Here’s a collection of useful information about wireless networks and networking.

Set it up

One of the best guides I’ve seen for setting up and configuring a wireless network is from Lifehacker.   Check out their coverage on the subject here: Set up a home wireless network

Map it out

It’s often very useful information to know how strong your wireless network is in various locations around your house.  These applications allow you to upload a floor plan of your house (you can make a basic one in paint or any other graphics program if you need to) and then map out the wireless signal in around the house.

Ekahau Heatmapper is a free application if you fill in your name, email address and answer a few questions.

Passmark’s WirelessMon costs US$24.00 for the personal edition and US$49 for the professional edition but there is a 30 day trail for each version.  The heat map function is only available in the professional version but it provides several other wireless features as well.

Get the most out of it

Check Microsoft’s 10 Tips for Improving your wireless network – some very practical and useful tips that I often pass on to people.

And a few extra tips (some are repeated) from Lifehacker – Strengthen your home wireless network signal

Boost the signal with some homemade parabolic amplifier for your antennas

Or a homemade wifi extender

If all else fails there are Wireless Extenders and extra routers or access points.  Most of these you can buy for less than $100 from your local computer shop.  Ask for a Wireless Network Extender or Range Boosters.   Here’s an example of what to look for.

These improvements are especially good if you create a heatmap with the tools mentioned in the ‘Map it out’ section before you start and compare with another heatmap created after you’ve made the changes.  You can then visually see the difference that these changes are make.

Secure it

Unless you’re happy to hang a sign on your network that says “Anyone welcome – steal whatever you can” then it makes sense to put some basic security measures in place.   Especially as with wireless networks, it is not required for someone to have physical access to get onto your network if it isn’t secure.

10 Tips for Wireless Home security

PC World’s guide on How to Secure your wireless network

Practically Networks page on Securing your wireless network

Keep secure while in public

This is only loosely related but sooner or later if you have a laptop, you’ll probably take it on the road and want to connect it to a public Wifi hotspot.  This is a good guide to Keep you Windows computer secure on public wireless networks.

If you know any other great wireless tips or pages, feel free to add them to the comments section below.