem. In addition the desktop computer is hooked up directly to the Comcast Cable Modem.

If there is an Ethernet cable going from the Comcast Cable Modem to your desktop computer, disconnect this from both the computer and the modem. If it is a USB cable disconnect it from the computer and the modem.

In the wireless router's box you should find its power supply as well as an Ethernet Cable. Take them both out. Plug the power adapter into a power outlet.

Take the Ethernet cord and plug it into one of the Ethernet ports in the back of the Linksys Wireless Router (plug it into any of the ones on the back except the one that  says ?Internet? over it.)

Take the other end of the Ethernet cord and plug that end into the Ethernet adapter that you put into your desktop computer. Now power up your desktop computer. Once it is powered up, open up Internet Explorer, or if you use Firefox open that up.

An Internet Explorer window comes up and it says ?Page Cannot Be Displayed?.

In the Internet Explorer address bar, type in the following numbers exactly like this

192.168.1.1 and then press Enter on your keyboard.

If your computer is talking to the Linksys Wireless Router you should get a window asking you for a username and password. Leave the username blank.

Go down to the password field and type in admin

Then press the enter key.

You are taken to the Linksys set up screen. This is where changes are made to the routers set up.

Look towards the top, you should see something that says Host Name and Domain name. Just above this you should see a drop down menu. By default it probably says Obtain an IP automatically.

If it has ?Obtain an IP automatically? there already you do not need to do anything. Just exit the window.

If it does not have ?Obtain an IP automatically? click the arrow for the drop down menu and choose ?Obtain an IP automatically?.

Scroll down towards the bottom until you see a 'save? button. Click save. You will be told that Settings are successful and you will be returned to the Setup screen again.

That's all you need to do on the router status screen for right now. Exit the window.

Most Americans enjoy watching television and I am sure you do too. But with the cost of cable television always rising, many people worry about not be able to continue to afford to enjoy the quality programming that comes with cable TV. There is an affordable option available today - Watching TV Online.Today, Internet television is available right on your desktop computer or laptop and often costs a fraction of what you would pay for cable TV. 

Live TV online is available, regardless of where you live. You don't have to wait weeks and weeks for the serviceman to come and install internet TV, you can install it yourself in a matter of minutes and Watch TV on Your PC.Cable TV online is not limited to certain channels - you can enjoy all of the same stations and shows that you would enjoy with cable television. There are even foreign channels that may not be offered by your cable company. This is an excellent way to teach yourself new languages. Enjoy your favorite reality shows, cooking shows, even movies - all via live TV online.

 Watch live events - sports, news, or special shows, they are all available with internet TV.The best part is that OUTDOOR EXTENSION CORD you can enjoy your cable TV online anywhere there is a broadband connection. This makes it much easier than cable since you don't even need a TV! Internet TV is easier and more convenient than traditional cable. No need for a converter box or to call the cable company when you want to add channels or change your package.

 With satellite TV online, everything is done via your computer. you can download TV, or stream it without wasting your hard drive space. There really are endless opportunities.With internet TV, you will no longer have to worry about government regulations about high definition TV or any changes that cable companies will be required to make because of this policy change. Don't worry about it. Instead, live TV online will continue to provide you with a quality picture, the stations you want, and the shows you want to watch. No need to buy new equipment or pay new hidden fees that may be passed on by the cable company. Did you even know that many new TV's have a place for you to plug your laptop into them?

 No need to squint at a tiny screen while streaming movies and TV, you can plug right into your big HDTV, and get all the action right in your living room.You already own a computer, don't you? That's what makes it is so easy to get started with live TV online. No need to run out to buy something new, since you already own all of the equipment to enjoy it. All you need to do is sign up for the service. There are a variety of channels and packages, all designed to provide you with cable TV online that is comparable to what you get via the cable company on your television. The only difference will be in the cost.As everything with the internet, watching TV on a PC is more advanced that it once was. With today's high quality and faster internet connections, the quality of the picture of cable TV online is comparable to what you currently get on your TV. In addition, with the faster processors of today's computers, your equipment can also ensure you a great quality viewing experience with cable TV online. Watching internet TV is the way of the future for television.

Setting up the wiring of your network operations centre (or the rest of your facility) for network access requires a fair bit of work. If you want to make sure the work is done only once, it also requires some planning. There are entire courses on how to set up a properly configured network; this article is not a substitute for one, but should give you the bare bones basics.First, the old adage of carpenters of "measure twice and cut once" applies to cables, and to configuring your network. 

Unless you have an excellent reason to do so otherwise, you'll want a hub-and-spoke (or star) configuration for your network. This puts a central router at each network node that has cables running to each machine. This is the standard OUTDOOR EXTENSION CORD and has been for going on 20 years, since commodity routers became cheap. Its advantages are that so long as the router is up, one machine going down or losing connections does not impact the others on the same switch; it's also much easier to troubleshoot - if everyone is off the net, it's the router.

When running your physical cable plant out, remember the differences in types of cables, and their transmission lengths. Never run a cable to its full transmission length; 90 to 95% is a good safe point to start; this leaves you with room to be selective in placing the computers in the room.When running cable out, remember that cable is (despite all appearances) fragile. Don't put more than 10 kg of pull stress on it, avoid bending the cable to a curve tighter than 4x it's diameter (so for a 7.5 mm diameter cable, no curve should be tighter than 30 cm, and absolutely avoid kinking it, crushing it, stepping on it, rolling a chair over it, or rolling a cart over it, or otherwise flattening it out. Doing so can break the insulators inside the cable where you can't see them, and troubleshooting that is a pure pain.When terminating cables don't strip more than 25mm of housing from the end of the cable. 

Make sure your terminating connectors are solidly constructed and haven't been damaged. (Cable pros tend to have a crimper on their belt and terminate after running them out. When tying down cables, do so loosely and don't put the ties at regular intervals - leave some slack. If you're suspending cables, use broad supports rather than narrow hooks; the weight of the cable on a narrow hook can be sufficient to crush it over time. 

Don't assume that ceiling tiles can support cables, and route them as far away as possible from light fixtures or other items that use electricity along the length of the cable; this cuts down on interference. (The European standard cabling run has fewer issues with this, because the cable is shielded from stray electromagnetic phenomena).Once the cable's installed, it's not entirely maintenance free, but it's close, so the first thing you do once it's done is document it. Take a floor plan and draw out with coloured pens where all the cable runs are, and ID them. Make two copies and store one in a safe place. Whenever you pull new cable (and you will) update the document to preserve the sanity of whomever has to deal with it again. What makes sense to you now and is blindingly obvious now will look like a plate of coloured spaghetti in four months.When in doubt, replace rather than patch or mend. Cable is cheap and the time you think you're saving is usually illusory.

There are basically four types of cables used for network cabling. These are the coaxial cable which contains a single copper conductor, the fiber optic cable which consists of a center glass core that can transmit light instead of electronic signals, the unshielded twisted pair (UTP), and the shielded twisted pair (STP). 

Although all of these network cables are used for interconnecting networks in between devices, the UTP and the STP are much more common these days.The UTP and the STP are both copper-wired cables but they have different tolerance and sensitivity to interference. The UTP is a high-speed cable that can handle a maximum of 10,000 Mbps while the STP which can also handle the same speed is more tolerant to frequency interferences.

 The UTP has two cable category which are the Category 5e and Category 6 Ethernet cables. They have specific performance and used on different criteria for hardware and connectors. The Category 5e is an upgrade of the Category 4 and can be able to transmit up to 100 MHz. It has also an added feature of 3db tighter Near End Cross Talk (NEXT) capability than the Cat 4.Category 6, on the other hand, has transmission characteristic of 250 MHz but with less NEXT unlike Cat 5 and Cat5e. However, if you want to use any of these network cables, you have to remember following the right cable length so that the maximum connectivity can be reached.

 The maximum length of Cat 5e can reach up to 90 meters long or 295 feet excluding the 10 meter length allowance at both ends of the cable to accommodate terminal installations on devices. Cat 6 can also run the same length but at least 5 meters should be allowed at terminal ends for the data cabinet. Experts advise that when pulling cables or when inserting them into channels, practice pulling them slowly but surely to prevent any damage to the cables and other installed devices inside the Aluminium Alloy/Aluminium Stranded Wire ducts.

In terms of cabling, also remember that each network cable should follow their bend radius. For example, a 4 pair UTP cable should have a bend radius of 1 inch minimum and if lesser bend radius is applied, there will be detrimental effect on the network connectivity. Problems usually happen when the cables come out of the wall and terminated back to their place which can jam the cables back into their back box. The solution to this is to work the cable back down slowly through the hole in the wall and put it back carefully where it started.You also have to be observant while terminating cables and make sure you put the color code of wires in the right place. Modular jacks are utilized to correct this color coding problem so the color code can either be T568B or T568A. Doing the termination process must be handled precisely so make sure the pin pairs go with their right combination or else the termination point will end up with crossed pairs.In the case of STP cabling, the same procedures as with the UTP are followed. The only difference is that the foil on the STP should be properly terminated so that there will be no interruption and interference from other strong signals and the shielding can do what it is supposed to do effectively.