How Wireless Works

A wireless network is simply two or more computers linked together by invisible radio waves with the purpose of transferring data or sharing resources. The configuration is similar to cordless phones in that they can share one telephone line, which utilizes one central "base" station along with multiple handsets placed throughout the house. Wireless networking is an excellent solution because you don't have to deal with cables and it takes little effort to expand. There are two kinds of wireless networks:

Ad-hoc mode: Each computer in the network with a wireless adapter can communicate directly with each other without the use of a router or access point. You can share files and printers with this method. However, it is more difficult to connect to networks - both wired and wireless. This mode is also known as peer-to-peer networking.

Infrastructure mode: Each computer in the network uses a router or access point to handle all data transfer and network traffic. You can easily access a wired network, whether it is a LAN or the Internet. For most home networking purposes, infrastructure mode is the best choice.