Launching your wireless office

The basics for any wireless office are an Internet connection (dial-up, cable or DSL), a wireless router to send and receive signals to and from individual computers and wireless adaptors to enable each individual computer to send and receive signals. You may want to add a wireless PDA or smart phone and an “air card” that will allow you to connect to a high-speed broadband network from anywhere in the field.

You can find many of these products at retailers such as Best Buy, Circuit City or Staples, as well as at e-commerce sites such as www.amazon.com or www.Comp-U-Plus.com.

Cost
The prices will vary depending depends on the bells and whistles of each piece of equipmentfeatures and capabilities.

To do more research on each product’s features, check out the manufacturer’s Web site, or get an independent review at www.amazon.com.

Routers
1. Linksys Wireless-G series — Prices start at $59.99, www.linksys.com, (800) 546-5797
 
2. D-Link AirPlus 802.11g Wireless Router series — Prices start at $59.99, www.dlinkshop.com, (866) 400-9049

3. Cable/DSL Gateway Router by Belkin — $44.99, www.belkin.com, (800) 2BELKIN, Ext. 2263

Network Adapters
1. Linksys WUSB11 Wireless-B USB Network Adapter (for desktops) — $19.99 on www.amazon.com, reduced from the original $59.99 list price

2. Linksys WPC11 Wireless-B Notebook Adapter (for laptops) — $14.99 on www.amazon.com, reduced from the original $59.99 list price
More product information available: www.linksys.com, (800) 546-5797, Option 1.

3. D-Link’s Wireless 108G MIMO Desktop Adapter — $89.92 on www.walmart.com

4. D-Link’s Super G with MIMO Wireless Notebook Adapter — $79.99 on www.jr.com. More product information available: www.dlinkshop.com, (866) 400-9049.

5. Belkin’s Wireless G USB Network Adapter (may be used for both desktops and laptops) — $59.99, http://catalog.belkin.com, (800) 2BELKIN, Ext. 2263

Pocket PDAs
1. BlackBerry— $249 on www.compu-america.com, www.blackberry.com.
(For questions: e-mail help@blackberry.net)

2. Hewlett-Packard iPAQ — Prices start at $299, www.hp.com, (800) 888-9909

3. Palm Treo 650 smartphone — $249 on www.amazon.com or www.palm.com/us/products/smartphones/treo650, (888) 223-4817

Air Cards
Sierra Wireless AirCard series —www.sierrawireless.com, (604) 231-1100. Sierra suggests buying through www.cingular.com at $99, (888) 333-0701 (Cingular’s customer service)