Get With the Lingo

Wireless Net access has its own language.

You'll never see so many letters, numbers, and techno-sounding words bandied about than when you try to get the gist of wireless Internet access. Knowing what some of these things mean will help you be a smarter consumer and ensure that your time surfing the wireless Web is well spent. Here's a little cheat sheet.

802.11a. A flavor of Wi-Fi that's faster and more expensive than 802.11b; it runs at speeds of up to 54 megabits per second. Unfortunately, it's not compatible with 802.11b networks. Companies sometimes use 802.11a when setting up corporate wireless networks to maximize their bandwidth, but the average Wi-Fi user doesn't need to worry much about this standard.

802.11b. The original wireless standard and one of several wireless flavors defined by the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers. It's the slowest of the current Wi-Fi standards in use, but at speeds of up to 11 megabits per second, it's still faster than DSL and many cable modems. You can use 802.11b-compatible Wi-Fi adapters almost anywhere you find access.

802.11g. The Next Big Thing in Wi-Fi. It's ultra-fast like 802.11a and backward-compatible with 802.11b networks--and an 802.11g adapter costs about twice as much as an 802.11b adapter. Until service providers start using the faster standards for their networks, there's little reason to get the latest adapter. That said, if you look for investment projection in all your technology purchases, go for it: You can buy 802.11g adapters for anywhere from $60 to $100.

Access point. The Wi-Fi receiver that communicates with your Wi-Fi adapter to allow you access to the Internet. At home, you might attach an access point to your cable modem. At a hotel or coffee shop, the access point is normally located in the ceiling, out of sight.

AirPort. Apple's name for Wi-Fi. No need to worry, the PowerBook you want will work with the 802.11b Wi-Fi network at your local Starbucks.

Hot spot. A location where your Wi-Fi adapter can communicate with a Wi-Fi access point and give you access to the Internet.

SSID. Stands for "service set identifier" and identifies all the access points on a Wi-Fi network. You can't log on at a Wi-Fi hot spot without a proper SSID. For example, if you use a Linksys access point at home, the SSID is probably "linksys" (unless you change it yourself, which is a good idea). At Starbucks, the SSID is "t-mobile." But SSIDs are no secret, and they don't provide security. Windows XP and various programs that come with Wi-Fi cards can sniff out SSIDs when you're near a hot spot. If the hot spot is operated by a service provider, you'll need to pay for access and get a password. If you're lucky enough to find a free hot spot, the SSID lets you log onto the Internet.

WEP. Stands for "wired equivalency privacy," a security protocol that encrypts the data you send and receive over a Wi-Fi connection. Experts would tell you that WEP isn't very secure--and they'd be right--but it will help keep you safe from prying eyes. If you're concerned about wireless security but aren't exactly sending and receiving trade secrets, use WEP.

Wi-Fi. Short for "wireless fidelity," it has come to mean any type of wireless network that uses 802.11 technology.