Wireless Network: WLAN vs. LAN

A LAN is also known as a local area network. A WLAN is a wireless local area network. If your home or office currently uses a LAN, it can easily be converted over to a wireless network, or a wireless network can be added onto the LAN to increase portability, functionality and productivity.

Running Windows XP on a Wireless Network

If you are running Windows XP and having issues with your wireless network connection, check to see what service pack you are running. Most problems can be fixed by upgrading to service pack 2. Service pack 2 addressed an issue with it’s Wireless Zero Configuration, which affects your wireless network connection ability.

Peer to Peer Wireless Network

A peer to peer network is a network where computers talk directly to one another for the purpose of sharing files and resources. This form of network is also known as an ad hoc network. This can be set up on a wireless network without the use of an access point or router. All the computers and devices will need to have a wireless internet card and be configured to run on an ad hoc basis. You will not be able to share an internet connection on a peer to peer network.

Wireless Network Equipment

Setting up a wireless network is simple, and the equipment you will need depend on the kind of wireless network you decide to set up. For a peer to peer network, you will simply need wireless network cards for all the computers. If you are also sharing a network connection, you will need a wireless router and maybe a wireless hub, depending on the amount of devices on the network. You will also need an access point, which can be a dedicated piece of hardware, or a computer with specific software.

Benefits to a Wireless Network

There are several benefits to a wireless network, the main focus being portability. It is common for notebook computer users to use a wireless network card, which will allow them to access the internet, other computers on the network, devices, etc from anywhere within the range of the wireless network. Wireless network management can be simpler then a wired network, because adding new systems does not require wiring of an office or home, plus there are no unsightly cables to troubleshoot.

Trouble Shooting Wireless Network Problems

If your wireless network is acting sluggish or not working properly, check to make sure that all batteries are charged and working properly in your wireless devices. This includes laptop computers as well. Next, check to make sure you are within range of the access points and/or wireless router and that it is not covered with unnecessary objects. Check to make sure that all configurations are set properly and that there are no objects, such as cordless phones or microwaves in the area that can interfere with the signal.

Wireless Antenna

A wireless antenna is used to boost the increase the range of a wireless network. However, be sure to check the hardware of the wireless router or access point that you have, because not all are compatible with a wireless antenna. An alternative to boost the range is to add additional access points to the network.

Wireless Network without a Laptop

Even if you do currently own a laptop, there are benefits to considering a wireless network in your home or office. It is easy to expand and add additional computers and devices without having to special wire cables. There are no unsightly cables to look at or trip over. If you ever do purchase a laptop, it will be easy to add into the network. There are no holes to drill, no cables to string, and a wireless network can potentially be less expensive to start up and maintain then a wired one.

Switching to Wireless Network

There are several benefits to running a wireless network. You do not have the costs of running and maintaining cables and you do not need to worry about cables when designing the layout of an office area. Wireless network equipment is comparable in cost to wired equipment. Changing from a wired to a wireless network will give your employees greater freedom and can increase productivity. Clients can stop by the office and access the network, making transfer of files and data easier. Finally, wireless network management can be less complex and costly then that of a wired network.

Trouble with Access Point on Wireless Network

If you are sure that you have configured the wireless access point/wireless router exactly as stated per manufactures instructions, there is a chance the hardware is defective. While this does not happen often, make sure you save all receipts and contact customer service and tech support of the manufacture to attempt to fix the problem.

Wireless Network: Access Point Definition

An access point is a station that broadcasts wireless internet to other computers in the wireless network. An access point can be a router, computer, or special access point equipment. It can also be called a base station or hot spot.

Wireless Network: Hot Spot

A hot spot is essentially the same as an access point, but is usually found in restaurants, stores, etc, where people with Wi-Fi laptops can access the internet. Sometimes this service is free, but sometimes it is a paid service.

Wireless Network Kits

There are several wireless network kits available for setting up computers on a wireless network. These kits include a wireless router and network card.

Office Wireless Network

A wireless network is ideal is an office environment. There is no need to worry about running cables, drilling holes, or having large closets or rooms full of cables for the office. It is cheaper to run a wireless network due to lower start up costs. If employees have laptops, it increases productivity as they can work in several locations and clients can easily hook up to the network. An office will also look more professional due to the lack of cables and wires running across the office floor.

Wireless Network and Your Health

There have been no scientific studies to indicate that wireless signals can affect your health in a negative manner. A wireless network uses radio waves to transmit information and transmit less then an average cell phone.

Setting up a wireless printer

Adding a printer to a wireless network is the same as adding any other device. You will need to have a wireless printer adapter which is compatible with your printer. Generally speaking, you will need a USB printer. If your printer comes with a built in wireless Ethernet adapter, then you will not need to use a wireless printer adapter You will need to use a wireless print server to connect to the rest of the network..

Wireless Inkjet Printer

Almost any printer can become a wireless printer. If your printer has a USB connector, there are several wireless printer adapters that you can purchase that simply plug into the printer and you are instantly on the wireless network!

Wireless Printer Benefits

Having a wireless network printer has several benefits. There is the obvious benefit of not needing wires to connect to the printer. While it is possible to share a printer via a network connection, having a wireless printer connection adds flexibility to the network. In a traditional computer sharing the printer, the host computer for the printer would need to be turned on in order to use the printer. You do not have this restriction with a wireless network printer.

Wireless Printer Adapter

A wireless printer adapter is a device which allows your printer to be linked on a wireless network. The printer involved will need to be a USB printer. The most common technology used with wireless printer adapters is Bluetooth. There are a variety of adapters available, depending on the needed range and number of computers needed to network with the printer.

Create an RSS Reader Application

In this article we will create an application that uses the concepts RSS reader. So let’s go straight to the coding.

The Application

The layout of the application is going to be very simple: A navigation bar on
the left and a display area in the center. The display area is were we are going
to display all the output of the code. I’ve not used any CSS in this
application. I’ve instead opted to use HTML formatting to keep things simple.

As for the actual functioning of the application, we are going to use only
one page to execute all the code. This is because it reduces the amount of
processing power required to run the application. As a result, it makes program
execution faster and reduces coding time.

We are also going to create a few functions that will help us to run the
script. The functions are stored in a script called “functions.php” and need to
be included in the page. In addition to the functions page, we will also need to
include the xmlparser.php page, as this will help fulfill one of the core aims
of the application.

When a user clicks on a link, that link will send an action variable to the
page. The action variable will then be caught by the switch statement, which
will in turn process it and compare its value against the conditions set within
the case statements of the switch structure. This comparison, if matched, will
activate the appropriate function which will use the display area to output the
result. The aim of the application is to:
Read an RSS document
Create an RSS document

The second link called “Create an RSS link” is more complicated to implement
than the Read RSS document link. This is because there are two different
versions of an RSS document and the application has to decide which path to take
based on the selection that the user made. Various functions will display
various forms to take input and will create an RSS document based on the input.
All new RSS documents that are created by this application will be stored in the
same directory where the application resides. With a little bit of code you can
change the location in which the file should be stored. In the code section we
will explore what each and every function does.

When the “Read an RSS document” link is clicked the application simply calls
the functions in the xmlparser.php page and then parses the RSS document. The
xml parser was created in the first tutorial of the series. Please refer to it
if you need to know how it works.

Intel Core Duo vs. Core 2 Duo: What’s the Difference?

Three people have written to me in the last 10 days asking about
Intel Core Duo CPUs vs. Intel Core 2 Duo CPUs. I figured it was time to
tackle the topic on the blog.

Intel’s really to blame here for a
horrific naming convention. Any half-conscious marketing executive
would commit suicide before putting both a numeral 2 and the word “duo”
in the name of a product, particularly when there’s also a product with
“solo” in the name. But let’s put that aside and look at the specs of
each.

Core Duo is Intel’s first dual-core CPU. It’s a whole new
architecture for Microsoft, using two cores on a single die, which, put
simply, gives you two chips in one package. Running at lower speeds
than the old Pentium line, the Core Duo conserves substantial power vs.
ratcheting up clock speed while offering what was, at the time,
record-breaking performance.

Now there’s Core 2 Duo. In many ways
Core 2 is the same as Core: The chips are built using the same
production process and fit in the same sockets as Core Duo chips.
Putting aside Core 2 Extreme (a fancy version of the Core 2 Duo), you
won’t see many spec changes: Both chips have the same frontside bus
speed of 667MHz, but Core 2 Duo is now available at somewhat faster
clock speeds (as I write this, 2.67GHz chips are available). The
frontside bus communicates between the CPU and RAM (and other
components), and it’s a notorious performance bottleneck for computers.
The Core 2 also has the same L2 cache that the Core has. However, there
are architecture changes to the silicon that give the Core 2 more
sophisticated processing abilities. Both chips exist in desktop and
laptop versions.

Why does all of this matter? Performance, pure
and simple. In my tests, Core 2 Duo computers outperform Core Duo
computers on tasks across the board, from rendering graphics and video
to spell-checking documents. The speed improvement varies widely, but
on average it’s about 30 percent. That’s significant in an industry
that thrives on tiny, incremental improvement. Better yet, there’s not
an appreciable difference in battery life on notebooks, as power
consumption for both chips (at the same clock speed) is about the same.

Now
let’s consider pricing. Initially, Core 2 chips were more expensive
than Core, but that has changed, as Core is practically gone from the
desktop market now. Surprisingly, you can now get a 2.13GHz Core 2 CPU
for less than the price of a 1.66GHz Core CPU.

Still, expect to
see some systems still on the market that use the Core CPU, especially
in laptops. Performance is still very good with Core, so don’t feel
like you’re getting second-class goods if you buy a Core Duo notebook,
but remember you are buying a chip that Intel is no longer actively
selling, and prices for Core 2 systems aren’t really any different than
they were for Cores. If it was my money, I’d hold out for a Core 2
system unless you got a great deal on a Core… which will be all but
vanished from the market in a matter of months.

Run the Battery Down

Whenever you get a new toy powered by a rechargeable battery, such as a laptop, cell phone, iPod, digital camera, etc., before you plug it into the wall or recharge it for the first time, make sure you run the battery all the way down first (to the point where it shuts itself off). Once the battery is completely drained, recharge it for at least 12 hours without using it. The reason for this is because the battery will hold a charge significantly better than if you do not do this.

Some devices come with a battery which has already been discharged completely prior to the charge you receive in the product, but just to be safe, it’s best to run it all the way down. I’m not sure of the exact reason why, but I can attest to the effectiveness of this method with my own cell phone. I have owned four and the one I did not do this on, the battery was completely useless (6 hour standby life) after about 4 months.

New political parties ask House not to thwart them

A number of new political parties have asked the House of Representatives (DPR) to refrain from creating too many restrictions for them in a new law on political parties.

Representatives of 15 new political parties conveyed the message through the House`s Special Committee on the Draft Laws on Political Parties and the Status and Position of Legislators at a meeting here Thursday.

They all said there was a tendency among the existing big political parties in the country to thwart the establishment of new poltical parties although forming political parties was the right of every citizen.

The new plitical party delegates said they had come to the House to convey their view that the idea of reducing the number of plitical parties in the country was "unjust".

They also said they did not agree with the notion that the existence of many political parties was the cause of political instability.

The 15 new political parties included the Nation`s Sun Party, the Star and Moon Party, the New Democratic Party, the Indonesian Prosperous Party, the Prosperous Peace Bringing Party, the People`s Conscience Party, the Nusantara Parade Party , the Indonesian Independence Party.

Imam Addaruqutni, a leading member of the Nation`s Sun Party, said at the meeting the govenment`s draft law on political parties contained many "oddities".

He said a law on political parties ought not to be drawn up by the government but by the politcians themselves.

The government`s draft law held many clauses limiting the possibility of forming political parties."Many provisions in the draft law put unndue emphazis on procedural requirements but actually threaten democracy," he said.

There was also not enough transparency in discussions on the draft law as political party leaderships and non-governmental organizations were never invited to take part in House hearings on the bill, Imam said.

Cleaning Up Corrupted Installs

If you have ever had problems trying to uninstall a program through the Add/Remove Programs dialog, typically this is because required uninstall files have gone missing. Typically it doesn’t do any harm to have “dead” installs listed in the Add/Remove Programs list, but it can be annoying.

To remedy this problem, try using the Windows Installer CleanUp Utility. This program, among other things, removes files and registry entries which the problem program’s installer created. While it is not 100% guaranteed to work (as it depends on how “messy” the installation actually is), it is a good and easy starting point to get rid of the unwanted program.

Tips For Cleaning Your Components

A good measure to take when doing system maintenance is occasionally cleaning your hardware components. Doing so removes dust and debris which can accumulate inside your system and degrade hardware performance.

While there are probably many more things you can do, I am just going to mention the simple and most obvious and ones:

• When cleaning the inside of your computer (motherboard, etc.) make sure your computer is off and you ground yourself before opening the case.
  
• Use only an air duster/canned air to remove dust from your components. I would recommend doing so outside so it doesn’t end up all over your house.
  
• Remember to blow out the insides of any intake or exhaust fans.
  
• When cleaning your monitor, make sure you do so with a clean rag and only use cleaning agents designed for electronics.
  
• Clean your keyboard.
  

Clean Your Keyboard

The other day while I was on the phone, I picked up a twist tie and started “picking” at my keyboard by running it through the gap in the keys. Of course since I haven’t cleaned it in probably 2 years, an enormous amount of dust, cat/dog fur, and other miscellaneous “gunk” came out. When all was said and done, about a handful of garbage was pulled out from under my keyboard.

The moral of this story is to make sure you periodically clean your keyboard. Be it with something as simple as a twist tie or with some fancy tool. You will probably be surprised what comes out.

Optimize Your TCP Network Settings

By default, Windows configures your network connections to “just work”. For the vast majority of us, this is all we need. However, for you tweakers out there a tool which can really let you optimize your network settings for the maximum speed is SpeedGuide’s TCP Optimizer.

After specifying your Internet connection speed, this tool modifies the appropriate registry entries which effect your network connection and optimize them for the best performance. The process is mostly automatic, so you don’t have to understand what is going on behind the scenes. Additionally, there is documentation provided which gives you more in depth information.

Note: Should you have problems, TCP Optimizer has the ability to restore your original settings. For the ultra cautious, you could always take screenshots of your existing configuration to revert them manually.

Twenty Egyptian students visiting Indonesia

Jakarta (ANTARA News) - Some 20 Egyptian students are visiting Indonesia at the invitation of the Indonesian government to strengthen ties between the two countries, an official report said.

The visit is a follow-up to an invitation conveyed by the secretary to Indonesia`s Minister for Culture and Tourism, Sapta Nirmandarkata, to Egyptian First lady Suzanne Mubarak who also chairs the Suzanne Mubarak Women`s Forum for International Peace, a statement from the Egyptian Embassy said on Thursday.

The students are here for a week-long visit starting August 18.

"The main aim of the visit is to make sure the young generation that the Youth Exchange Program can be a bridge to help them establish stronger relations and promote the socio-cultural aspects of the two respecties," it said.

During their visit, the Egyptian students would among other things visit some universities in Indonesia, including universities in Jakarta, Yogyakarta, Bandung, and Bali, and meet with some related officials, including Foreign Minister Hassan Wirajudha and Jakarta Governor Sutiyoso.

New Indonesian Bishops` Conference leadership

President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono received the new executive board of the Indonesian Bishops` Conference (KWI) at the presidential office here on Thursday.

Accompanied by Religous Affairs Minister Maftuh Basyuni and Coordinating Minister for People`s Welfare Aburizal Bakrie, the president received the KWI executives for a dialog and exchange of view on various problems in the country.

"Besides introducing the KWI`s new executive board to the president, we also discussed various problems in the country and the contributions of religious communities to national development," KWI Presidium Chairman Martinus Dokma Situmorang said after the meeting with the head of state.

Situmorang added that at the meeting with Yudhoyono, the KWI asked to be involved intensively in national development, the maintenance of the state philosophy, national unity efforts, public welfare, and justice for all people.

"We also expressed our concern and asked for the government to maintain the 1945 Constitution. We said we were also ready to jointly anticipte and get rid of things which have the potential to disturb national unity and integrity," Situmorang said.

He said the KWI gave its moral support to and prayed for the government, and promised to encourage the Catholic community to participate fully in national development.

"We expressed our certainty that if Indonesia remains united and the national values and morality are maintained, this nation will be a blessing to other nations and all people around the world," said Situmorang, the former bishop of Padang, West Sumatra.

At the meeting with the head of state, according to him, President Yudhoyono said the government also shared the KWI`s point of views.

Situmorang said the president on the occasion also pointed out the importance of Pancasila (the state philosophy) as the dignity of the nation and its people.

Saving A File With An Alternate Extension

Sometimes when you are creating or editing a file, you need to save it with an extension other than the application’s default. This is especially true when dealing with text files. One way you can do this is by selecting “Save As” and changing the type of file to “Any file” and typing in the name. A quicker way to do this, however is to put the desired file name in quotes.

For example, you can save a file “test file.132″ in Notepad, by simply opening Notepad, typing in some text and then going to Save As. In the dialog, enter “test file.132″ (with the quotes) in the file name box and the file will be saved with the 132 extension.

This can be done regardless of what type of file you have selected to save it as in the save dialog box as the value in quotes overrides the selected file extension. A handy trick to know if you work with a lot of different text file types.