Best NAS drive: Overview

NAS (network attached storage) devices certainly aren't the most glamorous gadgets you can have in your home. A network-connected hard drive might seem like a remnant from a home office – a backup necessity for over-paranoid users and not much more.

Early NAS devices – and even some new no-frills budget ones – do little more than allow any computer that's connected to a network to access an external hard drive as if it was physically installed in the computer. However, a lot of new NAS devices have some great features built in, which can completely transform what your home network is capable of.

Not only can they act as media servers throughout your house – letting your devices access and stream music and videos to any device on the network – they can also be used be used to stream your media across the internet, letting you access the files from anywhere in the world, and effectively allowing you to create your own version of Spotify or Netflix.

As for cloud backup and synchronisation services, while you could pay Dropbox the equivalent of $9.99 a month for 50GB of space, with a NAS device you could have your own service with huge amounts of storage (some NAS devices accept hard drives of up to 3TB) without monthly fees or the need to trust your private data to a third party. We've gathered the best NAS devices on the market to find out just what they are capable of.

Buffalo Cloudstation Duo - £240
www.buffalotech.com

Western Digital My Book Live - £147
www.wdc.com

Netgear ReadyNAS Ultra 4 - £423
www.netgear.co.uk

Buffalo Linkstation Pro LS-VL - £129
www.buffalotech.com

D-Link ShareCenter - £60
www.dlink.com

Iomega StorCenter ix2-200 - £274
www.iomega.com

Netgear Stora MS2110 - £130
www.netgear.co.uk

Synology DS411 - £485
www.synology.com

Best network storage: 1-6

1. Buffalo Cloudstation Duo

There remains a lingering feeling that setting up a network attached storage device can be complicated, time consuming and fiddly. Buffalo aims to dispel these preconceptions with the Cloudstation Duo, a NAS kit designed to be as user friendly as possible without losing any features or functionality.

The device itself is compact, though quite heavy. Flicking open the front gives quick access to the two 1TB hard drives that come installed. Removing the drives is a bit fiddly at first, but the process is certainly a lot easier than with many other NAS drives.

The fact that the Buffalo Cloudstation Duo is supplied with two large hard drives already installed and set up in a RAID 1 configuration is great, and eliminates a more fiddly and complicated part of the setup procedure.

Read the full Buffalo Cloudstation Duo review

2. Western Digital My Book Live

When it comes to hard drives, Western Digital knows its stuff. While the Buffalo Cloudstation Duo is promoted for its ease of use, the Western Digital My Book Live goes even further in its pursuit of simplicity.

For a start, the small case is completely enclosed, so there is no easy way to open the My Book Live up and replace or upgrade the hard drive as you can with the Buffalo Cloudstation Duo. This means that it's not really suitable as a comprehensive backup device – the lack of hot swappable hard drives means you'd have to physically remove the entire thing if you wanted to store your data safely off site.

The 'My' in the title is evidence that this is a NAS device that focuses on creating your own personal cloud, sharing your own media and files across the internet with as little fuss as possible.

Read the full Digital My Book Live review

3. Netgear ReadyNAS Ultra 4

NAS devices are a speedy, convenient means of backing up data, and units like the ReadyNAS Ultra 4 featured here are also capable of streaming any multimedia files to any device that can accept them.

Each of the ReadyNAS Ultra 4's bays can accommodate a 2TB drive, resulting in a possible 8TB of storage – that's an awful lot of video, photos and music.

The Netgear ReadyNAS Ultra 4 supports various implementations of RAID technology, which trades off available capacity against protection for your data. If one of the drives fails, you should be able to recover your files.

Features like RAIDar and X-RAID 2 help you make the most of this handy feature. Powered by a dual-core 1.6GHz Intel Atom processor, it's speedy and responsive. The onboard DLNA 1.5 media server worked well with a variety of networked players. Even multiple full HD video streams were glitch-free.

Read the full Netgear ReadyNAS Ultra 4 review

4. Buffalo LinkStation Pro LS-VL

Devices like these are becoming the tool of choice for storing a wide range of digital media, including downloaded movies and TV, music, images and CD/DVD/Blu-ray rips. Speed, capacity and reliability are all essential features, and the Linkstation Pro LS-VL has all three.

This 'Multimedia Shared Network Storage BitTorrent Download Box', ships with a power supply, LAN cable and installation discs, and is available with built-in SATA hard drives in 1TB, 1.5TB and 2TB sizes. Windows and Mac OS X compatible, the unit is simply plugged into any network Ethernet port or into the back of your wireless router, and is instantly accessible from any networked device.

The device features transfer speeds up to 76MB/s courtesy of a 1.6GHz CPU, which is a big increase from Buffalo's more home user-orientated Cloudstation Duo.

Read the full Buffalo LinkStation Pro LS-VL review

5. D-Link ShareCenter

D-Link has designed its NAS device to be at the centre of your home network, sharing your files and media throughout your home and over the internet – an admirable aim. The installation process is fairly straightforward, though there are a few options that you need to set yourself, and these can be confusing if you're not used to setting up network attached storage devices.

For example, at one point you're asked if you want to enable NTP server, without any explanation of what this is. There's also a step that asks you to enter your email address, along with port number and SMTP server – a pain if you don't have that information readily to hand.

The network drive wasn't mapped during installation – instead we had to run the D-Link Easy Search Utility, which found the D-Link ShareCenter on our network and then let us map it.

As with other aspects of the ShareCenter, the execution was rather cumbersome and inelegant, but it worked.

Read the full D-Link ShareCenter review

6. Iomega's StorCenter ix2-200

This 2TB NAS drive is billed as cloud storage, which means you can access the drive from anywhere with an internet connection. It's nothing hugely new, but Iomega has provided a good web interface for accessing your stored data online.

Unlike some of the other drives in our test, we had to install software to make it appear on our network. Fortunately, the software is well designed and your hand is held firmly through the process, making it ideal for people who have never used a NAS drive before.

From here, every feature of the drive is clearly explained with colourful bold icons, and essential tasks – such as setting up backups – are highlighted.

There's a range of useful tools too, from email updates to let you know if anything's changed on the drive itself, to the rather useful ability to download torrent files. You can also view hardware statistics, such as how full the drive is, and its current temperature. It's ideally suited to a RAID setup, too, and this can be implemented quickly and easily.

Read the full Iomega's StorCenter ix2-200 review

Best network storage: 7,8 and verdict

7. Netgear's Stora MS2110

We had high hopes for Netgear's NAS drive – after all, Netgear's home networking solutions have often trumped the competition in tests like these. However, we found ourselves sorely let down.

As soon as we connected the drive, all other computers on the network lost the ability to connect. It turned out that the drive had been completely locked down to the previous user, forcing us to do a complete hardware reset. That's not hugely unusual, but we're not sure why Netgear insists on you entering a software-style product key for something that's unlikely to ever leave your home or office.

Although the drive is hefty, the build quality is below par. The front panel – which clicks off to access the hard drives – sprang off in our hands. In fact, merely placing it on the floor caused the panel to flop open. Fortunately, the drives inside feel nicely secure, with a latch at the back to eject them.

Read the full Netgear's Stora MS2110 review

8. Synology DS411

The DiskStation feels like it's stuck between being a consumer-friendly NAS drive and a rack-mounted server. It's supplied without any hard drives, and looks like a small PC, complete with thumbscrews at the back and an array of lights at the front.

Synology recommends certain drives for the product, which are formatted on insertion. This isn't an easy process, especially compared to the more user-friendly drives we've looked at.

Hard drives must be mounted and formatted with Synology's software, and then the NAS drive itself has to be configured via a small patch located on the CD. Then any folders you want on the drive need to be added manually. These all seem like features that would be automated on other NAS drives.

Read the full Synology DS411 review

Verdict

This group test proved to be a perfect microcosm of the current state of the NAS market. On one hand you have devices that stick to the old ways of doing things – heaps of functionality, but with little thought of user-friendliness. The main culprits here are the Netgear ReadyNAS Ultra 4, the D-Link ShareCenter and the Synology DS411.

On the other side of the divide are the devices whose manufacturers have acknowledged that there is a growing market for centralised storage in the home, and have tailored their devices to offer easy to use interfaces for creating our very own personal clouds without a single network administrator in sight.

We believe that these devices that will excel in the future, when more homes are equipped with internet enabled devices like smart TVs, leaving the backwards-looking NAS devices in their wake.

Best NAS: Iomega StorCenter ix2-200 - £274

The StorCenter ix2-200 encapsulates everything we were looking for in a NAS device. Its advanced features are wrapped up in a user friendly package that's easy to set up and maintain. It isn't as fast as a professional NAS, but for the internet connected home, this is a great choice.

Best value NAS: Western Digital My Book Live - £147

It's not quite the cheapest NAS device on test here, but the Western Digital My Book Live wins the best value award because it has some great features, is reliable and is easy to use. If you want a relatively cheap NAS device that you can quickly set up and then just leave it to do its job without you having to check on it and tinker every now and then, go for this.

802.11ac: next-gen Wi-Fi

If you thought Wi-Fi couldn't get much faster than 802.11n, think again.

802.11ac, dubbed 5G Wi-Fi, promises ridiculously fast wireless connections, better range, improved reliability, improved power consumption and a free horse. (OK, we're lying about the horse.)

802.11ac is the latest evolution of Wi-Fi, and it should be particularly good for gaming and HD video streaming.

So how does it work, does it live up to the hype, and how long will you have to wait before you can get your hands on it? Let's find out.

Your 802.11ac speed could break the gigabit barrier

The fastest current 802.11n Wi-Fi connections max out at around 150Mbps with one antenna, 300Mbps with two and 450Mbps with three antennas. 802.11ac connections will be roughly three times faster - so that's 450Mbps, 900Mbps and 1.3Gbps respectively. Netgear, brilliantly, illustrates this with two pictures of motorways: the first picture, showing "Today's Wi-Fi", is normal, but the one labelled "3x speed with 802.11ac" is really blurry.

Your 802.11ac speed won't break the gigabit barrier

As with previous Wi-Fi standards, the speeds quoted on the box and in the promotional materials are theoretical maximums, not the speeds you'll actually get: so far devices with potential top speeds of 1.3Gbps have topped out at around 800Mbps. That's still blisteringly fast, of course, but there's still a gap between advertised speeds and real world ones. 802.11ac connection speeds will be reduced by numerous factors: network overhead, which is the chatter your hardware needs to keep the connection going; interference, congestion and physical obstacles; distance; the number of simultaneous connections; and whether the router is running in compatibility mode so that older wireless kit can still connect.

802.11ac video and gaming

Because 802.11ac has bandwidth to spare, it should be great for HD video streaming and for gaming. According to Netgear [PDF], you can say bye-bye to buffering: "802.11ac will significantly enhance the user experience by improving the playback quality to any point throughout the house. With 802.11ac, for the first time wireless will provide similar performance as wired Gigabit connections."

802.11ac routers use more antennas

To improve range and reliability, 802.11ac routers can use more antennas than existing 802.11n kit: your next router may have as many as eight antennas inside it.

802.11ac routers will use "beamforming" technology

Wi-Fi is omnidirectional, but 802.11ac routers will be able to use directional transmission and reception technology dubbed "beamforming". The router will be able to identify the rough location of the device it's talking to and strengthen the appropriate antenna(s) accordingly. The idea is to reduce interference.

802.11ac Wi-Fi uses the 5GHz frequency band

Older wireless kit uses the 2.4GHz frequency band, which is fairly crowded: your kit is potentially sharing radio frequency with next door's baby monitor, your cordless phone and even your microwave. Like high performance 802.11n kit, 802.11ac routers will use the less cluttered 5GHz band where there's considerably more room for data transmission. 802.11ac hardware will use two kinds of channels in that range: 80GHz ones and 160GHz ones.

802.11ac routers will be backwards compatible

You won't need to throw out all your old wireless-capable kit as 802.11ac routers will be backwards compatible with your existing Wi-Fi kit. For example, at this year's CES Buffalo demonstrated an 802.11ac router that operated on both the 2.4GHz and 5GHz frequency bands and that promised to play nice with 802.11a, b, g and n hardware.

The 802.11ac release date is now, sort of

As with 802.11n, hardware is coming out before the 802.11ac standard is actually finalised. That's going to happen later this year, but manufacturers are readying their products now and they'll be everywhere by the summer, with minor software updates addressing any changes that might happen to the standard before it's finalised. We'd expect 802.11ac prices to be steep initially, as they were with the first 802.11n kit, but those prices should start to fall almost immediately.

Apple's putting 802.11ac into everything

Apple's a key early adopter of wireless technology - it helped popularise Wi-Fi in the first place and was quick off the mark with 802.11n support. According to AppleInsider it's going to be quick off the mark with 802.11ac too, sticking the technology into "new AirPort base stations, Time Capsule, Apple TV, notebooks and potentially its mobile devices."

802.11ac hasn't skipped lots of letters

The Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE), the body in charge of the 802.11 standard, isn't skipping lots of letters: while major WiFi standards have jumped from 802.11n to 802.11ac, the IEEE didn't just skip 802.11o, p, q and so on. Successive versions of the 802.11 standard can also denote amendments to existing standards, so for example 802.11i introduced improved security and 802.11j introduced extensions for Japanese networks.

Having taken care of games consoles, smartphone and tablets, Sony reckons that televisions and cars are the next bastion of music streaming.

Speaking at a roundtable discussion TechRadar attended about the future of the digital music sphere, Tim Shaaf, president of Sony Network Entertainment, cited research that suggests 161 million people will be subscribed to a digital music service by 2016.

And alongside hardware bundles and ad-funded enticements, it's televisions and cars that will boost that figure over the next five years.

"It's clear from all our research that people are listening to music at home and in their living rooms, which is why we started this service in the living room," he said, alluding to Sony's Music Unlimited service which is available over the PlayStation Network.

"But getting people used to streaming music through their televisions is the hardest leap to make – we've had so many decades of training about how it works and how it fits into your lifestyle."

Doin' swell

And what of the automobiles? "We're extremely excited about this because customers make choices about which cars to buy based on entertainment. It's a huge opportunity," said Schaaf.

"But it's going to take time as you have to solve complicated connectivity issues, ensure driver safety… but it's coming."

Omnifone, the company that powers Sony's Music Unlimited service (as well as providing streaming for BBM Music, HP and Sony Ericsson), agrees that music streaming is about to hit the road:

"Cars and the next really big movement for digital music subscriptions," said CEO Jeff Hughes. "There's a growing acceptance that you have to pay for music – it's a real parallel with the pay TV market – at first there was reluctance but people got used to the idea of paying for extra television channels."

Gaga for gaming

But Universal is looking to social gaming to publicise its digital music offerings, so look out for more Gagaville-style gaming crossovers.

"Zynga has a huge audience and has really cracked the freemium model," said Oliver Barnes, the director of global digital media business at Universal Music Group.

"What it's done is built a really effective pool of users willing to pay for virtual goods online. We're working with a lot of social media gaming companies because they know how to monetise online."

How to speed up your wireless network

Wi-Fi is a great technology, but how you set up and use it can have a huge impact on its efficiency.

If you're constantly waiting for web pages in general to load, then before you complain that your ISP isn't supplying that promised 24Mb/s connection, spare a thought for what happens when that signal hits the airwaves in your house.

How it works

To improve Wi-Fi performance, we first need to understand what it actually is. Wi-Fi is also called wireless local area networking or WLAN in the management console of your base station or broadband router, and it uses a group of frequencies clustered around 2.4GHz to transmit and receive data between computers.

To ensure that data gets through, it uses a protocol called 802.11. If every network within range all used the same exact frequency of 2.4GHz, the various devices would swamp each other's signals - a bit like two radio stations transmitting on the same frequency.

To overcome this, the protocol allows devices to use 13 numbered channels, which all use slightly different frequencies to ensure that there's as little interference as possible.

Confusingly, there are a few versions of 802.11. The oldest is 802.11a, which is now obsolete. This has been superseded by 802.11b, which has a maximum data transmission rate of 11Mb/s. 802.11g, which is the dominant version in the UK, can transmit at a healthier 54Mb/s. The newer 802.11n can use two channels for a maximum of 300Mb/s.

Encryption

Security is very important in Wi-Fi networks, and this has to do with both logging onto the network and how individual packets of data are encrypted. The oldest Wi-Fi security standard is WEP (Wireless Equivalent Protocol). This was part of the original 802.11 protocol and has been cracked, making it insecure.

This insecurity came about because if enough packets can be captured from the airwaves, software can be used to work out what that password is. Several open source packages now exist (AirCrack, for example) that will attempt to solve WEP passwords, thereby allowing people to log onto your network.

An updated security standard called WPA (Wi-Fi Protected Access) was introduced in 2003, with a newer version called WPA2 coming along in 2004. This is still secure and uses a government-strength encryption algorithm to keep your networks safe. In some Wi-Fi equipment, the security used is referred to as RSNA (Robust Security Network Association). This is really just another name for WPA2.

CSMA

If every computer on your Wi-Fi network transmitted at the same time, they would jam each other's signals. To prevent this, every Wi-Fi network card sold (including the one in the base station) uses a technique called Carrier Sense Multiple Access (CSMA) to share the airwaves.

In CSMA, a situation called contention occurs when a Wi-Fi card wants to transmit a data packet, but hears that a packet is already being transmitted. It waits for a very short but randomly selected time before listening again. If the airwaves are clear at the end of that period, the card transmits its packet before listening again and subsequently transmitting the next packet if the airwaves are still clear.

This 'first come first served' scheme means that over time, all network cards get an equal opportunity to transmit all their packets. CSMA is also used in wired networks, and is a very efficient method of data transmission.

This being the case, it's usually external influences that are to blame for adversely affecting Wi-Fi networks. Before attempting to improve the performance of your Wi-Fi network, it's important to know what its performance is like before you start. Otherwise, how will you know for certain which measures work and which don't?

Set a baseline

The easiest way of measuring current performance is to use an online broadband speed testing service. There are plenty available, and they all work in the same way. One service is Broadband Speed Checker.

First, ensure that your entire network is quiet. Turn off all streaming services such as Spotify (including killing the service in the system tray), all social media services, all torrent services, and all email clients that automatically update themselves. Check to make sure that the WLAN light on your base station is not flashing to ensure that everything is turned off.

From a Wi-Fi connected computer, click Start Speed Test and wait until the test completes. Rather than just performing the test once, collect several results over a few days. Try to run the test at different times of the day to see when the local loop from the nearest telephone exchange to the houses it serves is most congested.

Keep the results of these tests on a spreadsheet and you'll be able to see the best time of day to perform large downloads.

It's also a good idea to perform the same tests from a PC wired directly to the base station. This will give you a definitive measure of the difference in performance between wired and Wi-Fi connections.

Whenever you implement a change, re-test the Wi-Fi speed to see if there's any appreciable difference. You may be surprised to find that some simple changes can help you resist an upgrade to a supposedly faster connection.

Interference

The 802.11 protocol family uses some very clever low-level encoding techniques to ensure that regardless of circumstances, the signal stands a chance of still being heard over other noise, but anything we can do to help it will improve network performance. In some cases, such techniques can make a dramatic difference.

Everything would be fine if Wi-Fi network cards were the only things transmitting at 2.4GHz in our homes, but they're not. There are plenty of sources of interference that can cause the network cards to have to wait multiple times before being able to transmit their packets.

Incredibly, one of the biggest sources of Wi-Fi interference is your domestic cordless phone. If you have one in the same room as a Wi-Fi device, you can expect network performance to noticeably degrade every time you make or receive a call.

Bluetooth devices also use the golden frequency of 2.4GHz to transmit and receive data, and therefore also tend to cause interference on Wi-Fi networks. Microwave ovens are a domestic boon that we usually take for granted, but they're also a source of 2.4GHz interference.

Despite remaining perfectly safe to humans when cooking food, a microwave oven situated less than about 10 feet away from a Wi-Fi network card will degrade its performance. Don't forget that this 10-foot range can extend through walls into other rooms.

Added to these interference sources there are also less obvious ones. Your neighbour may be transmitting on the same channel, and have placed his base station right near your adjoining wall. Mains wiring running through walls and floors, faulty household appliances containing electric motors, and physical obstacles like brick walls also play a part in degrading performance.

More ways to improve your Wi-Fi

Location matters

Once you establish a baseline, it's important to think carefully about where you place your base station. The general advice from ISPs is to locate it at a central position in your property, but this overlooks several important factors.

The number of brick walls between the base station and the computer will affect the strength of the signal. Studded walls carrying cables or water pipes will do likewise, and a large aquarium in the way will also absorb some of the signal. Try to site your base station high up to overcome as many obstacles as possible. On top of a bookcase is a good place, and will give the upper floor of your home a little more signal.

Metal surfaces reflect electromagnetic radiation, and mirrors are no exception. A large mirror will shield the room behind it from Wi-Fi signals. Try to find out where your immediate neighbours keep their base station. With a little co-operation to maximise the distance between them, you can both improve performance.

On a desktop or tower PC, the Wi-Fi network card's antenna may be internal. Because the metal parts of the case and internal frame are earthed, they act as a Faraday cage, helping shield the card from the outside world. Try turning the PC so that as little metal as possible stands between the Wi-Fi card and base station.

Other dense materials can also block Wi-Fi signals. Very large wooden wardrobes, full bookcases and so on can all contribute a small amount to the overall degradation of the signal.

At the base station

If your base station and Wi-Fi network cards all use 802.11g, there's no point occupying the airwaves by also transmitting over the older 802.11b. Transmitting both is called 'mixed mode'. To turn off 802.11b, you'll have to go into the web-based management interface on your base station. To do so, you'll need the admin password (which you changed from the factory default when you got it, right?).

The management software used in different manufacturer's base stations differs, but the terminology is usually the same. In the section for interface setup, select the Wireless or WLAN page. One of the general configuration parameters will determine whether you transmit 802.11b, 802.11g or 802.11b+g. For compatibility, the default is almost certainly 802.11b+g, meaning that you're transmitting both versions of the protocol. Change this to 802.11g and then save the configuration.

If another network within range uses the same channel as you, there's a good chance that it'll interfere with your network's ability to transmit and receive packets. See the box 'Monitor The Airwaves' to discover if this is the case.

Rather than hunt for an unused one as the new BT hubs do, most base stations simply default to channel one, which increases the dreaded network contention. To ensure the least interference from other networks, pick a channel as far away from the strongest signals as possible. When you save the configuration, the Wi-Fi network cards in your computers will all automatically begin using the new channel.

Repeat yourself

If you still have problems after doing your best to increase the strength of your Wi-Fi signal and to minimise interference, there's one last method of overcoming problems. A Wi-Fi repeater simply retransmits any traffic it hears on your network, thereby increasing the signal's strength and extending the network's range.

A repeater can act as a relay to parts of the house that simply can't get a decent signal from the base station itself. If you're particularly security conscious, you can use multiple repeaters and run everything at the minimum transmission power so your signals are less visible beyond your property's borders. Each repeater, again set to transmit at low power, can still serve the farthest reaches of the house.

Get a new aerial

The aerials on Wi-Fi base stations are omni-directional antennas. The signal is transmitted with equal strength in a doughnut shape perpendicular to the aerial. This means that if the aerial is vertical, it sends Wi-Fi signals out across the room.

The antenna that came with your base station has a power transmission rating of about 2dBi (sometimes referred to simply as 'two units'). The higher this number, the more efficient the aerial is at transmitting the power passed through it. Every 3dBi effectively doubles the transmitted power, so if you've increased your base station's power output to the maximum in its web management console and want more, you can increase it using an aerial with a higher dBi rating.

The problem with these aerials is that they transmit in all directions. Most of the transmitted energy is lost, but you can reduce this using a directional aerial, which focuses the transmitted signal in one direction. This creates a long hotspot through your property and can be used to extend your Wi-Fi network to out-buildings without losing most of the signal. Prices start at around £20.

Monitor the airways

InSSIDer2 is a free tool by MetaGeek that you can use to analyse Wi-Fi signal strengths and to ensure you pick an unused channel.

Once installed, run the program and it'll show any Wi-Fi networks in range. In the lower pane it also shows signal strength and channel number. Click the 'Time graph' tab and select your network in the upper pane.

If you're monitoring on a laptop, try moving a few centimetres in any direction. The signal strength will change - but why? All electromagnetic waves have a wavelength, which is calculated by dividing the speed of light (about 300 million metres per second) by the frequency (2.4GHz). This gives a wavelength of roughly 12.5cm.

What this means is that across the room, the signal is stronger at some points than others. You can use this technique to map the areas of your home that have the strongest signal.

Sneakily, you can also use dips in the strength of a Wi-Fi signal to tell when someone is between you and a base station. This is because people are mostly water, which absorbs radio waves. As long as the monitoring PC is in the same position, moving around will affect the signal in a predictable way.

Update your firmware

Some ISPs automatically upgrade the firmware on the Wi-Fi base stations they supply as part of their broadband packages, but if you bought your base station separately to use with an existing wired broadband connection, you'll have to upgrade it yourself. This is a simple process that can fix bugs and improve Wi-Fi performance.

First, make sure you have a network cable at the ready in case the process wipes your current configuration and you need to access the web-based management console without Wi-Fi access.

Next, go to your base station manufacturer's website. Make sure you download the firmware for your exact hardware model - this can be found on a sticker on the bottom of the unit. Download the latest firmware and the latest user manual. This will tell you about any new useful features the firmware upgrade gives.

Upgrading may make the base station lose its configuration, so make sure you save the current settings first. The terminology tends to vary here, so consult the user manual.

When you click the 'Upgrade' button in your base station's maintenance page, browse for the firmware file and click 'OK'. The process takes a few minutes, after which the unit will reboot. If necessary, reload the saved configuration and you're done.

Networking company Netgear has announced three new products designed to shunt bits to your internet-enabled entertainment devices at IFA 2011.

The Powerline Nano Dual-port Set works like any other powerline adapter, with the advantage that the units themselves are small enough not to block a second outlet. The adapters come with two ethernet ports, and are capable of speeds of up to 200 mbps.

Powerline adapters are as cumbersome as they are convenient so if Netgear can shrink the form factor it will make them far more attractive.

The Nano Dual-port Set will be released in Europe in November, and is set to be priced at approximately £98.

TV on the radio

If you're resolutely against the idea of powerline networking, or somehow live in a house without powerlines, Netgear's other products may prove more enticing.

The Universal Dual Band Wireless Internet Adapter for TV and Blu-Ray players is designed to do exactly what it says on its rather elongated tin.

The adapter connects to any ethernet-enabled TV or Blu-Ray player and allows wireless streaming at both 2.4GHz and 5GHz, the latter of which Netgear reckons is perfect for HD video.

It's also designed to blend in with home entertainment devices, and can be powered by a TV's onboard USB socket or directly from the mains.

The Universal Dual Band Wireless Internet Adapter for TV and Blu-Ray has a release date of September, and a suggested retail price of approximately £55.

And finally...

Finally, the Universal Push2TV Wireless PC to TV Adapter broadcasts the contents of a Windows PC's screen on HDMI-compatible TVs.

The product consists of a USB flash drive-sized adapter for your PC, and an HDMI adapter for your PC.

Installation is said to be a simple one-time affair, and it's capable of displaying in full HD 1080p on your television.

The Universal Push2TV HD Wireless PC to TV Adapter will be released in September with UK pricing of around £78.

Whatever happened to UWB tech?

A few years ago, we were promised that USB cables would be a thing of the past. And that our HD TVs would also connect to our Sky boxes and Blu-ray players wirelessly.

So where are the wireless ultrawideband (UWB) technologies that were supposed to get rid of these cables?

Picture the scene – it's CES 2007. The consortium of manufacturers that make up the USB Implementers Forum has a small but significant presence on the show floor, demoing cameras which download their pictures to your PC just by being placed in their presence. A printer starts spitting out high quality prints with no cables attached.

In a side room below the Sands Convention Centre, Philips shows off TVs with Wireless HDMI adaptors. It's a triumph, winning praise from those who like to mount their screens on the wall, but dislike the thick corded cables that mess up a minimalist lounge.

Two years later, Ofcom declares UWB tech fit to use in the UK. Pundits rejoice, with some (even on this site) declaring that Wireless HDMI would be the standard by 2010. And things definitely haven't got to this stage.

So what happened?

Unlikely USB?

Wireless USB was supposed to be a game changer. Within three metres, it is technically capable of the same speeds as USB 2.0, and can still manage a respectable 110Mbps at 10m range. Because it works in the UWB spectrum, it doesn't need line of sight to a receiver and it's resistant to interference too.

Yet it's one of those great technologies that may simply never happen.

Part of the problem was the delay between announcing standards and the lifting of regulatory restrictions for devices operating in the UWB spectrum (3.1 to 10.6GHz). It took several years between development of the standard and authorisation of its use, and regulatory requirements are still different in different countries.

By the time most territories had authorised the airwaves necessary (around 2009), fast 802.11n Wi-Fi was commonly available. Many of the things that Wireless USB was developed for were being done just fine over that.

Want to print wirelessly? No problem, there's barely any price premium to pay for a multifuinction printer and scanner that has Wi-Fi built in now. Laptops with Intel's Wireless Display (Wi-Di) tech on board can even send HD pictures directly to a TV over Wi-Fi (albeit unreliably laggy at present).

And why build a camera with Wireless USB to copy pics to your hard drive, when you can upload shots directly to Facebook if it has Wi-Fi on board?

Didn't you hear? The iPhone 4 is the most popular camera on Flickr now, and that syncs your snaps automatically over a cell signal.

Belkin, as ever an early adopter of these types of things, was one of the first to launch a Wireless USB hub and adaptor kit. Which is no longer on sale.

Investment elsewhere

It's not just about red tape, of course. Other reasons for the delay come down to inconvenience and cost of adding WUSB to a new peripheral when there are no laptops or motherboards that have transceivers built in.

Another adapter is confusing and pricey for consumers – making wireless strangely less convenient than wires.

Plus, there's the fact that USB has since been settled on as the cable of choice for charging phones and media players. Plans are afoot to enhance voltages over USB ports so they can be used to charge tablets too. Since wireless power is another idea whose time is not yet come, there's no sense including a WUSB antenna when you'll be connecting by cable anyway.

And finally, while investing in WUSB has no guaranteed returns for manufacturers, excitingly fast new cabled connections like USB 3.0 and Lightpeak/Thunderbolt are a safer bet. Western Digital, for example, has shifted its entire portable hard drive range over to USB 3.0 already and is looking at Lightpeak/Thunderbolt for the future. It has no plans to start introducing WUSB anytime soon.

Why would it? Adding another chip and a battery into a hard drive would be madness when we have Dropbox for that kind of thing. The cloud make WUSB almost defunct.

Wire free TV

If Wireless USB has an uncertain future, then, what's the prognosis for Wireless HDMI?

Far from being standard by 2010, there are almost no TVs with Wireless HDMI built in, and none that are available in the UK. A couple of years ago, there were at least two models – one from LG and one from Panasonic – available. So we're going backwards.

To a certain extent, that's understandable in a time of tough economics - compared adding internet connectivity and 3D glasses, Wireless HDMI is unlikely to sell many more TVs to consumers. There are, however, lots of Wireless HDMI adaptors available – although with prices for the likes of the Xenta kit starting at £150, they aren't exactly cheap.

But wireless display technology does seem to be slowly catching on, although they're coming from PCs rather than TVs. There's Intel's Wi-Di (mentioned earlier), and ASUS has its Kinect-like Wavi Xtation on the way. Samsung's Central Station monitors, which combine both a wireless USB hub and display adaptor, are here already and have proved themselves admirably capable in reviews.

Whether or not techniques for streaming video to a screen will converge around a standard like Wireless HDMI is uncertain, then. But we do still hope it catches on: there's no getting away from the fact that those cables running up the wall are very ugly.

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Fix Mac network and internet problems

Network problems can be a total pain. Thankfully internet problems on the Mac are rare, but you can easily sort them out with a few short steps.

Here's our guide to the most common Mac network and internet problems along with some suggested solutions.

"Why can't I connect my Mac to the internet"

Most connections work by your Mac connecting to a modem/router, which connects to the internet. Things could be wrong between your computer and the router, or the router and the internet. Check the lights on the router and look up what they mean – they could show you where things are wrong.

Network diagnostics may also help pinpoint the problem; open System Preferences > Network, click Assist me… then Diagnostics…

If your Mac can talk to the router, it'll appear in AirPort Utility (Apple routers), in Safari by typing its IP address into the Address bar to open the setup screen (for third-party models, find the IP address in System Preferences > Network > AirPort/ Ethernet), or in the setup software that some routers have.

If you're trying to connect by AirPort and this doesn't work, try plugging an Ethernet lead directly between your Mac and the router? Any luck? If so, it looks like the problem's with the AirPort network (is MAC address filtering enabled, for example?).

If your Mac's talking to the router and you've still got no connection, the problem's between the router and the internet. Many routers have a setup wizard (Apple's is in AirPort Utility; third-party ones will be in the setup screens in Safari); work through this.

"Why is my Wi-Fi network not appearing?"

The router's on and the relevant lights are lit – the signal doesn't go on forever, so move closer to the box and see if it shows up in your network list. If it doesn't, the network name, or SSID, may have been hidden.

If you've got an Apple router, this is called a Closed Network. If you know the exact network name and security type, choose Join Other Network… from the AirPort menu and type in the name. If not, plug an Ethernet lead between your Mac and the router to check the network name.

With Apple routers, open AirPort Utility and look in the Airport > Wireless tab, or if you have a third-party model, find the router IP address in System Preferences > Network > Ethernet. Type this into a web browser to open the settings screen.

"My internet connection is really slow!"

Is it slow on every computer in your house? If so, it could be to do with the network or internet connection as opposed to your Mac. Or could someone be hogging bandwidth? If it is only your Mac, is Software Update downloading in the background? Could something else be running?

Also, go to Safari > Reset Safari… and tick every box. Have you got loads of browser extensions running? In Safari, go to Preferences > Extensions and uninstall the lot and reinstall the vital ones one at a time.

How to troubleshoot intermittent Wi-Fi

The AirPort icon in your menu bar will show you the strength of the signal – if this is only one or two bars, the problem could be that it's too weak where you are. Move closer to the router and see if that helps – if so, think about moving your router or getting a repeater unit.

Other causes of the connection dropping randomly could be that there's interference on the Wi-Fi channel your router's using, perhaps from nearby devices – go into its setup and change it to another.

It's also worth looking at the lights on the router – when the connection drops, do the lights change? If so, there could be a fault with the router, so contact the manufacturer for help or request a new one from your ISP.

Quick tip

Want to connect to your Mac from a PC can't see it?

Open Sharing in System Preferences, tick File Sharing and click Options… Make sure Share files and folders using SMB (Windows) is ticked.

Everyone likes being in control - we don't want to be told that we aren't allowed to do something with our own hardware. In this world of locked-down operating systems, proprietary software and rights-removed content, anything that gives us control over our hardware is a good thing.

Wireless N routers: what's the hardware to buy?

Wireless routers are everywhere these days. Sign up with most ISPs and they'll even give you one for free – why would you need anything more? Well, let's see.

We'll randomly pick one of the UK's biggest ISPs: Be. It provides an excellent service, but the free router is very basic. It's an 802.11g model, with no support for the newly ratified N standard, so performance will be hobbled. Anything with an 802.11n adaptor could be running at less than half its possible speed, and you'll probably have worse range, too.

We're not having a dig at Be, though – this is more or less the standard across all the free routers out there. ISP-provided models often do things like not allowing you access to important settings, or using a 10/100Mbps Ethernet port even if your computer is using a Gigabit Ethernet adaptor.

Performance is only part of the problem, though. Another is that the routers are using old technology, a particular issue when it comes to security. You should be encrypting your transmissions using the latest WPA2 standard, for instance, but even though it's been around for five years, most free routers support only the easily cracked WEP and outdated WPA standards.

Firewalls, intrusion detection and other security features are likely to be similarly outdated, and sticking with a freebie router means you'll probably miss out on a whole range of possible benefits, including web traffic prioritising, printer sharing, network storage, VPN support and port forwarding.

Choose to upgrade

Relying on free hardware carries a real cost, then, and if you'd like to have a faster, more secure and better-managed network, you'll almost certainly be better off with an upgrade. But be careful – there are plenty of issues to consider first.

Router manufacturers have been working hard to improve the range of their products in recent years, and if you have a large house or like to browse the web in the garden, this sounds like a good move. But there's a downside. If you live in an urban environment, many of your neighbours will also have wireless networks – and the greater their range, the more likely they are to cause interference, slowing you down.

We carried out a few scans in the suburbs of Leicester and found that most locations had at least 10 Wi-Fi networks within range, while several had 20 or more. The highest we recorded was 33. That much competition for bandwidth will guarantee performance problems.

You could use Inssider or a similar free tool to scan your neighbourhood for other networks, and change your network's channel to avoid some of them. But there are only three non-overlapping channels available for 2.4GHz Wi-Fi (1, 6 and 11), so if you have more than four networks within range there may still be clashes.

And that's before you consider interference from other devices that operate at the same frequency: microwave ovens, cordless phones, baby monitors and so on. A better idea may be to abandon the 2.4GHz band altogether and buy a dual-band 802.11n wireless device that operates at 5GHz as well.

Not only does this offer you more bandwidth, with eight non-overlapping channels rather than three, but there's also much less competition for it – so you should see immediate benefits in crowded urban environments.

The downside of the 5GHz band is that its higher frequency doesn't have the same range as 2.4GHz 802.11n devices. It normally has far better coverage than standard 802.11g hardware, though, so if you're moving up from a free 802.11g router then this shouldn't be an issue. And even if it doesn't work out for some reason, then because this is dual-band hardware, you'll be able to switch back to 2.4GHz any time you want.

There's plenty to like about this new technology, but be careful – not every dual-band router is the same. The Linksys WRT320N, for instance, is marketed as dual-band, and it really can work at 2.4GHz or 5GHz. But the important word here is 'or': the router has only one radio that switches from 2.4GHz to 5GHz as required.If you have a mix of technologies – both wireless G and N kit – and they're working simultaneously then this will inevitably slow you down.

A better option is to look for a router that's dual-radio as well as dual-band. The Linksys WRT610N is a perfect example. It includes 2.4GHz and 5GHz radios that can transmit and receive at full speed simultaneously, so there's no time wasted switching bands, and your adaptors always have the router's full attention.

Pick your hardware

The number of radios is one of the most important hardware features of a router, but there are others worth considering. Take a look at the antennas, for instance. If these are inside the case then the router will be a smaller, more compact package.

However, external antennas that use a standard connection (look for a common connector type, such as RP SMA) will be upgradeable, and that could help you squeeze more performance and range out of your setup. Browse a specialist store such as Wi-Fi Antennas to see what's available.

Every router comes with Ethernet ports that you can use to establish a wired connection to your network. In most cases, these are regular 10/100Mbps types, but many routers now include Gigabit Ethernet ports. If your PC supports Gigabit Ethernet then this is a definite plus, especially with high-performance routers (the best 5GHz models can reach over 100Mbps), where a 10/100Mbps connection would quickly become a bottleneck.

Connection to the outside world will be via a conventional phone cable if the router includes a broadband modem. In that case, there's not too much to say: as long as it supports ADSL2+ (all current routers do) then it'll get you online with the minimum of hassle.

If you have an ADSL2+ or cable modem already, though, or maybe want to connect both, then pay attention to extra WAN options. Billion routers are particularly interesting here. The BiPAC 7800N, for instance, features an ADSL2+ port and a separate WAN port to add another cable modem, fibre connection, extra ADSL2+ line or whatever you need.

The new BiPAC 7800GZ comes with a builtin SIM slot: just add the appropriate card and it'll directly support 3G connections too (which is much easier than trying to cope with USB modems and their many compatibility issues).

Wireless N routers: USB access and security

An increasing number of routers now include USB ports along with the usual LAN and WAN ports. Typically, these will be used as an easy way of adding network storage: plug in a USB drive and it'll be freely available to everyone on the network. Well, sort of.

One complication is how the router presents the drive to the rest of your network. What you ideally want is support for Windows Server Message Block (SMB), which provides a standard way for apps to locate, read and write files to a network resource. As long as this is included then you should be able to browse the network in Explorer, 'see' the router's USB drive, map this to a network drive on your PC and use it as normal.

Some routers offer rather less convenient methods. For example, the Asus RT-N13U forces you to access the drive through a built-in FTP or HTTP server, which probably won't be ideal for most people.

Don't assume that seeing 'FTP' in the spec means this will always be the case, though. The Linksys WRT610N, for instance, supports external hard drives as well as USB keys, and these can be used as FTP servers, media servers, SMB-based external drivers, or all three at the same time. Handy!

Not to be outdone, other manufacturers have added even more USB functionality. Some DrayTek routers, such as the Vigor 2710, provide a USB port that allows printers to be connected and shared across the network.

And D-Link's SharePort technology lets you plug just about any USB device into a router such as the DIR-685, then access it on any PC on your network as though it was connected locally. This requires extra software to be installed on your network PCs, and only one can use the device at a time, but it could still be useful.

Before you opt for a solution such as this, it's worth thinking about how it might affect overall performance. If it's a large network, and the router is already likely to be fully occupied most of the time, then do you really want it handling additional file transfers and print jobs?

We've also noticed that USB devices connected to a router are noticeably slower than when plugged into a PC – that's no real surprise when you think of all the work the router's processor is doing. So, while USB storage is useful for basic things (as long as you make sure it supports SMB), if you have heavy-duty requirements then a dedicated network storage device will still offer the best speeds.

Once you've decided on the basic hardware you need, it's time to consider the software-based features – and none are as important as security.

So it's fortunate that just about every 802.11n router comes with a good set of security features: firewall, intrusion detection, the latest WPA2 encryption, and WPA and WEP if you need them for older devices. Avoid the latter two if you can: WEP is easily cracked and of no real value, and using WPA may drastically cut performance.

While every router comes with some form of firewall, the implementation varies greatly. Some are very simple, but DrayTek routers in particular are as configurable as their software-based cousins.

The DrayTek Vigor 2910G, for instance, has built-in support for around 30 instant-messaging apps, eight P2P protocols and 16 web-streaming applications.It's easy to add more, and you're able to create custom filter sets to control what traffic is allowed and what will be blocked.

The most interesting security features are often the more unusual extras. One of our favourites is the ability to set up a guest zone (also known as 'guest access'). This allows the router to create a separate wireless network that provides access to your internet connection, but keeps users isolated from more valuable resources, such as your PCs. That's perfect if, say, you don't mind your kids' friends using the network to get their iPods online, but you'd rather they didn't poke around any further.

If you need to connect to the company network from home, Virtual Private Network (VPN) support will probably be useful. At a minimum, your router should offer VPN passthrough for IPSec, PPTP and L2TP: this means it'll recognise VPN traffic and allow it to pass through your firewall and other protective layers.

Some routers only support passthrough for a single session – a hassle if you need more than one connection. Ideally, you'll want support for multiple concurrent sessions, and this doesn't have to be expensive: D-Link's DIR-655, for instance, includes it for around £65.

If that's not sufficient, look for a router with VPN endpoint capability, which means it's able to initiate a VPN connection itself. A few routers, such as the Buffalo Nfiniti Wireless-N, come with a complete integrated VPN server. If the router supports remote access, and that's a feature you'll use, consider how it's protected.

Some D-Link routers now use a CAPTCHA-style 'type the letters you see in the box' graphic, making it much more difficult for hackers to use brute-force attacks on your system. Others may let you limit access to particular IP addresses, or customise the port number used.

A feature to investigate carefully is any talk of 'content filtering' or 'parental controls'. Sometimes these turn out to require a subscription. Occasionally they're competent free packages, such as NetGear's Live Parental Controls, but in many cases, they're near-useless keyword-based efforts where you manually enter a few suspect words and the router blocks any webpage that uses them.

If you need decent parental controls then download the router manual before you buy it, and take the time to find out what's included.

Wireless N routers: super speed

Controlling the priority of certain types of network traffic is an excellent, often overlooked feature of modern routers. You don't want your video stream to have major glitches because someone else in the household is downloading the biggest collection of MP3 files in P2P history, right? Get Quality of Service (QoS) configured correctly and the network may be able to take care of this on its own.

A lot of 802.11-certified equipment comes with some basic QoS functionality in the form of Wi-Fi Multimedia (WMM). If your router and network adaptors are WMM-certified, they have the feature turned on and your app supports WMM, you're in business.

The program adds QoS details to its packets that say, 'I'm important, me first', so the router prioritises them ahead of other traffic. There are problems with this scheme, though. Not enough apps support WMM to make it really useful, and while its automatic nature cuts network management hassles, it doesn't give you enough control.

For that you need QoS features in the router, so it's worth checking to see what's on offer. Billion routers such as the BiPAC 7800N support DSCP (Differentiated Services Code Point) marking, a scheme where sources tag their network packets with information about what they are. If your apps do this then you'll be able to do things like assign a guaranteed level of traffic to media streaming, and a maximum level to P2P apps.

You can apply these rules to particular ports, internal or external IP address ranges or even a set timeframe, maybe restricting P2P to 10 per cent traffic during the day but allowing it 90 per cent between 1am and 8am.

Linksys routers are generally very configurable, too. For instance, the WRT610N can prioritise traffic by MAC address as well as application or Ethernet port, so you can ensure that a particular network device always gets the same level of priority, whatever it's doing.

Alternatively, if tweaking all that sounds too much like hard work, you might prefer D-Link's solution. Many of its routers include a simple technology ('Wireless Intelligent Stream Handling') that will look for media streams and then automatically prioritise them.

Which QoS solution is best for you will depend on your setup and circumstances, but do take the time to explore what a particular router offers before you buy. Good QoS settings can make a great deal of difference to a busy network.

Speeding into action

Upgrading to an 802.11n router isn't a magic bullet. It's unlikely to have a huge impact on your wireless range (although it should improve performance, even at the outer edges of your network). It won't make 802.11g devices any faster, either. Also note that to get the most out of it you'll need 802.11n clients elsewhere (however, with prices starting at under £10, this needn't be expensive).

Still, once you're properly set up, there are all kinds of benefits on offer. Significantly better speeds; improved WPA2 security; the ability to avoid interference if you've got a 5GHz model; built-in automatic prioritisation of the most important web traffic; bonus extras, such as easy network storage or printer sharing; and a host of other features that come automatically with up-to-date firmware.

So, which router should you choose? Our preference would be a dual-band, dual-radio model, especially if you live in close proximity to other networks: escaping their interference will save you hassle.

The dual-band 802.11n router market is fairly immature, though, and not every manufacturer has yet got the new tech performing at its best.

If interference isn't a problem with your G network, don't feel you have to do dual-band right now. A single-band N router will deliver plenty of benefits at a low price, and you can take advantage of the greater range of dual-band products that will be on offer when you do decide to upgrade.

The latest HomePlug adaptors from devolo allow freesat users to access internet TV services such as BBC iPlayer through their television by connecting up their freesat digital box or freesat TV.

Created to work specifically with freesat receivers, the dLAN 200 AVpass (freesat) kit allows users to connect any enabled freesat digital box to their home broadband router through use of the household electricity network and can deliver data speeds of up to 200 Mbit/s.

Once the adapters are connected, you can use the red button to select the IPTV services, such as BBC iPlayer.

The dLAN 200 AVpass (freesat) kit is one of the latest additions to the devolo range of dLAN networking products and are now available at stores including Argos, PC World, Comet, Currys and Maplin Electronics.

We have three packs of the dLAN 200 AV (freesat) kit worth £119.99 each to give away.

This competition is now closed. The winners are Sarah Barraclough, David Sabharwal and Mark Ottaway.

Enter more TechRadar competitions

Data Robotics has released the latest in its Drobo storage line – the Drobo FS. This time, it's a full-blown NAS device costing a not inconsiderable £551 without drives.

Using the company's own bespoke "BeyondRAID" technology, the Gigabit Ethernet-supporting device can take five 3.5-inch SATA drives and preserve data integrity if one of the drives should fail.

Mac and PC file systems are supported, while there's also UPnP and DLNA technology for media sharing over a network.

Storage is expandable to 10TB, while there is single and dual hard drive redundancy in case of failure. You're able to engage this option with a single click without losing data access.

As with other Drobos, drives can be of any size so they don't all need to match in terms of capacity.

The unit will certainly fill a gaping hole in Drobo's line-up – the older units could be connected to a single machine only, though there was a networking accessory called DroboShare.

The Drobo FS also has a "self healing" function that examines data blocks and sectors on each drive to flag potential issues.

Through maturation, iTunes has become the hub for all things digital and entertainment related, both on Macs and PCs.

Introduction

What can you make from a laptop that has a broken screen (other than an oversized and rather ugly paperweight)?

The cheapest and easiest option is to put the lappie to good use serving up delicious files. Sure, that option is about as sexy as most people find a furry in spandex pants, but a file server can be damn handy.

You can stream music and video from it, use it to download that 2GB Batman demo, or just merrily torrent your socks off.

Meanwhile, print servers are even more dull but genuinely useful, or you could just use it as a discrete, low-power second system that can be tucked away on a bookshelf.

In addition, as long as it has an external monitor output and working LAN port, you can set up and use the laptop as a remote desktop system or connected to a HD-ready TV as a direct media centre. The latter is only really an option if your machine has enough grunt to manage your video requirements, though.

Most versions of XP and Vista have Remote Desktop pre-installed, but XP Home users who lack this can get it here.

As you'd expect, the Microsoft Remote Desktop implementation is unsurpassed. VNC is fine, but it isn't a patch on the speed of Remote Desktop.

In our pursuits, we're also going to make use of Wake On LAN (WOL), so we can put our server to sleep and remotely wake it up when needed, even from an iPhone.

And if you find your decrepit laptop's storage capacity to be a little paltry, you could consider getting hold of an external USB drive or even upgrade its internal hard drive – they're relatively cheap and could make a big difference.

Once you've lived with your new server for a week, we reckon you'll wonder how you ever lived without it.

Walkthrough: How to make a remote server

1. First off, your laptop is going to need a working external video output, plus a LAN port (or USB port that you can use with an external LAN adaptor).

2. Next, we'll activate Wake On LAN (WOL), which is often done via the BIOS. Check the 'Power' section for WOL and LAN card options. On recent systems, these options can sometimes be found in the Device Manager entry for the laptop's network adaptor.

3. You also need to add a suitable user account. Open 'User Accounts' in the Control Panel. Make sure 'Guest' is activated and create a new account, giving it a password.

4. Remote Desktop is blocked by default, so right-click on 'My Computer', select' 'Properties' and choose 'Remote'. Allow Remote Desktop connections then pick 'Select Remote Users'. Click 'Add > Advanced' and 'Find Now' then choose the account you created.

5. For Remote Desktop and WOL to work, you'll need both the IP and MAC address of the device. To find these in the Classic Control Panel, open 'Network Connections', right-click the connection, choose 'Status', click 'Support' and then 'Details'. The MAC is listed as the Physical Address.

6. Now activate Remote Desktop by going to 'Start > Programs > Accessories > Remote Desktop Connection'. Enter the IP or name of the remote computer and away you go.

7a. For the ultimate minimal sever, detach the laptop's bust screen.

7b. This is done by removing any upper façade and keyboard to provide access to the connector.

8. There are loads of WOL utilities, but we'd recommend PowerOff from tinyurl.com/na62k6. It's small, installs as a service and offers scheduled shutdowns.

9. Got an iPhone or iPod Touch? Grab a copy of Winadmin (£5) for Remote Desktop functionality and NetAwake for WOL (it's free).

10. Of course, you could use the laptop as a Media Center hooked up to a HD-ready TV, but it can still be a desirable remote server since its power consumption is a fraction of even a low-power desktop PC.

The economy may be on its knees, but there's one sector of British society that's doing very well - and that's down to a huge rise in property crime some of the tabloids are calling a credit crunch crimewave.

Certainly the number of burglaries rose by four per cent to 69,000 between July and September last year, so now's the time to review your home security measures and install or beef up an alarm system that can help to protect your home, family and belongings.

One of the biggest growth areas has been in the use of IP security cameras - video cameras that can be connected wired or wirelessly to a home network. These often contain their own web servers, enabling you to dial into them using a PC or mobile phone while you're out of the house.

There are also a growing number of low-cost alarm systems that do something similar, although if you're really concerned about crime, some kind of monitored security system is best.

Here are eight great examples of some of the best systems around and remember - don't have nightmares - your chances of falling victim are still relatively rare.

1. D-Link DSC-2121

£149.99

This discreet IP camera comes with its own Wi-Fi connection and a built-in webserver, enabling you to access it remotely using a PC or any device that has an internet browser. Its capable of shooting JPEG stills and 30fps MPEG motion video simultaneously, even in low light down to 0.5 lux.

The D-Link DSC-2121 can even be set to alert you by email whenever it detects motion. We particularly like the fact that you can network 32 cameras together using D-Link's own D-ViewCam software, enabling you to keep a watchful eye on every room in your home.

2. Yale Standalone Alarms

£9.99 to £24.99

If you're on a tight budget or just want something very simple, then something from Yale's range of standalone alarms could be ideal. They're essentially one-box systems that combine a sensor, controller and siren all-in-one - so they're if you live in a bedsit or student accommodation. for example.

There are nine different alarms to choose from ranging from the SAA5060 door alarm with keypad to the SAA5000 - a motion sensor alarm that has the ability to call up to three different numbers when it's triggered, while also firing up a 125db siren.

All of Yale's standalone alarms are battery-powered so setup is a breeze.

3. AlertMe Security Standard Kit

£249 + £9.99 per month subscription

Designed for small to medium size homes, this DIY wireless kit comes with everything you need to make your house secure. That includes motion, door and window sensors, plus an alarm detector - a gizmo that trigger's the system's brain if other unconnected alarms go off like those for fire and carbon monoxide.

When AlertMe detects an alarm it automatically contacts you via email and / or text message. It also enables you to monitor your home remotely via broadband.

One of the best things about the AlertMe setup is that it's extensible - you can easily add extra sensors and even use it to trigger items like lights or your TV to make it seem as if someone's home even when they're not.

4. BT Home Monitor Complete Kit VP1000

£176.16 + £5 per month subscription

Like the AlertMe, this highly affordable BT kit comprises a range of wireless components that you can easily install and set up yourself - there's no need for a professional installer to call. As well as the central alarm box, it also includes a keyfob (so you can enable / disable the alarm remotely), a magnetic door detector and two movement sensors. The VP1000 can also be extended, enabling you to dot up to 28 different sensors around the house. To gain access remotely you'll have to pay a £5 per month subscription charge (the first three months are free).

5. myhome247 Starter Kit

£99 + £9.99 per month subscription

As the name suggests, this Starter Kit comes with all the kid you need to get a basic alarm system up and running, including a Panasonic IP camera, a single door / window sensor and central control box.

The monthly subscription, of course, enables you to access the system from anywhere (at work, even abroad) so you can view still images and video from the camera on a PC or compatible mobile phone.

We particularly like the fact that this system automatically stores any footage recorded by an alarm trigger remotely - it's held on a hosted secure server, so the perp can't destroy any evidence by trashing the kit. The system can also be extended to control your home lighting and can even incorporate water sensors - handy if your washing machine springs a leak while you're out.

6. ADT Fusion

From £450, plus £20-£25 monthly monitoring charge • ADT Fire & Security 0800 457 999

This wired / wireless system has one big advantage over some of the others here in that includes a subscription to a full manned monitoring service, which can elicit an emergency service response if your home comes under attack.

The base system comes with a range of door, windows and motion sensors plus an internal siren and speaker extension (both of which can be used to scare off many would-be burglars).

The Fusion can also be extended to give you full home security coverage, including carbon monoxide and fire detectors, CCTV and a video door entry system. You even have the option to add an Asset Finder - a system that can track belongings like your car or computer using hidden GSM transponders that send alerts via the mobile network should they be taken without your consent.

7. Siemens Building Controls

£POA (Electrium 01543 455000)

It's a sad fact of life than many property crimes are opportunistic in nature - a thief simply spots an open door or window and uses that to enter your home. The knock-on effect of that can be that your insurance company can refuse to pay out for anything that is taken since there's no evidence of forced entry into your home.

Siemens Building Controls systems can help solve both problems by offering a central-locking system that automatically closes all the windows and doors in your home at the press of a button - just like similar systems on cars.

Siemens Building Controls can also be used to automatically control your blinds, curtains and lighting so it always look like there's someone home. It's not cheap, but it is very, very clever.

8. Bamboo Boy

£96.89

We've featured this green chappie before, but we think it's worth including again here because it's a really great way to keep yours kids secure. Essentially it's a kids' radio which has had had its guts removed, which have then been replaced a small security camera.

The Bamboo Boy nanny-cam enables you to keep tabs on the tyke while you sit downstairs watching TV. You can even record his nocturnal activities on video - all the better to embarrass him with when he gets his first girlfriend. Everyone says Ahhh.

The camera is wireless, has a range of up to 100m and has 380-line PAL resolution. It also works down to light levels of just 0.5 lux.

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At last, some good news for Yahoo The beleaguered web giant has inked a deal to supply its Widget Engine technology to Samsung's new internet-connected HDTVs.

Repackaged as 'Internet@TV – Content Service', Yahoo's technology will enable Samsung's 2009 line-up of HDTVs to access selected web content via onscreen Javascript- and XML-based apps. What it's not doing is adding a web browser.

The appeal of a widget, rather than a full-blown browser, is that a widget can deliver internet content in a format that's optimised for viewing on a TV.

Widgets are also designed to be controlled using the TV's remote. So you don't have to sit on the sofa trying to balance a keyboard on your knees, while squinting to read a URL in a teeny-tiny font. Content choice is limited, but usability is vastly improved.

Bringing web Widgets to TV

So if you buy a compatible Samsung HDTV this year, you'll be able to call up a local weather forecast using data from Yahoo Weather or track stocks and shares via Yahoo Finance.

A Yahoo News feed will give the rolling news channels some competition, while a Flickr Widget will let you browse photos on a big screen. And if existing Widgets are anything to go by, they'll sit on top of whatever you're watching.

Other popular internet services will also get 'widgetised'. The conversion of USA Today, YouTube and Showtime is already well under way. While a peek at the current Yahoo Widgets website suggests that RSS feeds, Internet TV guides and far too many clock applications will ultimately follow.

Would-be Widget developers will have access to a Widget Development Kit, so there's the possibility of an iPhone-esque 'Widget Store' to look forward to.

Usefully, the Internet@TV – Content Service isn't just another US-only affair. Samsung says that its new HDTVs featuring the Yahoo Widget Engine will be available in another 12 countries in 2009 including: Canada, Mexico, the United Kingdom, Germany, France, Italy, Spain, The Netherlands, Denmark, Norway, Sweden, and Finland.

The future of TV?

Internet-enabled TVs could well be one of the year's more interesting product categories, especially as more advanced devices – Digital Media Players, Media Center PCs and Apple TVs – have failed to break out of geekdom and into the mainstream.

"Samsung has been a proven innovator in Internet-enabled TV technology for some time now," said Boo-Keun Yoon, Executive Vice President of the Visual Display Division at Samsung Electronics. "There's no denying that the easy-to-use, one-touch of the remote control service successfully provides information simply and effectively. The collaboration with Yahoo lets viewers go one step further.

"This new interface allows them to interact and connect with many of their favourite Web services on a personal level. It's frankly way beyond just passively watching broadcasts and is no doubt the future of TV."

Samsung's new HDTVs, equipped with the Internet@TV service will be on show at CES.

Powerline networking is a technology that's capable of transforming an in-house mains power circuit into a home networking infrastructure. Neater than a wired network, faster than a wireless one, it's literally a 'plug-and-play' solution that's ideal for the average home.

Most Powerline products are based on a HomePlug specification developed by the HomePlug Alliance and certified according to CE standards. Each device in a Powerline network requires its own plug adapter.

Each plug adapter features a familiar Ethernet socket and has its own MAC address to identify it on a network. You simply install the configuration software on a PC or Mac, and connect the Powerline adapters to the devices that you want to link together (using standard Ethernet cables). Plug the adapters into the mains and that's it - instant networking.

There are tremendous possibilities here. Link your ADSL modem router in the living room to a Powerline adapter and you can pipe broadband to any mains socket in the house. Got a digital media adapter? Why rely on the up-and-down signal strength of a wireless network to stream digital music when Powerline networking will give you a rock-solid connection?

How Powerline works

The concept of using electrical cabling for transporting data isn't a new one. The mains wiring in the average home can support a variety of frequencies. As electricity uses 50/60Hz signals, extra data can be transported along the same wiring at much higher frequencies, without causing any interference.

The first version of the HomePlug supported a maximum throughput of 14Mbps, although like the 54Mbps 802.11g Wi-FI standard, it never actually attains this speed. A speed of between 5Mbps is more realistic, but this is still easily fast enough for sharing broadband or digital music around the home.

An updated version of the HomePlug standard boosted the data speed from a maximum of 14Mbps to 85Mbps, although speeds of 18-20Mbps are more realistic and adapters are common. An 85Mbps kit costs around £60-70 for a pair. We're now Version 2.0 of the HomePlug standard, dubbed 'HomePlug AV'. The standard promises maximum speeds of up to 200Mbps, which translates to around 90Mbps in practice. This is good enough to transmit HD video around the home. Prices are coming down - Belkin has released its Powerline AV Starter Kit which you can pick up for £70-80.

Powerline networking just works. Its main advantage is obviously that you don't have to install any new cables, and unlike wireless, there are no concerns over range. Security is also assured, not only by the encryption technology that's built into the adapters, but also by the simple fact that data can't leak out beyond the mains wiring in your house.

As more and more network- and internet-capable devices start appearing in the home, Powerline networking technology could prove instrumental in the development of home networking and connected entertainment.

At a glance: Powerline networking

• Home networking using mains electric wiring
• 85Mbps adapters deliver up to 20Mbps real-world speeds
• 200Mbps adapters deliver up to 90Mbps real-world speeds
• Adapters are reliable and secure, but can be costly

Some new technologies are little more than shiny toys, but others change your life. Some of them can even change the world, spawning entire new industries and making everyone slap their heads and go "duh! Why didn't we think of that?"

The following 20 technologies range from the tiny to the shiny, but they've all got one thing in common: they've had, or will have, a massive impact.

The Transistor

Without the transistor, pretty much all the techno-toys we take for granted wouldn't exist - or if they did, they'd each be the size of Belgium. The basic building block of everything electronic, the transistor is widely credited to Bell Labs' William Shockley, who based his own research on findings by John Bardeen and Walter Brattain in 1947.

The IBM PC

The first IBM PC was powered by an Intel 8088 microprocessor, was the size of a portable typewriter and packed 16K of RAM. It cost $1,565. It might look horribly dated now, but if it weren't for this first PC we might not have computers at all.

The PC brought computing to the desktop, and its influence lives on. When IBM stopped fighting clone manufacturers and licensed technology to them instead, it led directly to today's modular, upgradeable and customisable machines. When you're upgrading your ageing graphics card to play Crysis or swapping out your old DVD drive for a Blu-ray/HD DVD combo unit, you've got IBM to thank. Or curse.

TCP/IP

Developed by Vint Cerf and Bob Kahn of the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency in the early 1970s, Transmission Control Protocol / Internet Protocol is the glue that holds the internet together. Without it we'd just have a bunch of networks that couldn't talk to one another.

The Apple iMac

The original iMac is one of the most influential designs of the last decade. In a world where computers were ugly, blocky and beige, Apple showed machine-makers a better way of doing things. And the iMac has influenced not just computers, but irons, vacuum cleaners and even baby bottle sterilisers. With the iMac, Apple rediscovered its mojo, giving it the platform (and the confidence) to design other icons of our time like iPods and iPhones. You may have heard of them.

The World Wide Web

The World Wide Web isn't the internet, but without it it's unlikely that your Gran would be looking at your Flickr pics or that you'd be chortling at things on Fark. Created by Tim Berners-Lee in 1989 and released in 1992, the web took off in 1993 with the introduction of the Mosaic Web browser. Berners-Lee could probably have made enormous stacks of money from patenting and licensing his invention, but he gave it away instead. What a man.

The mouse

Invented by Douglas Engelbart at the Stanford Research Institute in 1963, the mouse changed the way we interact with machines - but sadly Engelbart didn't receive a penny in royalties for his invention, because his patents ran out before the mouse turned up in PCs. The mouse ball came along in 1972, making tracking easier, and while the nuts and bolts have changed - today we have wireless mice and laser mice, not to mention mice with more buttons than a tailor's shop - the mouse is still an essential part of our computing kit.

SMS

It may well have ruined the English language, but SMS (Short Message Service) has also transformed the way we communicate - and it's done so entirely by accident. While the idea was kicking around during the mid-1980s, nobody thought of it as a way for people to send messages to one another; instead, it was envisaged as a way to let people know they had new voicemails. The first mobile phone SMS was sent by a Nokia student engineer in 1993, and by 2000 the average user was sending 35 SMSes per month. We know people who send that many messages every few minutes.

The Sony Dual Shock Controller

How many bits of tech kit have won an Emmy award? Sony's 10-year-old Dual Shock controller got one for 'Peripheral Development and Technological Impact of Video Game Controllers' (Nintendo bagged one too for inventing the D-pad).

The Dual Shock enabled games to strike back, vibrating the controller in time with the onscreen action. The design is obviously so good that Sony didn't change it when moving from the PlayStation 2 to the PlayStation 3.

GPS

The Global Positioning System was clever enough as a military technology, but when GPS became available to the rest of us it changed the way we navigate - and probably made a lot of mapmakers redundant. Sat-nav systems are just the beginning, though: GPS in phones could herald a whole new era of location-aware sites and services.

The Nintendo Wii Remote

Even with the best will in the world, the Nintendo Wii is a last-generation console. Its guts are positively puny compared to Sony's PlayStation 3 and Microsoft's Xbox 360. But the Wii's secret weapon is the Wii Remote (dubbed 'Wiimote'), which turns old-school games - computer tennis? Come on, it's Pong with better graphics! - into perfect family entertainment. Particularly after a few beers.

According to Popular Science, the Wiimote works using an accelerometer, which consists of a miniscule silicon weight suspended between delicate springs. When the Wiimote is swung or flicked, this weight moves. A computer chip then calculates how fast and how far the weight has moved, transferring the data into onscreen movement. When games developers get the Wiimote right, as they have with Rayman Raving Rabbids or Metroid Prime 3: Corruption, it's pure gaming heaven.

Napster

No. Not today's neutered song seller. We mean the original, fun Napster. As if annoying Metallica wasn't enough, Napster and its successors made broadband worth having. Napster was amazingly easy to use and immensely useful, and it brought peer-to-peer file sharing into the mainstream. Without Napster there'd be no BBC iPlayer, no Joost, no iTunes, no Bittorrent and probably no Skype. Not bad for a fairly simple program written by a student.

The Sony Walkman

Without the original Walkman there'd be no Apple iPod, and possibly not any mobile music of any kind. Nobutoshi Kihara's personal mission - he wanted to listen to operas during long plane journeys - put headphones on the high street. The basic idea worked as well with CDs, MiniDiscs and MP3s as it did with cassette tapes. You can see the Walkman's DNA in pretty much every mobile music device. Don't believe us? Stick an iPod next to the original 1979 Walkman and they look like brothers.

Bittorrent

Created by programmer Bram Cohen in 2001, Bittorrent took the basic idea of peer-to-peer file transfer and kicked it up a gear. Its genius is that as soon as you have a bit of a file, you're sharing it - so files are shared before they're fully downloaded. Bittorrent is an incredibly efficient way of distributing huge amounts of data - which is good news for open source software distribution and terrible news for film studios trying to fight piracy.

The Apple iPhone

The iPhone doesn't do anything new - our O2 XDA does web, email and phone in a single, rubbish device. The iPhone isn't perfect either, but it's still a design masterpiece. Apple has simply done what Apple does best: it's looked at what other firms have made and said "You know what? There's a better way to do it". There are stacks of firms making internet-enabled phones. But with its slim design, multitouch screen and intuitive UI, Apple has made the lot of them look rather silly. Game on for Nokia, Sony Ericsson...

Hotmail

The original Hotmail was a stroke of genius. By bringing desktop software to the web (and becoming a huge hit in the process), Hotmail effectively ushered in the web 2.0 world of online applications - think Google Docs, Google Maps, Google Calendar, Flickr and so on.

These days Hotmail is owned by Microsoft (and part of the Windows Live suite). It's rather ironic when you consider that the very online applications Hotmail spawned are making the software giant's cash cows - operating systems and office software - look increasingly anachronistic. Why pay for programs when you can get them online for free?

TiVo

If you told your Gran you were going to replace her old video recorder with a stripped down computer, she'd beat you senseless with her walking stick. But if you gave her a Sky+ box, she'd give you a cup of tea and maybe even some biscuits. It's an absolute doddle to use and it's in more living rooms than media PCs can ever dream of reaching.

But there's an argument that, without TiVo, there'd be no Sky+ at all. BSkyB originally partnered with TiVo in the UK, before breaking away to build its own digital video recorder. TiVo was arguably ahead of its time - an HDD-based TV recorder that defined the term 'PVR' and featured a clever thumbs up/thumbs down rating system to learn (and then anticipate) your TV watching tastes. While TiVo has been popular enough to attain 'verb status' in the US (i.e. "I TiVo'd it last night"), its failure here is one of the sadder tech tales of recent years.

CCD

The Charged Coupled Display, or CCD for short, is the eye of a digital camera - and it's older than you might think. AT&T Labs built the first CCD in 1969, but it wasn't until 1975 that Eastman Kodak's Steven Sasson created the first digital camera. It had a 0.01 megapixel resolution and took 23 seconds to capture an image.

iRobot Roomba

People have been trying to flog us robots for ages, but the iRobot Roomba stands out for two reasons: it isn't threateningly expensive, and it won't scare the dog (or pretend to be a dog, like Sony's now-canned AIBO). It turns out that successful robots aren't do-everything humanoids or plastic pets. Instead, they're simple little gadgets that do one thing and do it well. With the Roomba that thing is hoovering. But the firm also makes robots that can do the guttering, wash the floors, clear up the garage or pull the limbs off your enemies. We made that last one up.

PageRank

Developed by Larry Page and Sergey Brin while still at university, PageRank went on to become a website called Google. You may have heard of it. Unlike other search engines, which simply scanned the content of pages, PageRank looked at incoming links too - rightly assuming that a site with loads of incoming links from reputable websites is likely to be reputable too. The rest is - ahem - search history.

The vibrator

Invented in the 1880s to cure "female hysteria", the vibrator has certainly made a lot of women feel better - although not, perhaps, in the way its inventors intended. The combination of the vibrator and The Pill has transformed attitudes towards female sexuality, with the former making the odd bloke feel inadequate in the process. Before today's more open attitudes to sex, and despite clearly being designed for other parts of the body, vibrators were often advertised as neck massagers. You're doing it wrong!

Now read 20 websites that changed the world

Most routers run a variant of Linux. There's typically a set of hardware interfaces and a simple web server running on top of a generic Linux kernel, with the routing, filtering and Wi-Fi management running as separate processes. If you want to see this in action, you'll find your router may already offer a back-door debug mode which gives you Telnet access to the file system. For example, for a Netgear DG384G the command is http://[local ip address]/setup.cgi?todo=debug, where the [local IP address] number is the LAN's IP address. Put this line into a browser with the router's IP number, and you'll get a terse message saying 'Debug Enable!'

Music streaming makes a lot of sense, but wiring up the house with speakers then plugging in a Walkman meant the whole thing was a bit too tricky in the olden days.

Well, thank God for the likes of Sonos, which has embraced the digital era and made a simple-to-use home music network.

And now the company has re-vamped the original line-up with the BU150 bundle, including the Sonos ZonePlayer 120 (ZP120) and the Sonos ZonePlayer 90 (ZP90).

The ZP120 comes with its own amplifier, and is 43 per cent smaller than the original, and can be used with its own speakers.

The ZP90 doesn't have the amplification magic, but can be connected to an existing home stereo to provide streaming fun from the MP3-filled device of your choice.

Widen the net

The new bundle also uses a new mesh technology called SonosNet 2.0, which doubles the wireless range of the music streaming.

Any old ZonePlayers from a previous Sonos system can connect to the new network, so you save a bit of cash if you upgrade.

Well, not save money, because you're shelling out up to £699 for the new system, which includes a ZP120, a ZP90 and a Sonos controller 100 so you can find and play music IN THE PALM OF YOUR HAND!

Available today, so if you love music so much you're willing to sell an arm and a leg (though to be honest, this one might be worth it) then hop down to your local retailer. Or if you're lazy, just get online.

Gadget makers from Apple to Toshiba are fond of telling us how their gadgets can put the style into 'lifestyle', but only at one tech show does that really hold true - the UK's annual Custom Electronic Design and Installation (CEDIA) Expo. Here's why:

1. It's about true convergence

Custom electronics is all about the total integration of everything from plasma TVs to multi-room hi-fi. You don't end up with a dozen remote controls vying for space on your coffee table. CEDIA Expo 2008 is a showcase for the latest, greatest techniques in how to do that, and the kit your custom installer can use to help you get the home of your dreams.

2. Home automation doesn't stop at TVs and hi-fi

CEDIA Expo 2008 covers the whole gamut from heating, ventilation and air-conditioning control (HVAC), right through to custom lighting and home security.

3. Custom install is getting cheaper

For years custom installation has relied on expensive, proprietary systems from home automation specialists like AMX and Crestron. That's changing with the arrival of systems that use Konnex (aka EIB/KNX) - an open source protocol that anyone can develop for. This gives you a much wider choice of suppliers, potentially saving you a fortune on hardware. You'll see some great examples at CEDIA Expo 2008.

4. It's an exotic high tech bazaar

You'll see tech here you just can't find on the high street: imagine a home media server that can deliver any one of the hundreds of legally-ripped DVD movies to any part of your living space; or what about a system that enables you to login to your house from the office and switch on the heating and lighting so you get a warm welcome when you go home. It's all here.

5. it's a vision for the future

CEDIA Expo 2008 shows the shape of things to come. Many of the techniques being shown off here eventually make it into mainstream technology and so into ordinary homes: Sky Multiroom, Slingbox and Philips' Streamium range of wireless audio systems are just three great examples of concepts we're used to now that started life in custom install.

6. Even gadget haters love what's on show

Custom install is all about hiding the 'oily' bits, leaving you with elegant interfaces that are easy for anyone to use. Don't like seeing that 60-inch plasma TV on the wall? Press the power button when you finish watching and to see it magically disappear. Can't see where the sound is coming from? That's because the speakers have been stealthily hidden in the walls and ceilings too.

7. It puts a little luxury in your life

Whether you want to watch TV while taking a shower or entertain guests at a garden party, someone at CEDIA will come up with a solution to that meets your needs. They may even exceed your wildest expectations.

CEDIA Expo 2008 is a trade-only event and runs from Tuesday 24 to Thursday 26 June at ExCeL London. We'll bring you all the highlights from the event later this week.