- Wireless Internet cards function in much the same way as the network port on a laptop, only they substitute radio waves for a wired ethernet connection. Where a wired computer would communicate with other machines on the network by sending data to (and receiving it from) a router through a physical wire, a wireless-enabled laptop simply converts the data into radio waves first, then sends them across a secure connection to a wireless router or access point. In order to ensure efficient operation and uniform communication patterns, the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) created standard 802.11. This standard identifies the appropriate methods for communicating data across wireless connections. By adhering to standard 802.11, multiple computers can be efficiently served from the same access point, creating a powerful computer network completely free of wired connections.
- Although all wireless cards generally adhere to the 802.11 standard for wireless networking, different versions of the protocol standard provide different data compression and, therefore, different speeds. The older versions of the standard, 802.11a and 802.11b, provided slower speeds of around 11 megabits per second (11Mbps) and are largely obsolete. A newer version, 802.11g, uses advanced data compression to achieve speeds of up to 54Mbps. After its introduction in the early years of the 21st century, 802.11g was quickly adopted. A more recent version, however, offers up to twice the speed of 802.11g connections by handling two simultaneous data streams. This version, 802.11n, can handle speeds of up to 108Mbps.
- In addition to obvious features such as wireless connectivity and mobile functionality, most wireless cards offer some form of data encryption. Without encryption, other mobile users would be able to simply intercept wireless transmissions, possibly exposing sensitive data. With the wired-equivalency protection (WEP), however, 64- or 128-bit encryption protects data from technological eavesdroppers. For serious data encryption, a newer security protocol known as Wi-Fi Protected Access (WPA) not only encrypts data with a special security key, but automatically changes the key--or rekeys--periodically in order to maintain maximum security.
- The obvious benefits of wireless computing are impressive, with wireless Internet cards essentially cutting the wires for a truly wireless experience. Mobile users can compute from their desk, dining room table, sofa or bed. Public wi-fi access takes mobility a step further, allowing users to connect to the Internet from coffee shops, restaurants, hotels or even municipal parks. New wi-fi enabled cars and public transportation even offer Internet access from trains, highways and buses. With a wireless Internet card, laptop users can become truly mobile.
- Although true mobility is a goal of many laptop users, and an admirable goal at that, it is not without its dangers. Despite strong WEP or WPA encryption, cyber-eavesdropping still occurs, especially in public venues. Unauthorized access to unprotected computers can be devastating, and sensitive personal and financial information can be easily stolen if left unprotected. In addition, increased mobility poses an increased physical risk to laptops, as drops, breakage and theft become increasingly common.
