Wireless Internet Cards for Laptops
As all technologies go through changes, so has the Internet which has helped it grow to a great extent. All developments are aimed at trying to make it more efficient and faster for subscribers. The evolution has taken place right from analog to DSL, and from Wireless Internet to the off late Satellite Internet connections. These evolutions have taken place, considering the usability of general public as well as business necessities.
These days the Internet is made available everywhere through the wireless Internet connections, so that a person does not lose out on his valuable time, even while he is sipping a cup of coffee in a caf, at home or out on a vacation. This has helped people to constantly stay updated, and also work from anywhere within its network coverage area.
Wireless Internet connections use radio frequency bands to transfer data. Many desktop computers can surf the Internet using Wireless Internet cards. But it best serves the purpose when they are used by a person using laptops. Also laptops being portable, cannot use analog or DSL connections in case taken out of the connection vicinity.
The Wireless Internet cards are also termed as Local Area Network (LAN cards). These cards enable additional capabilities to your computer. These wireless Internet cards can either be self-installed, else many of the recent personal computers and laptops comprise these cards as an inbuilt feature. Due to the increasing number of areas with Wi-Fi connectivity, it has urged an interest to use such kind of wireless Internet connections, thus creating an overwhelming effect on the demand for wireless Internet cards.
Best Wireless Cards to Buy for Laptops
- Actiontec - 802AIN IEEE 802.11n (draft) USB - Wi-Fi Adapter (Range: 150 Mbps)
- Amped Wireless - UA600 IEEE 802.11n (draft) USB - Wi-Fi Adapter (Range: 300 Mbps)
- Asus - USB-N53 IEEE 802.11n (draft) USB - Wi-Fi Adapter (Range: 300 Mbps)
- Belkin - Play Wireless N USB Adapter (Range: 300 Mbps)
- BenQ - 5J.J0614.A21 IEEE 802.11n (draft) USB - Wi-Fi Adapter (Range: 54 Mbps)
Earlier, PCMCIA (Personal Computer Memory Card International Association) slots were used, where the PC card used to be mounted. These are now replaced by the Express/54 slot which is backward compatible with the Express/34 slot. This means that the Express/54 slot will not work on Express/34 slot, but an Express/34 slot will definitely work on an Express/54 slot. The latest HP laptops consist of these Express/54 slots. Wireless Internet cards that are used to access the Internet through the slots have an antenna on it to send data through the radio frequency bands.
Functions
A laptop needs some means for communicating with the Wireless Internet Access Points, and most of these perform the function through wireless Internet cards. In this type of connection, only the wired Ethernet connection is being replaced by the radio waves. These wireless connections convert the data into radio frequency to send them across a secured connection to a router or an access point. The current standard used is 802.11, which identifies the correct method to transfer the data across, and also helps multiple computers to connect through the same access point.
Features
Other than the connectivity and mobile functionality, another important feature is that some wireless Internet cards are capable of encrypting data. Without these encryption, it becomes easy for the hackers to barge into the wireless transmission. These eavesdroppers are restricted from the wired Internet connection due to the encryption of data in the 64 and 128 bit form. There are other new technologies that help improve the security of the connection, and are known as Wi-Fi Protected Access (WPA), where the data is not only encrypted but also has a peculiar security key that gets changed automatically over a period of time to adhere extreme security.
Thus possessing impressive advantages, these wireless Internet cards have helped the modern world to get rid wiring related issues and also gain an omnipresent secured Internet connection. These connections are also being offered in Wi-Fi enabled cars and transports, thus allowing these wireless Internet cards to make the laptops mobile. Although one should always remember that irrespective of the encrypted data access, illegitimate access to unprotected computers can be scourging and may lead to theft of personal or sensitive information like financial data.
