Home Networking: The Missing Manual

Choosing Between Wired and Wireless

Deciding between a wired network, a wireless network, or a hybrid network—that is, one that uses both wired and wireless components—depends on what type of equipment you plan to connect, how you want to use the network, and the layout of your house. (After all, people living in glamorous, Donald Trump–sized mansions probably have different network needs than people living in 300-square-foot studio apartments.)

It may be obvious to you right off the bat that your house calls for an all-wired or pure wireless network. For instance, if you just moved into a spiffy new condo with Ethernet cabling built into every room and all your computers are desktop models, WiFi may be a waste of money and radio signals. Or, if you're just going to connect a couple of computers that happen to be in the same room, an Ethernet network will work just fine and is quite easy to string up. On the other hand, if you have a killer outdoor deck, and you want to use your laptop to surf the Web while soaking up the rays, WiFi may be your sunniest option.

But if you're not sure whether to go wired or wireless, don't worry: you can experiment and build your network over time. You may even find that a combination of wired and wireless technologies works best for you. For instance, you may discover through trial and plenty of error that the wireless router in your top-floor home office won't reach the kitchen on the ground floor. The solution? Extend your network with Ethernet ...