Windows XP Unwired

Windows XP Unwired

Released August 2003
Publisher(s): O'Reilly Media, Inc.
ISBN: 9780596005368

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Book description

From the growing number of Wi-Fi hotspots to the escalating sales of laptops and other portable wireless-enabled devices, it's clear that wireless technology is here and poised to play an increasingly important role in all our lives. Going wireless is a little like taking the training wheels off your first bike--once you taste the freedom, you don't want to go back to what you had before. Moreover, dramatic improvements in wireless technology in the last few years coupled with the growing affordability of wireless equipment make going wireless all the more attractive. And if you're a Windows XP user, it's even better. Windows XP contains many built-in supports for wireless computing, making it an ideal platform for going mobile. In Windows XP Unwired, you'll learn the basics of wireless computing, from the reasons why you'd want to go wireless in the first place, to setting up your wireless network or accessing wireless services on the road. The book provides a complete introduction to all the wireless technologies supported by Windows XP, including Wi-Fi (802.11b, a, and g), infrared, Bluetooth, CDMA2000, and GPRS. You'll learn how to set up your first wireless network using popular products from Linksys and D-Link. You'll also get a good understanding of the limitations and liabilities of each wireless technology. Other topics covered in the book include:

  • Connecting to wireless hotspots

  • Using Microsoft's Smart Display to go wireless without a laptop

  • Putting GPS technology to use

  • Wireless Security

Windows XP Unwired is a one-stop wireless information source for technically savvy Windows XP users. Whether you're considering wireless as a supplement or alternative to cable and DSL, or using wireless to network computers in your home or office, this book will show you the full-spectrum view of wireless capabilities of Windows XP, and how to take advantage of them.

Table of contents

  1. Windows XP Unwired
    1. Preface
      1. What This Book Covers
      2. Wireless Security
      3. Conventions Used in This Book
      4. Comments and Questions
      5. Acknowledgments
    2. 1. Wireless Networking Fundamentals
      1. TCP/IP
        1. IP Address
        2. IP Subnet Addressing
        3. Supernet Addressing
        4. IP Routing
        5. Domain Name System (DNS)
        6. Limitations of IP Addressing
      2. Understanding Radio Waves
        1. Radio Wave Basics
        2. Modulating Radio Waves
          1. Pulse Modulation
          2. Amplitude Modulation
          3. Frequency Modulation
        3. Radio Frequency Spectrum
        4. Radio Wave Behavior
          1. Reflection
          2. Refraction
          3. Scattering
          4. Absorption
          5. Diffraction
      3. Wireless Networks
    3. 2. Wi-Fi on Your Notebook
      1. 802.11 Wireless Standards
        1. Comparing 802.11a, 802.11b, and 802.11g
        2. Wireless Cards and Adapters
        3. Wireless Networking Modes
      2. Understanding 802.11 Speak
        1. WEP
        2. SSID
        3. Channels
        4. Link Quality and Signal Strength
        5. MAC Address
      3. Connecting to a Wireless Network
        1. Using a Plug-and-Play PCMCIA Wi-Fi Card
          1. Using the Cisco Aironet Client Utility (ACU)
        2. Using a PCMCIA Wi-Fi Card
          1. Using the AirPlus utility
        3. Using a USB Wi-Fi Adapter
          1. Using the Linksys wireless configuration utility
      4. Taking It on the Road
    4. 3. Wi-Fi on the Road
      1. Wireless Hotspots
        1. Wireless Internet Service Providers
          1. T-Mobile HotSpot
          2. Surf and Sip
          3. WayPort
        2. Wireless Aggregators
        3. Wireless Community Networks
        4. Sharing Bandwidth
      2. Finding Wireless Networks
        1. Site Surveys
          1. Windows XP
          2. NetStumbler
          3. Determining wireless coverage with NetStumbler
        2. Warchalking
          1. How Warchalking came about
        3. Warchalking, Wardriving, and Legality
    5. 4. Communicating Securely
      1. Secure Wireless Computing
      2. Virtual Private Networks
        1. Tunneling
          1. PPTP, L2TP, and IPSec
        2. Setting Up a VPN Connection Between Two Computers
          1. On the host computer
          2. On the client
      3. Secure Shell (SSH)
      4. Firewalls
      5. Wi-Fi Security
        1. Wired Equivalent Privacy (WEP)
        2. 802.11i
          1. Wi-Fi Protected Access (WPA)
        3. 802.1X Authentication
          1. Types of EAP
        4. Using 802.1X in Windows XP
          1. Configuring the RADIUS server (IAS)
          2. Configuring Active Directory
          3. Configuring the access point
          4. Configuring the client
      6. Are 802.11 Networks Really Secure?
        1. Common Security Features on Access Points
          1. MAC address filtering
          2. Disabling SSID broadcast
          3. Using WEP
          4. Transferring in plaintext
    6. 5. Configuring Wireless Access Points
      1. Setting Up a Wireless Network
        1. Wireless Access Points
          1. Pure wireless access points
          2. Wireless access points with router
          3. Setting up multiple access points
          4. Using the wireless access point as a repeater
          5. Using the wireless access point as a bridge
      2. Case Study: The Home Network
      3. Case Study: The Office Network
      4. Configuring an Access Point
        1. Web-Based Configuration
          1. DI-714P+ setup wizard
        2. Setting the SSID
        3. Setting the Channel Number
        4. Enabling WEP
        5. Changing the Access Point’s Default IP Address
        6. Setting the WAN IP Address
        7. Configuring DHCP
        8. Changing the Administrator Password
        9. Disabling SSID Broadcast
        10. Viewing the Status of the Access Point
          1. SNMP monitoring
        11. MAC Address Filtering
        12. Opening a Port
      5. Ad-Hoc Wireless Networking
      6. Setting Up a Wireless Repeater
        1. Configuring the DWL-900AP+
      7. Guidelines for Securing a Wireless Network
      8. Troubleshooting Wi-Fi
    7. 6. Bluetooth
      1. Bluetooth Standards Today
        1. Piconet
        2. Scatternet
        3. Bluetooth Device Classes
      2. Bluetooth Devices
        1. USB Adapters and Dongles
        2. Compact Flash
        3. PC Card
        4. Secure Digital
        5. Bluetooth Access Points
        6. Personal Digital Assistants
        7. Cell Phones
      3. Bluetooth Service Profiles
      4. Using Bluetooth in Windows XP
      5. Connecting to a Pocket PC
        1. Troubleshooting ActiveSync
        2. Connecting to a Palm
        3. Connecting to the Internet Through a Mobile Phone
        4. File Transfers Between Computers
        5. Sharing an Internet Connection Using Bluetooth
          1. On the computer providing the Internet connection
          2. On the computer using the shared Internet connection
          3. Troubleshooting connection sharing
        6. Bluetooth Printing
          1. Troubleshooting Bluetooth printing
      6. Bluetooth LAN
        1. Using a Bluetooth Access Point
          1. Connecting to the Bluetooth access point
          2. Configuring the Bluetooth access point
      7. Bluetooth Security
        1. Authentication
        2. Encryption
        3. Bluetooth Security Concerns
    8. 7. Infrared
      1. IrDA in More Detail
      2. IrDA Adapters
        1. USB Infrared Adapter
      3. Using IrDA in Windows XP
      4. Infrared File Transfer
        1. Computer to Pocket PC
        2. Pocket PC to Computer
        3. ActiveSync
        4. Connecting to the Internet Via Infrared
        5. Sharing Internet Connection Using Infrared
      5. Infrared Security
    9. 8. Cellular Networking
      1. Cellular Networking Price and Performance
      2. GPRS
        1. GSM Networks and GPRS
        2. How GPRS Works
        3. GPRS Devices
          1. GPRS phones
          2. GPRS modem
          3. GPRS modules
        4. Using a GPRS/GSM PCMCIA Card
          1. Installing the drivers and support software
          2. Configuring WLAN access
          3. Configuring GPRS access
          4. Messaging using SMS on the Nokia D211
      3. CDMA2000
        1. Using the AirPrime PC3200 CDMA2000 PC Card
          1. Installing the AirPrime PC3200
          2. Activating the AirPrime PC3200
          3. Making the connection
        2. Using the AirCard 555 CDMA2000 PC Card
          1. Installing the AirCard 555
          2. Making the connection
      4. Compression
    10. 9. Global Positioning System (GPS)
      1. How GPS Works
        1. Uses of GPS
        2. A GPS Glossary
      2. GPS Devices
        1. Installing a GPS
      3. GPS Software
        1. Microsoft Streets and Trips
        2. NetStumbler and GPS
          1. COM port hell
          2. Safety
          3. Generating maps
    11. 10. Microsoft Smart Display and Remote Desktop
      1. What Is the Microsoft Smart Display?
      2. Using the ViewSonic AirPanel V150
        1. Connecting the AirPanel to Your Host Computer
          1. Connecting via ad-hoc mode
          2. Connecting via infrastructure mode
        2. Some Tips for Connecting Your AirPanel V150
        3. Connecting Peripherals to the AirPanel
      3. Using Remote Desktop
        1. Setting Up Remote Desktop
        2. Using Remote Desktop
    12. Index
    13. Colophon

Product information

  • Title: Windows XP Unwired
  • Author(s):
  • Release date: August 2003
  • Publisher(s): O'Reilly Media, Inc.
  • ISBN: 9780596005368