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Basic Networking Hardware for Wireless Networks

Basic networking gear used in a wireless home network can include network adapters, routers and/or access points.
Product Tour - Wireless Network Hardware
A wireless network can contain several different types of equipment. Use this guide to learn about each type of wireless network hardware including routers, access points and adapters.
What Hardware is Required to Build a Wireless Network?
Strictly speaking, no hardware other than wireless adapters is required to build a small wireless LAN (WLAN).
Top 802.11g Wireless Routers for Home
The 802.11g standard supports much faster peer networking than the older 802.11b standard. These routers are designed to share a broadband Internet connection and usually contain a built-in firewall, DHCP server, and network switch.
Top 802.11b Wireless Access Points
These 802.11b wireless access points have been popular choices in Wi-Fi home networks.
Top 802.11b Access Points for Home
The 802.11b networking standard brought mainstream wireless access points into the home. Research the best 802.11b-compliant wireless AP products and compare prices.
Top 54 Mbps 802.11g PC Card Wireless Networking Kits
These wireless networking kits comprise both a 54 Mbps 802.11g wireless router and a comparable PC Card network adapter. Purchasing a wireless kit is typically more cost effective than purchasing the individual components separately.
Do-It-Yourself Wireless Antenna
Building a wireless network antenna is fun, inexpensive and not technically difficult. Look at several types of homemade Wi-Fi antennas and the pros and cons of each.
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