Wireless all- In-One for Dummies- P13

Wireless all- In-One for Dummies- P13:I still remember when I got my first cordless phone. Suddenly, I didn’thave to run to the kitchen when the phone rang, I just carried the phonewith me. I could make a phone call from wherever I was. Wireless meantfreedom, and this is just a phone that I’m talking about!
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Wireless all- In-One for Dummies- P13 Choosing Your Frequency 339 Table 1-2: Pros and Cons of Cordless Frequency Bands Band Pros Cons 900 MHz Cheap, won’t interfere with Usually little or no security, Wi-Fi limited range 2.4 GHz Price is right, more secure Possible conflicts with than 900 MHz secure Wi-Fi 5.8 GHz Clear, likely more secure More expensiveYou have an array of choices when purchasing a cordless phone. The impor- Book VItant option is the frequency band on which the phones operates. Cordless Chapter 1phones are available in 900 MHz, 2.4 GHz, and 5.8 GHz models. Generally, as Choosing and Usingthe frequency goes higher, so does the maximum distance you can take the Cordless Phoneshandset from the base station, and the clarity gets better. Watch out, how-ever, for interference from other sources of radio waves, physical structureslike walls, and the weather.Here are what the three frequency bands offer.900 MHzYou can buy one of these phones pretty cheaply, but many manufacturersare phasing them out, favoring instead the 2.4 GHz and 5.8 GHz models. Ifyou’re on a budget, you can buy one of these analog models for less thanyou paid for this book — but I wouldn’t recommend it (the phone, not thebook).Why? The prices of 2.4 GHz phones are very reasonable and cover a largerarea with less likelihood of interference. Also, higher frequency phones offermore conversation security: It’s fairly simple to listen in to a 900 MHz analogsignal with the right equipment.2.4 GHzQuality and price meet here. This is the sweet spot for cordless phones;most of them made today operate in this frequency range. They offer moreclarity and range than you get with a 900 MHz phone.Given the number of 2.4 GHz models, you can find them in a wide varietyof configurations, choosing the features you want and not paying for onesyou don’t need. You can buy 2.4 GHz phones in analog and digital models.These phones are also available in multiple-handset models, which let you340 Featuring Cordless Phones add more handsets as you need them. Some models let you have as many as eight — seemingly enough for every room of your house. While the addi- tional phones need a nearby AC outlet, they don’t each need a phone jack. You can find 2.4GHz phones in a huge variety of configurations with any number of features. Some contain digital answering machines. Some allow you to add up to eight handsets to the same base. Extra handsets usually come with a charging dock for which you need an AC connection, but you only need a phone jack for the base station itself. Unfortunately, phones that operate in the 2.4 GHz range can interfere with some Wi-Fi wireless networks (802.11b and 802.11g, but not 802.11a or 802.11n). 5.8 GHz These phones have an exceptionally notable advantage over the other two kinds of phones: The 5.8 GHz band is less populated, but that’s changing quickly. Along with an increase in clarity and distance, cordless phones using this frequency are the perfect fit for a home that has a Wi-Fi network and other interference on the 2.4 GHz band. The 5.8 GHz phones tend to be feature-packed affairs that get expensive quickly, although with the frequency growing in popularity it’s only a matter of time before cheaper 5.8 GHz phones emerge.Featuring Cordless Phones If the confusion over frequencies isn’t bad enough, you have to decide between a myriad of features when shopping for a cordless phone. From caller ID displays to multiple-handset models, you have much to discover before plopping down your greenbacks. You find some of the features on cordless phones: ✦ Caller ID. If you subscribe to caller ID service through your local phone company, this feature is a must. If the phone’s not enabled for caller ID, subscribing doesn’t make any difference. When you get an incoming call, the caller’s phone number and possibly the name (if you pay for this ser- vice) appears on the handset’s display. ✦ Call waiting ID. Call waiting ID is a cool feature. While you’re on the phone with someone else, you can see who is trying to reach you by glancing at the display on your phone. If you want to take the new call, you flash over to the other line. When you’re done, if the first caller is still waiting, you can flash back to him or her. Avoiding Interference 341 ✦ Digital answering machine. I thought everyone who needs to record calls signed up for voicemail through their phone company. I guess not. Long gone are the days of cassette tapes; the answering machines built into these phones are digital, which have far less recording capacity. One benefit is that long-winded callers have fewer seconds to leave their messages, sparing you some rambling. Sometimes you can even set the length of messages your answering machine will take before cutting off the caller. ✦ Multiple handsets. You can do several things with these phones: • Adduptoeighthandsets(dependingonthemodel)foruset ...