In post three of the PC Purchase series I’ll be going over wireless access points. Remember that this series works under the premise that a PC will be purchased and the retailer offers some sort of ‘customization’ before you checkout. Earlier I talked about Wireless Ethernet Cards and commented on their need for an access point. Access points are the home base of wireless access. All computers in a wireless network must connect to an access point to create the network and connect to the internet. While there are a few types of access points, the only one worth noting for a new PC is a wireless router.
If you already have a wireless router at home, the ‘wireless access point’ is a worthless tack-on for you. If the manufacturer allows you to uncheck the option, you can. They also tend to charge over the retail price of wireless routers, which now-a-days are around $50-60.
If you don’t already have a wireless router at homes, here are some details. Wireless routers act as a gateway between a home wireless network and the internet. The broadband modem is connected directly to the wireless router with a network cable, enabling the network to connect to the internet. It also allows for the networked computers to connect with one another. As long as both the router and wireless cards support the same 802.11 standards, they will work together no matter who makes them. In the wireless card post, I talked a little about the 802.11 standards, particularly the differences between 802.11b and 802.11g. These also apply to the wireless routers, so keep an eye on that when purchasing a router. If you bundle a wireless card with a wireless access point, then the retailer (unless incredibly incompetent) will make sure that they’re both compatible.
