Joseph Moran

Sure, you could pay for Wi-Fi, but follow these tips and you may not have to. Like most commodities, Wi-Fi is usually available if you’re willing to pay for it. But if you’d just as soon not have to ante up a monthly, daily, or hourly charge, here are some ways you can scare up […]

Metageek Wi-Spy DBxPrice: $799www.metageek.netPros: analyzes both 2.4 and 5 GHz bands; Chanalyzer supports remote access to Wi-Spy; signature sidebar simplifies identification of interfering devices and networksCons: Chanalyzer software only runs on Windows Getting a Wi-Fi network up and running can be as simple as plugging in and powering up the hardware, but ensuring your wireless […]

Morose Media WMWiFiRouter Utility www.morosemedia.com/$29.99Pros: Affordable solution for gaining Wi-Fi Internet connections; free trial offered.Cons: For Windows Mobile only; device compatibility not guaranteed; connection speeds can be slow; rapid battery drain. If you subscribe to Internet data services from your cellular carrier and want to make use of that connection on a notebook PC, you […]

HAVA Titanium HD Wi-Fiwww.myhava.comPrice: $249.99Pros: 802.11g Wi-Fi dongle allows for pure wireless setup and operation; good quality streaming over both local and remote connections; can record streams from local connectionsCons: no Mac software; can’t schedule recordings or record at all from remote connections The advent of the digital video recorder has given us “timeshifting,” the […]

Polycom SpectraLink 8002 Wireless Telephonewww.polycom.comPrice: $359 (MSRP)Pros: WMM support compatible with most inexpensive wireless access pointsCons: SIP interoperability certification limited to Digium Asterisk Business Edition A Wi-Fi network can greatly improve productivity by freeing workers to move around the office with computers in tow. But even if employees aren’t deskbound by computers, they may still […]

As the new school year arrives and many students find themselves needing a new computer, notebook systems are often high on the shopping list, given space considerations and the need for portability. Notebooks have always been available in a pretty wide range of capabilities, sizes, weights, and price tags, but this year marks the advent […]

These days, integrated Bluetooth is an increasingly common option on new cars, even on many entry-level models. But if you’re not in the market for new ride and would still like to have hands-free (and headset-free) calling from behind the wheel, BlueAnt’s Supertooth 3 Bluetooth Handsfree may be just what you’re looking for. The $129 […]

It should come as no surprise that the lobster is among the most musically inclined members of the animal kingdom. (Actually, that should come as a total surprise, since we totally made it up.) Perhaps Electric Pocket knows something special about these marine crustaceans that made them name their mobile music streaming utility LobsterTunes. (Could […]

I’m frequently called upon to provide technical support to friends and family. Trying to diagnose and solve an issue solely over the phone — especially with a non-techie — can have a low likelihood of success and is often an exercise in frustration for both parties. Things are so much easier when the person called […]

I just returned from a week-long trip during which I made frequent use of both free and paid Wi-Fi hotspots. One thing I noticed in my travels was that in virtually every venue where I sought wireless access, at least one network had an SSID of “Free Public Wi-Fi” or a similar name. I came […]

When you’ve got files you need to access on several computers but no central location — like a server or NAS device — on which to store them, it’s not uncommon to turn to Windows built-in file sharing feature. But this approach is far from ideal since it often requires fiddling with firewalls to get […]

Not that long ago, any computer with an Internet connection was physically tethered to a desk by a network cable. More recently, Wi-Fi networks provide a much higher degree of mobility, but nothing that even comes close to widespread coverage. As a result, workers that want to use Wi-Fi to stay in touch outside the […]