Wireless access frees you to engage in all Internet activities, from browsing and email to remote business access and investment tools. Mazelle Ablon, the retired president of a manufacturing company, spoke about using wireless Internet access to actively trade the stock market. "We travel by car with three computers, one of which is solely for me to watch the stock market. I can tell you every piece of highway that lacks Sprint wireless connectivity, but I can also tell you I can watch the market most of the drive from Dallas to Southern California. For me, that's connectivity, and that allows me to stay informed."

Wireless Internet service requires a wireless adapter card for your notebook. This card is not the same adapter used for 802.11b (a transition standard for wireless LANs [local-area networks] that uses the 2.4GHz frequency) wireless networking. Each wireless telephone company has its own PC Cards; for example, Sprint wireless cards will not work with Verizon's network. Each wireless adapter card is essentially a network adapter and miniature cell phone. Just like a cell phone, each card has a unique ESN (electronic serial number; the means a cell phone or PC Card uses to identify itself to the cellular network). Purchase the card directly from your wireless telephone company to ensure you get a compatible model. Installation varies by brand of card and wireless company, but it's generally simple and involves little more than inserting the wireless adapter card into your notebook, installing the connection software bundled with the card, and entering an access code the telco provides.

Get A New Plan, Stan

Most wireless telephone companies currently require a 12-month service contract. In the past, Sprint offered month-to-month contracts, but this is no longer available. Unlimited access plans are generally priced at about $80 a month. There are some service plans that charge a flat fee and then charge additionally by the kilobyte of data you transfer. If you use your wireless service only for occasional trips, it will be cheaper to purchase a lower-cost limited-access plan and pay the kilobyte surcharge as needed.

One of the most important factors to consider when choosing a wireless provider is its service area. Look at a map of the regions each provider's wireless Internet service covers to confirm that the areas you travel receive coverage. Each company's service areas are different, and there are rural locations and small cities where wireless Internet service is not available. Just because a city has cell phone service does not mean that it also has wireless Internet service, so make sure you look at the provider's wireless Internet access coverage and not just its cell phone coverage.

Wireless browsing can be several times faster than other wireless Internet activities, such as file downloading, because of technology wireless companies designed specifically to accelerate browsing. Jeff Adelmann, director of integrated solutions for Sprint, says, "Sprint's use of bandwidth optimization allows speeds to be increased up to two to five times depending on the application and device being used."

The PCS Panel helps you get good reception in remote locations.

Bumps In The Road

Wireless is not yet a perfect science. You might have reception problems inside some concrete or metal buildings, such as hotels, the same kinds of places your cell phone has problems getting reception. If cell phone reception inside your hotel is lacking, an external antenna can improve your reception and make the difference between success and failure. Be aware that there are wireless adapter cards that accept external antennas and cards that do not. Never purchase a card that doesn't have an external antenna jack. The ability to use an external antenna is critical in getting the broadest coverage and best speed from your wireless service.

The location of the antenna is one of the most important factors when it comes to connection speed. An external antenna can make all the difference between a good connection and a poor one because it allows flexibility in placement. To work well, the antenna needs to be placed where it will have as few radio signal obstructions as possible. Concrete walls, the metal interior of cars, and other electronic devices can all interfere with radio signals. The stub antenna packaged with wireless access cards often does not work well because the most comfortable location to read your email may not be the best location for cellular reception.

There are many different external antenna models. The best general-use antennas are flat dashboard-mountable models such as the Wilson Stealth (about $30; http://www.wilsonelectronics.com). Be prepared to walk around the hotel room with your antenna and notebook, watching the signal strength display on your computer until you find the sweet spot. The most ideal locations are often near windows. To get the best possible signal, you may have to open the hotel room's window and securely hang the antenna outside. Pack an additional piece of antenna wire with the appropriate connectors for use as an extension cord so that you can run a wire from the antenna's sweet spot to your desired work location.

This same external antenna is very useful in moving or parked cars. Cars are metal cages, and metal adversely affects radio signals. If it were practical to mount your notebook with its stub antenna on the dashboard above the car's metal door panels, you wouldn't need an external antenna. To use a dash-mounted external antenna, place the antenna on your dashboard and secure it to your windshield with suction cups. This simple mounting makes it ideal for rental cars. The dash-mounted antenna will give improved range and speed over the stub antenna. It will not work as well as a roof-mounted antenna, but the difference is marginal, especially given the problems installing a roof-mounted antenna can present.

A more exotic but useful antenna is the external-mount PCS Panel Model #PC-19013 ($79.95; http://www.cellantenna.com). Although bulkier and more cumbersome than the dashboard model, this highly directional antenna gave us good reception in the middle of the red rock canyons of Sedona, Ariz., and on deserted stretches of coastline blocked by mountains and cliffs. This antenna is an ideal choice for RV owners or those in rural settings. It may be the only solution for resorts that are far from cities or lack cell phone reception. The directional antenna is 10 inches high x 10 inches wide and can be as easily packed as a hardcover book. The antenna needs a portable base and antenna mast. A photographer's 9-foot light stand makes a great portable rig. It folds for travel, and you can quickly set it up.

The key to getting the best performance from the directional antenna is the direction in which it is pointed. Getting it to work is reminiscent of climbing up on the roof of your house to adjust the TV antenna. The challenge is that you need to move the antenna and simultaneously see the signal strength reading on the notebook. Reading a notebook display in bright sunlight or awkward locations can be challenging. You'll achieve the best results if you have a friend look at the screen as you rotate the antenna.

Interestingly, you often do not have to point the directional antenna toward the nearest cell phone tower. Radio waves deflect and bounce around. You can frequently get an excellent signal off-axis or from a more distant tower.

You'll probably have to set up the antenna and stand outside for best reception; be sure to add some weights to the stand's feet if it's a windy day, and do not use it during electrical storms, even if you've grounded it. If your hotel room has a balcony, you can set the antenna there and run the wire through the sliding door; if not, you'll have to get more creative with your mounting technique. A 35mm camera clamp mount or camera suction cup mount works well to fix the antenna to a window or ledge. You can also use the directional antenna indoors in front of a closed window or sliding glass door, but you must find a window facing the right direction for signal reception.

So, with directional antennas, your first step is to find a spot outside your temporary abode with the least obstructed view. Then slowly rotate the antenna until you get the best signal strength on your computer. Depending upon the connection management software you are using, you may have to wait 30 seconds or more for the signal strength reading to stabilize before you try the next degree of rotation. The directional antenna rig can require a lot of setup, but when it works, it can deliver faster, more reliable Internet access than slow dial-up, and it's infinitely better than no connection at all. Once you calibrate your setup at a particular hotel or recreational site, you'll likely be able to set up much more quickly on recurring visits.

Other Options

Even with the best antennas and broadest service map, there are places where Internet wireless will not work. But even in these situations, there's still hope via the new lower (than previous iterations) cost but still pricey two-way broadband satellite services, the next step for wireless access.

For those who want more terrestrial speed than standard Internet wireless currently offers, Verizon, the reigning speed champ at the time this article was written, offers an ultra-high-speed wireless service, which delivers average speeds of 300Kbps to 500Kbps with bursts as fast as 2Mbps (megabits per second) when conditions are favorable. This service is currently only available in the greater Washington, D.C., and San Diego, Calif., areas, but the company plans on rolling out service to 30% of its customers by the end of 2004.

Both Sprint and Verizon also offer wireless Internet service integrated with Wi-Fi hotspots, which are wireless access points that typically have a radio range of 300 feet and provide up to 1.5Mbps. This combination provides increased value and performance.

Good reception and constant connectivity are important for those on the go. Wireless Internet service gives you these and more, so you'll always be on top of your game.

by Kevin Bohacz