Nothing but net(work): Why you need one

Wireless home networking isn't just about linking computers to the Internet. Although that task is important - nay, critical - in today's network-focused environment, it's not the whole enchilada. Of the many benefits of having wireless in the home, most have one thing in common: sharing. When you connect the computers in your home through a network, you can share files, printers, scanners and high-speed Internet connections between them. In addition, you can play multiuser games over your network, access public wireless networks while you're away from home, check wireless cameras, use Internet Voice over IP (VoIP) services, or even enjoy your MP3s from your home stereo system while you're at work - really!

Reading Wireless Home Networking For Dummies, 3rd Edition, helps you understand how to create a whole-home wireless network to reach the nooks and crannies of your home. The big initial reason that people have wanted to put wireless networks in their homes has been to 'unwire' their PCs, especially laptops, to enable more freedom of access in the home. But just about every major consumer goods manufacturer is hard at work wirelessly enabling its devices so that they too can talk to other devices in the home - you can find home theater receivers, music players, and even flat-panel TVs with wireless capabilities built right in.

People go with wireless networking for:

• File sharing
• Internet connection sharing
• Printer and peripheral sharing