Being able to connect to the Internet no matter where you are is an important aspect of portable computers. As a result, networking interfaces are a standard item found on all laptop computers today. Some of them are so standardized that comparing products is difficult but some may have slight variations that can make a difference in network performance. This guide will help to sort out what they are and how they compare.
Modems
Dial-up networking is one of the oldest forms of networking for PC computers. While broadband connections are more common in the home, when on the road in remote locations this can often be the only method for connecting. A simple phone cable plugged between the laptop and a phone jack allows the user to connect via a dial-up account.
Due to the limitations of audio data transmissions over phone lines, the maximum speed of 56Kbps has been reached for some time. Pretty much every laptop sold has a 56Kbps modem. The only difference is it being listed as a v.90 or v.92 type. These are two forms of data connection methods and are pretty much interchangeable when it comes to an actual dial-up connection.
Ethernet
Until wireless networking became so prevalent, high-speed network connections required the use of an Ethernet cable connected from the laptop to a network device. Ethernet has been a standard network PC cable design that has been used for many years that it is found in almost all computers today. The only real difference comes with what speed of Ethernet network the laptop supports.
There are two standard types of Ethernet speeds currently. The most common up until recently was the Fast Ethernet or 10/100 Ethernet. This has a maximum data rate of 100Mbps and is backwards compatible with the older 10Mbps Ethernet standard. This is what is found on most consumer networking gear such as cable and DSL modems. The more recent standard is Gigabit Ethernet. This allows support of connections of up to 1000Mbps on compatible networking gear. Like Fast Ethernet, it is backwards compatible with the slower network types.
The speed of the Ethernet interface will only really matter when connecting between devices on a local area network. Most broadband connections are slower than even the original 10Mbps Ethernet standard.
Wireless
Wireless networking through the Wi-Fi standards has exploded over the past couple years making it a common feature in laptop computers. There are a number of acronyms for the various standards and speeds of Wi-Fi networking that you will need when shopping for a laptop computer to let you know how it can be used.
There are currently three Wi-Fi standards that can be found on laptop computers. 802.11b is the oldest running at 11Mbps in the 2.4GHz radio spectrum. This is the most common type of Wi-Fi used. 802.11g uses the same 2.4GHz radio spectrum but can transmit up to 54Mbps in speeds. It is backward compatible with the 802.11b standard. 802.11a uses the 5GHz radio spectrum for improved range and similar 54Mbps speeds. It is not backwards compatible due to the different radio frequencies used.
A variety of laptops now come with the draft 802.11n wireless, but it is important to note that this has not officially become a standard. While it provides faster networking, all equipment is based on draft standards. This means that the gear may not work with other manufacturers equipment and may not even be compatible with the final 802.11n standard once it is approved. One benefit of the 802.11n standard is improved range and speed over the previousl 802.11 standards.
Often users will see multiple standards listed on a laptop computer, such as 802.11b/g. This means that the laptop computer can be used with all of the Wi-Fi standards listed. So, if you want to have the widest range of wireless network connectivity, look for a laptop computer listed as having 802.11a/g/n wireless networking.
Here is a listing of some of the Wi-Fi standards:
- 802.11a – 54Mbps/5GHz – Used Mainly By Corporations
- 802.11b – 11Mpbs/2.4GHz – Most Widely Used Wi-Fi
- 802.11g – 54Mbps/2.4GHz – Most Common High-Speed Wi-Fi
- 802.11n-draft – Proposed 270Mbps Standard, Uses 2.4 or 5GHz Ranges, Potential Compatibility Issues
For more information about the various Wi-Fi standard, check out the About.com Computer Networking Guide.
Bluetooth
Bluetooth is technically a wireless networking standard that uses the same 2.4GHz spectrum as the Wi-Fi standands. It is primarily used for wireless peripheral connections rather than actual networking. There is one aspect that it can be used and that is tethering to a cell phone. This allows a laptop to use a cellphones data link to a cellular carrier. Unfortunately, many cellular phone carriers do not allow tethering within the US. Check with your cellular carrier if this is a feature you might be interested in.
WiMAX
WiMAX is a relatively new long distance wireless networking system. It differs from Wi-Fi because it essentially is a replacement for DSL or Cable networking by providing long range high speed network connections without cabling. Subscriptions with a provider are also required unlike Wi-Fi that is more of an extension of an existing network connection. This is still a fairly new standard that is not very common in laptops but is becoming more common when laptops are bundles with cellular modems.
Cellular/3G
The inclusion of built-in cellular modems or 3G networking adapters is a fairly recent addition to laptop computers. This can allow a laptop computer to connect to the Internet through a high-speed cellular phone network when no other access is possible. This can be very useful, but it is also quite expensive as it requires cellular phone data contracts. In addition, the cellular modems built into laptops are typically locked into a specific cellular provider. As a result, I don't recommend users look for these features and to purchase an external cellular modem that uses PC Card, ExpressCard or USB if you really do need such service.
