Mobile Computing: All About Wi-Fi

The other day, a headphone-wearing dude sitting near me at Starbucks suddenly burst out laughing at his laptop screen.

I can certainly understand screaming at your computer screen, but suddenly laughing at it? In public? Had this guy consumed one too many Mocha Frappuccinos?

Out of curiosity, I peered over Delirious Dude's shoulder and discovered the source of his uncontrollable mirth: a streaming video clip of comedian Chris Rock.

And there you have it--proof that the wireless Internet party is in full swing.

These days, Wi-Fi (short for wireless fidelity) networks are popping up all over town, in places public (such as Starbucks and McDonald's) and private (homes and businesses). Research firm Gartner estimates that the number of hot spots--the catch phrase for wireless network access points--will jump from roughly 14,000 in 2002 to over 150,000 in 2005. (For more details about the Garner study, see "Hot Spots Are Popping Up."

What's up with that? The short answer is that wireless networks can make work easier and life more fun.

With wireless Internet access, business travelers can quickly grab their e-mail at airports and in hotels. College students can instant-message each other all over campus. And at home, a wireless network enables you to share a high-speed Internet connection as well as a printer, scanner, other peripherals--and of course, your files--between multiple computers, without upsetting your interior decorator.

And you can wander around with your laptop and go online from most anywhere in your house. Imagine ordering groceries online while you're in the kitchen, or hooking up your laptop to your stereo system and listening to your MP3s, and you can see why wireless networks are hot.

In short: If you travel with a laptop or have several computers at home that aren't networked, it's probably time for you to join the Wi-Fi party. Going wireless is fairly inexpensive. But first, you need to know a little bit about how wireless networks work and what equipment is required.