Digital Home Advisor

Hacking isn't just for geeks anymore. In this era of ubiquitous gadgetry and free information, anyone with a screwdriver can do a little unauthorized tinkering. Sure, the word hacking has negative connotations. But hacking is really about being a do-it-yourselfer. That means opening a Web browser rather than your wallet to get more functionality from the products you own.

I'm often cautious of devices that claim to have Wi-Fi functionality and support, mainly because connecting to Wi-Fi (especially secure Wi-Fi) can be tricky for devices that don't utilize a browser or some other good input method. In the past, several devices I've tried (digital photo frames, cameras, printers) have failed to connect to my network because of the configuration issues required that weren't completely hammered out by the vendor.

Calling all digital nomads -- you may not be wearing a dark suit, a tie and shiny shoes, but you're out there with at least a full day of work to get done. Chances are that, more times than not, your workspace is a table at Starbucks, a hotel lobby couch or a client's lunchroom. In other words, you labor where and when you can, without the kind of resources that a more office-bound employee can call upon.

Normally, in a time of crisis, an "amateur" is not the first person you might call. But when communications networks go down, amateur radio operators -- or hams -- and their gear can get communities connected to the outside world via the radio waves.

Field Day lets ham radio operators prep for disaster.

Different approaches to wireless Internet access in San Francisco and neighboring Silicon Valley are producing very different results, with one project springing up around the city and the other inching through regulatory procedures.

Faster and farther-reaching networking are just a couple of the advantages of an 802.11 draft-n based wireless network, so if you're in the market for a new wireless router, you should ensure that you get one that's capable of running the latest standard.

I'm a big fan of wireless mice, and at home -- where my only PCs are notebooks -- I've been using wireless optical notebook mice for years. All use a dongle, and while the dongles have been getting smaller, they're prone to breakage and sometimes I just lose the darn things.

Increasingly, the world is becoming wireless. At home, at work, and on the road, you'll often connect to Wi-Fi networks and hotspots for Internet access. But doing so isn't always simple. You can use some assistance in finding and connecting to hotspots and networks, making sure that you don't link to any that are dangerous, and protecting yourself when you do connect.

Network security can be a thorny issue for small businesses because they generally lack pricey equipment and dedicated IT people who have the expertise to lock down a local area network. But addressing security is nevertheless essential: Just one customer data breach could easily wipe out a small business, and constantly battling viruses, spyware, and spam can sap employee productivity.

Does all this talk of WiMAX, 3G and 4G make your head spin? Here's a quick primer about what each technology really delivers.