noob

[dirtytexas070]

hey yall as the title would suggest im new to all this crazy stuff so i had a few questions.... ive read up a little bit on here and other places about the wireless technology (wi-fi, bluetooth, ect) and im starting to get the idea of what its about. by the way i have a dell axim x30. i was wondering if anyone could tell me specifically what wi-fi, bluetooth, wlan, avantgo, and any of these other things works and how to use them. for instance could i access the internet from anywhere using one of these options, or would i have to be within broadcasting range of my computer? thanks for your help. 8)

[OSUKid7]

Bluetooth - only works if you have another device that your Pocket PC can pair with, or you have bluetooth access point. Much slower than WiFi, used for PDA-cellphone communication and PDA-PC syncing. The range on bluetooth varries, with different classes. Can't remeber the specifics because I rarely use bluetooth, but bluetooth is meant as a close-range cable replacement technology.

IEEE 802.11(b) - aka WiFi - aka wireless LAN - was created to mirror the Ethernet IEEE standards. 802.11b works at a maximum of 11 Mbps. 802.11g works at a maximum of 54 Mbps. Both operate on 2.4 GHz. 802.11a operates on 5 GHz and at a maximum of 54 Mbps. Your PDA has 802.11b, so it can work with either 802.11b or 11g access points. WiFi can be used to sync, surf the web, transfer files, print, or pretty much anything else an Ethernet PC can do. In order to provide access to your Pocket PC, you'll need either a WiFi adapter for a desktop PC, or an Access Point (or a Router with an Access Point if you don't already own a router). The Access Point (or router w/ AP) is by far the best decision, as it won't strain your computer by having to share the Internet connection. Plus, you can still have access to the Internet via your Pocket PC when your desktop computer is turned off. The range of WiFi can vary, but is usually 150-300 feet indoors. Plent for a typical house setup. Also, if you end up getting an AP, try to place it in the center of your home in order to spread the signal over your house instead of your yard and neigbors' houses. Oh, and lastly, be sure to secure your network. Don't leave it open to the ourside world, because then your neighbors can get on and use your connection, or worse, see your files.

Avantgo is just a service that delivers websites to your Pocket PC when you don't have a network connection. It stores the offline pages on your devices so you can "surf" them without being connected to the Internet.