Internet without wires.Think about that for a minute.All of the entertainment,utility,and performance of the Internet yours,without being tied to a desk.Without even being tied to the home or office.Internet without wires...anywhere! Wireless is a growing revolution changing the way people communicate and share ideas.From cell phones to PDAs to mobile computers,wireless access puts you instantly in touch with millions of other people around theplanet.Wi-Fi,in particular,is changing how people access the Internet from laptops and PDAs.It’s emerging as an alternative for cellular service,and it may even replace regular telephone lines as voice conversations begin to be re-routed over Wi-Fi networks in larger numbers. Wi-Fi is that subset of wireless communications designed for high-speed Internet access.Sometimes
simply referred to as “wireless,”or known by its many-lettered specification IEEE 802.11b,a,g,and so on,Wi-Fi allows compatible devices to connect without cables or physical connections. With speeds far in excess of most cable modem,DSL,and even T1 service,Wi-Fi is rapidly becoming the standard for Internet access.The store shelves are flooded with Wi-Fi access points,clients,music players,network hubs,and printers,and myriad other consumer devices sport Wi-Fi access.Take the Xbox,Playstation 2,and TiVo—these all have Wi-Fi ability now. Remember when people were saying how everything in the house will eventually be wired?
How anything from a toaster or refrigerator to a stereo system or television would have Internet access? Well,it’s been some time coming,but with wireless in the home,these are now possibilities. Refrigerators are being sold with Wi-Fi connections,and several products will now connect your digital media from your computer to your television over Wi-Fi.I wonder when my toaster will send me a wireless e-mail when the toast pops? Wireless is awesome,but it is also somewhat limited.The hardware you can buy in the store is mass-marketed and mass-produced.So it doesn’t have that extra edge that power users are looking for.Extra edges like longer range,sharing with friends,saying no to power lines,and finding every access point on your street can be yours with the projects in this book.
Wi-Fi Toys was written to help you take wireless to the next level.Go beyond the user manual and build your own projects using this book as your guide. Few things are more liberating than a Wi-Fi connection
