Wireless Lan

[Nick Estes]

-----BEGIN PGP SIGNED MESSAGE-----
Hash: SHA1

> I'm thinking about getting a wireless lan but before I do I want to get
> some second opinions. I need to get a connection point and a pcmcia card
> for my powerbook. I need the pcmcia to be compatible with Macintosh as
> well as Linux. I was looking at the ORiNOCO because I know it's
> compatible with Linux and Macintosh. But I have a few questions.
>
> Is there a better card than the ORiNOCO?

Better is a relative thing, I use cards like Linksys and DLink because
they are better for the sorts of demented things I like to do.  If you
have no compelling reason to do otherwise, go with the Orinoco card, it's
sure to work with a minimal amount of trouble in a reliable way.


> Do I have to use the ORiNOCO connection point with the ORiNOCO card or
> will any 803.11b connection point work?

Any 802.11b hardware will work (mostly).  There's always going to be
interop issues, but they all tend to disappear over time with new
firmware.  I've used netgear, orinoco, and airport APs in various
combinations with linksys, dlink, orinoco (and it's wavelan predecessor),
addtron, and Xircom's springport with no problems at all.  So go to the
WLAN section of your favorite computer store, pick one that matches the
color of your carpet/dog/favorite food, and has not one but two antennas,
and you'll probably be alright.


> If I use a different connection point will I lose the security?

Forget about the notion of security; put you AP outside the firewall,
assume all traffic from the wireless segment is hostile, and treat the
traffic accordingly.  Sure WEP will go some ways towards decreasing the
liklyhood that a foreign machine is on the network, but don't for a moment
believe that someone else can't get on your wireless segment, WEP
encryption or not.


	--Nick

-----BEGIN PGP SIGNATURE-----
Version: GnuPG v1.0.6 (GNU/Linux)
Comment: pgpenvelope 2.10.2 - http://pgpenvelope.sourceforge.net/

iD8DBQE8T6Euv+hjYTGg7s4RAkinAKCGhkm0gVpdFVGR6A6TwbzUrlpM2gCeIvIC
nJSbZfGHQY4wPD9Jy84ARsM=
=uy1y
-----END PGP SIGNATURE-----