Upgrades
Why should I add more memory (RAM) to my computer?
Why should I upgrade my Mac operating system to OS X?  
Why should I upgrade to Windows XP?

 Miscellaneous
 What forms of payment does Atlanta Home Wireless accept?
 Is Atlanta Home Wireless Service guaranteed?
 What do I need to know when scheduling an in home visit?
 What are your hours of operation?

Wireless Network FAQ's   ?   What are the benefits of having a wireless network ?        Answer: File Sharing - Network file sharing between computers adding greater flexibility. Not only can you share photos, music files, and documents, you can also use a home network to save copies of all of your important data on a different computer. Backups are one of the most critical yet overlooked tasks in home networking. Printer Sharing - Once a home network is in place, it's easy to then set up all of the computers to share a single printer. No longer will you need to bounce from one system or another just to print out an email message! Internet Connection Sharing - Using a home network, multiple family members can access the Internet simultaneously without having to pay an ISP for multiple accounts. You will notice the Internet connection slows down when several people share it, but broadband Internet can handle the extra load with little trouble. Sharing dial-up Internet connections works, too. Painfully slow sometimes, you will still appreciate having shared dial-up on those\ Computer Mobility. Notebook computers and other portable devices are much affordable than they were a few years ago. With a mobile computer and wireless home network, you aren't chained to a network cord and can work on the couch, the yard,, on your porch, or wherever in the house is most convenient at the moment. No Unsightly Wires. Businesses can afford to lay cable under their floors or inside walls. But most of us don't have the time or inclination to fuss with this in our home. Unless you own one of the few newer homes pre-wired with network cable, you'll save substantial time and energy avoiding the cabling mess and going wireless. Wireless is the future. Wireless technology is clearly the future of networking. In building a wireless home network, you'll learn about the technology and be able to teach your friends and relatives. You'll also be better prepared for future advances in network technology coming in the future.             Back to Top      ?   Are wireless networks secure? Answer: Overall, conventional wisdom holds that wireless networks are now "secure enough" to use in the vast majority of homes, and many businesses. Security features like 128-bit WEP and WPA can scramble or "encrypt" network traffic so that its contents can not easily be deciphered by snoopers. Likewise, wireless routers and access points (APs) incorporate access control features such as MAC address filtering that deny network requests from unwanted clients. The better a wireless network is administered, the more secure it becomes.         Back to Top      ?   What is the range of a wireless network? Answer: Each access point or router has a finite range within which a wireless connection can be maintained between the client computer and the access point. The actual distance varies depending upon the environment; manufacturers typically state both indoor and outdoor ranges to give a reasonable indication of reliable performance. Typical indoor ranges are 150-300 feet, but can be shorter if the building construction interferes with radio transmissions. Longer ranges are possible, but performance will degrade with distance. Outdoor ranges are quoted up to 1000 feet, but again this depends upon the environment. There are ways to extend the basic operating range of Wireless communications, by using more than a single access point or using a wireless relay extension point.         Back to Top      ?   What hardware will I need for setting up a wireless network? Answer: Required: Wireless network interface card (NIC) or a wireless device - For computers, this card is installed in an empty PCI slot (desktop systems) or PC card slot (laptops). If you do not have a free slot available, universal serial bus (USB) wireless adapters are available. - Some Macintosh computers come with a built-in wireless antenna, but still require you to install a wireless adapter. Check Apple's list of AirPort-ready and AirPort Extreme-ready systems. Access point (AP) or IP Sharing Software An access point connects your wireless network to a traditional, wired network, such as a modem, router, hub, or cable or DSL modem. It allows multiple devices to share the same wireless network. Access points can also bridge a wireless network with a traditional, wired network — for example, an Ethernet cable can connect the access point to a hub. Optional: Internet Service Provider (ISP) If you want to use your wireless devices on the Internet, you also need an account with an ISP(Bellsouth DSL or Comcast Cable)and a device that connects to that ISP. More than likely your existing phone company offers some type of high speed internet service. Router If you want to share a single Internet connection with several computers, you need a router to serve as a central point of access to the Internet. Combination Device Some new products, such as Motorola's SURFWatch cable modem or LinkSys's Wireless Access Point Router, combine a wireless access point, cable/DSL modem, and router into a single device. This greatly simplifies setup and can be less expensive than purchasing separate access point and router devices. Range Extender If you plan to create a larger wireless network that requires multiple devices, you can purchase a range extender instead of a second access point. Wireless signals can pass through drywall relatively easily, but if it must pass through a significant number of walls the signal will degrade rapidly. Atlanta Home Wireless suggests that you purchase an extender if your house is over 4000 square feet. News Flash- Atlanta Home Wireless is here to help you once you have your equipment. You can also opt for our consulting service in which we will take the burden of researching and buying all the needed equipment. For $40 more an Atlanta Home Wireless representative will research the best price & product for your home as well as pick up the equipment at one of our locations so you do not spend your time searching for the correct products.         Back to Top      ?   Why would anyone want to install a wireless card on a desktop? Answer: Although wireless networking offers obvious benefits to users of laptops who move from location to location throughout the day, there are benefits for users of fixed position computers as well Many schools and businesses have unsuitable building layouts or walls that cannot be wired for various reasons making it difficult or impossible to build a wired network. Wireless networking in these environments is a very cost effective alternative also providing future flexibility. In cases where a small number of computers are separated from a main network a wireless link may be more cost effective than network cabling although the latter is perfectly feasible. Temporary wireless LANs can easily be created for exhibitions, school or business projects, all without any trailing cabling.         Back to Top      ?   Place Holder Answer:         Back to Top      ?  Placeholder Answer:         Back to Top      ?   Placeholder Answer:                 Computer Upgrades ?  Why should I add more memory (RAM) to my computer? Answer: Upgrading your computer's memory (RAM) is one of the quickest, most efficient and most cost-effective ways to boost performance. Many new computers come with only a bare minimum of memory installed. Adding more RAM can add more zip to your system. How much memory is enough? An average computer user is probably okay with the basic 128MB to 256MB of RAM. But as fast as technology changes, so will your need for additional memory. Just remember: more is better. 256MB is what most average users need. But if you're looking to make your processor really work for you — like for high-end applications, intense gaming and multimedia work — upgrade to even more RAM. You'll notice a significant performance gain all around. Smoother Multitasking Do you open several programs at the same time and switch between them frequently — and does your current PC moan and groan when you do? Then a memory upgrade is essential for smooth, effortless multitasking. It gives your computer an extra boost so it doesn't have to use the hard drive to manage data. Faster Web Surfing No matter how fast your Internet connection is, a memory upgrade can help your browser display pages faster. When your computer can store more data in RAM, it has to swap out less memory to the hard drive. Web sites use rotating banners, Flash and Shockwave animation, streaming audio and other plug-ins as dazzling effects to entice visitors. A computer memory upgrade can give your computer the zip it needs for today's browsing. Enhanced Printing Do you print large files like presentations with photos, clip art, graphics and charts? Are you tired of your pokey printer? A printing bottleneck can be fixed easily with a simple memory upgrade. And the boost in performance can have a big impact on productivity, especially in a networked environment where several PCs may be sharing one printer. A printer memory upgrade effects both quality and speed. The quality will improve because additional memory allows you to print better at higher resolutions. And you'll be able to print faster because a printer buffers (or holds data temporarily) part of a print job before actually printing. The more memory you have the more that can be buffered, and the faster you will print. (Note: Not all printers are upgradeable. Check your owner's manual for details.) More Efficient Video Editing If the video-editing bug has bitten, you'll want to add RAM. Editing is fun — or can be if it's not too slow. Because video files are very large, you'll not only need a big hard drive to store the file, but a quick processor and lots of RAM help speed things up. Video editing software like iMovie and Adobe Premiere typically recommend 64MB of RAM, but once again, more is better. 256MB or more should have you editing without waiting for your computer's hard drive to catch up. Optimized Windows XP Processing Windows XP ready-labeled computers must meet minimum hardware requirements for the software. But meeting these requirements does not ensure the system is configured for maximum performance with Windows XP. Typically, just meeting minimum requirements for software means minimum performance. Like before: more is better. You'll need at least 128MB, but 256MB is recommended. For the optimal Windows XP experience load up on RAM. Spectacular Gaming A new graphics card is nice, but it isn't enough for today's cutting edge gaming. Revolutionize your 3D gaming experience by adding more memory. Added RAM supports color at higher resolutions and gives you the power for enhanced 3D rendering, with amazing character realism and texture versatility. Enjoy crisper, brighter images and excitingly fast 3D video and animation for a powerful, virtually real gaming experience. Enhanced Multimedia Presentations Intense graphics use and memory-laden programs, such as multimedia, publishing and graphics arts, demand more RAM for the optimal computing experience. You're going to need at least 128MB, with 256MB or more needed for best performance. Once again, more is better. The applications respond much quicker with faster image drawing.         Back to Top      ?  Why should I upgrade my Mac operating system to OS X ? Answer: Plug in virtually any device, plug into any network. No configuration, no hassle. Using and developing open standards makes Mac OS X the most compatible platform on the planet.           Back to Top      ?  Why should I upgrade to Windows XP? Answer: The Windows XP Home Edition operating system offers a number of new features that help you work smarter and connect faster to the Internet and with others. And the rock-solid dependability of Windows XP lets you work and play with more confidence than ever. Internet Connection Firewall: The Internet Connection Firewall helps guard your computer from intrusion when you are connected to the Internet. Now you can rest assured that Windows XP Home Edition is working to protect you from unwanted attacks over the Internet. System Restore: The System Restore feature of Windows XP Home Edition enables you to restore a PC, in the event of a problem, to a previous state without losing personal data files. System Restore actively monitors system file changes to record or store previous versions before the changes occurred. With System Restore, you never have to think about taking system snapshots as it automatically creates easily identifiable restore points, which allow you to restore the system to a previous point in time. Remote Assistance: Provides you with the ability to invite a trusted friend or support professional also running Windows XP to be your remote assistant. Through an Internet connection, your assistant can chat with you, observe your working screen, and, with your permission, remotely control your computer. Windows Media Player: Windows Media Player for Windows XP provides you with new features such as: DVD playback, native CD burning, and the ability to export video to portable devices. Also included are new and improved video controls, offline metadata support (for enhanced DVD viewing), and a more streamlined and flexible user interface. Internet Explorer: Microsoft Internet Explorer 6 is the next major update to the award-winning Internet Explorer technologies and provides the most private, reliable, and flexible Internet browsing experience. Internet Explorer 6 includes many new and enhanced features that can simplify the daily tasks that you perform while helping you to maintain the privacy of your personal information on the Web. Windows Movie Maker: Provides the ability to easily capture, edit, organize, and share home movies. Just plug your analog or digital camera into your PC to get started. Add music, narration, and title cards. Once you're done, e-mail or post your video to a Web site to share with friends and family.           Back to Top      ?  Placeholder Answer:                 Miscellaneous Questions ?  What forms of payment does Atlanta Home Wireless Accept? Answer: Atlanta Home Wireless currently accepts Cash, Personal Check, Cashier's Check, Money Order, and PayPal. In the very near future we will accept Visa, MasterCard, and American Express.         Back to Top      ?   Is Atlanta Home Wireless's Service Guaranteed? Answer: All of Atlanta Home Wireless's services are guaranteed. If you are not satisfied with your service: Please call an Atlanta Home Wireless representative at 404 . 274. 6933 for resolution. We stand behind our In-Home & Office Services for 30 days. If there is a problem with the service we provided and you notify us within the stated time period, we will work to remedy your problem quickly and at no additional cost.         Back to Top      ?  What do I need to know when scheduling an in home visit? Answer: An Adult Must Be Present At Residences or Business: For on-site services, a person of at least 18 years of age must be present during the entire time period services are provided. IF THE Atlanta Home Wireless representative ARRIVES AT THE SCHEDULED SERVICE TIME AND NO ADULT IS PRESENT, SERVICES MAY BE DENIED AND A $100 CANCELLATION CHARGE WILL BE ASSESSED. BACKUP YOUR SOFTWARE AND DATA: IT IS YOUR RESPONSIBILITY TO BACK UP ALL SOFTWARE AND DATA THAT IS STORED ON YOUR COMPUTER'S HARD DISK DRIVE(S) AND/OR ON ANY OTHER STORAGE DEVICES YOU MAY HAVE PRIOR TO THE ARRIVAL OF THE Atlanta Home Wireless representative TO YOUR HOME OR BUSINESS. Atlanta Home Wireless AND/OR ITS THIRD PARTY SERVICE PROVIDER SHALL NOT BE RESPONSIBLE AT ANY TIME FOR ANY LOSS, ALTERATION OR CORRUPTION OF ANY SOFTWARE, DATA OR FILES. Service Jurisdiction: Atlanta Home Wireless sets the Service area for the Atlanta area If a location lies beyond Atlanta Home Wireless's standard Service area, additional trip charges may apply. To determine if your location is within the Atlanta Home Wireless standard Service area , you may contact an Atlanta Home Wireless representative who will be more than happy to answer any questions you have about our standard service area and what trip charges if any will apply to your service request. Additional Hardware or Software Install/Service: if you request that additional service be performed while an Atlanta Home Wireless technician is on site, an additional charge will apply. This includes: software installation, software service, memory installation, sound/video card installation, network card installation, printer services, modem installation, CD/DVD-RW installation, or CD/DVD-ROM installation.         Back to Top      ?   What are you hours of operation? Answer: Our normal business hours are Monday-Friday, 9 AM – 7 PM, Saturday 10 AM – 5 PM. Additional charges may apply for rapid response services or service outside of standard installation hours. If you need us we are here to help you, however, any type of emergency services that requires our immediate attention will carry with it emergency service fees.