You can get ample bandwidth for sharing a broadband Internet connection without spending much. Even the slowest wireless gear is several times faster than cable or DSL. You may prefer to buy a kit that includes all of the basic networking gear, but you can also buy the components separately and connect them together. Exactly what you need will depend on how many systems you want to connect and where they are located.

If you use your home as an office, you need a robust network with reliable security. Wireless routers typically offer some protection, but a software firewall can provide an additional safeguard for your data. If you need to access your network from remote locations on business trips, you may even want to invest in a hardware VPN (virtual private network) firewall so that you can securely access your home network over the Internet.

If you want to transfer large files over the network while streaming audio from a computer to your stereo, or if you like to play bandwidth-intensive, multiplayer games, then set your sights on a high-bandwidth solution, such as 802.11n, Ethernet, 802.11a, or dual band.

Business travelers can now stay connected anywhere using wireless hot spots. Whether you are in an airport, a cafe, a public park, a shopping mall, or a parking lot, you may find yourself smack-dab in the middle of a public or commercial hot spot. With the right gear, hot-spot hopping is easy. Opt for a PC Card with a sensitive antenna, an external antenna connector, or a high-power output, and find out which wireless ISPs are available in your area. Or do away with hot-spot hunting altogether and get a cellular modem card that taps into the cellular providers' data networks. You can be online on the bus, in your car, or in the park--wherever you can get a cellular signal.

You don't need to be a rocket scientist to connect two or more houses wirelessly or to share an Internet connection with an entire building or neighborhood. Whether your objectives are philanthropic or commercial, building a hot spot can be done for less than the cost of a high-end notebook.

You don't need a full-blown local-area network to sync up your PDA with your computer or to transfer photos from your notebook to your printer. Bluetooth is designed for just such casual, close-range connections.