Upgrading and Repairing PCs (17th Edition)

If cable modem or DSL service isn't available at your location, you still might be able to get broadband Internet service through a fixed wireless broadband Internet provider. These services use various frequencies of microwave signals to connect to the Internet. Most of these are based on the same 2.4GHz frequencies 802.11 Wi-Fi connections use. These services typically require a small directional panel antenna to be mounted at the highest point on your roof and must have a clear line-of-sight view of the transmitter, which is usually mounted on a tower only a few miles away. Such services are therefore local, so you generally need to check your area to see whether they are available. Normally, I recommend fixed-base wireless only if cable modem or DSL service is unavailable, but I'd place it as a better overall choice than satellite service. In general, the initial equipment fees are less than satellite and the signals are more immune to weather problems.

To learn more about fixed-base wireless broadband, see the Technical Reference section on the disc packaged with this book.