My apartment has more than a dozen devices that feed off the network: two laptops, a printer, an e-reader, wireless speakers, two smartphones, an iPad and more. Yet getting gadgets to connect to my two-year-old wireless router is a dark art. I can surf the Web on the street in front of my house, yet can’t get a signal sitting in bed. In desperation, I even tried dangling a router—the equipment that takes your Internet connection and shares it with the devices in your home—from the ceiling in an effort to distance it from interfering walls.

Surely, covering a whole apartment is a problem that the decade-old Wi-Fi industry can solve. So I tested four top-of-the-line home wireless routers, each of which features the latest generation dual-band “wireless N” technology designed to increase performance.

The result was disappointing. None of the routers could deliver a 100% consistent wireless experience that could take advantage of the latest technology, like Apple’s AirPlay media-streaming service.

One came close, thanks to a controversial signal-boosting feature that could potentially interrupt my neighbors’ networks: the Netgear WNDR3700, which retails for $169.99. Another, the $179.99 Cisco Linksys E3000, was runner-up in some tests, but still sometimes dropped out when streaming music.

My tests weren’t scientific studies of signal strength and speed. Every home is a different combination of size, building materials and potential competition for precious wireless bandwidth, such as other Wi-Fi networks and cordless phones. Even pets can obstruct signals. Because of that, router manufacturers won’t even offer estimates on the range their devices can serve.

I conducted real-world torture tests designed to see how the routers might perform in challenging scenarios at completing tasks like streaming media to iPhones and moving large files between computers. I didn’t test devices known as repeaters, which extend the range of an existing network, because I wanted to see how far I could push the routers on their own.

My 100-year-old apartment building features materials that act like kryptonite to Wi-Fi signals, such as metal mesh in plaster. Worse, my urban San Francisco building is surrounded by apartments with their own Wi-Fi networks—25, at last count.

For balance, I also tested the same four routers on my friend Mark’s suburban house, which competes with fewer neighboring Wi-Fi networks, but is larger. In our suburban tests, the routers performed in largely the way they did in the urban environment, though in that setting both the Netgear and Cisco performed admirably. A third model, the $109.99 Belkin Play N600HD, performed adequately.

All the routers I tested, which included the $179 Apple Airport Extreme, feature a technology called simultaneous dual band. This means they really run two networks. Devices that need to receive a lot of data, like video, can use the digital equivalent of a carpool lane, while the rest of your data take the regular highway.

That seems like a good idea, but the technology made little impact in my tests, because many devices don’t yet support the new frequency, 5 GHz. The iPad does, but the iPhone 4 does not, and nor did my older H-P laptop. Moreover, 5 GHz comes with a drawback: its signals usually can’t travel as far through walls as the older technology, transmitting at 2.4 GHz.

Rather than overall speed, the biggest Wi-Fi problem I encountered was getting the network to reach the nooks and crannies of the house. To test that, I compared the ability of each router to stream media to a device like my iPhone in trouble spots, such as my dining room or Mark’s patio.

The results were often stark. To Mark’s upstairs bedroom, the Netgear and Cisco routers could stream a video with ease, but the Apple would sometimes slow to a crawl. When I sent a file over the network to that same spot, the Apple router was sometimes one-tenth the speed of the Netgear and Cisco.

In my urban apartment, only the Netgear router was able without interruption to stream music from an iMac to speakers about 50 feet and five walls away. The music would conk out occasionally with the Cisco router, and quite often with the Belkin and Apple.

And even the Netgear would stumble when I tried the latest feature for the iPhone called AirTunes, which lets you stream media from an iPhone or iPad to the Apple AirPort Express or Apple TV. That technology requires the data to take a longer round trip to its final destination, stressing the network further.

With the Netgear router, I experimented with a setting called “performance mode.” Using it significantly improved the reliability of the network in some parts of my apartment, and put Netgear into a higher class.

But that option, which is sometimes called “channel bonding” or “20/40″ mode, is controversial because it essentially pushes signals from your neighbors’ Wi-Fi networks out of the way.

The Wi-Fi Alliance, which certifies Wi-Fi equipment, said it now requires routers to switch to a neighbor-friendly mode if other networks are around—but this Netgear router was certified prior to that rule. The other router makers say they either don’t offer the option, or automatically downscale when there are neighboring networks.

Wi-Fi technology shouldn’t make me have to choose between my neighbors and my network. A Netgear spokesman told me that in my situation, neighbors aren’t likely to feel an impact, because my impenetrable walls keep the signal from traveling very far anyway.

Being a good neighbor aside, I’d recommend either the Netgear or Cisco routers for users looking to cover a tough space—and hope that the networking industry can come up with even better technology soon. In the meantime, moving a router away from objects that can degrade the signal, like mirrors and refrigerators can help. And the desperate can fall back on a wireless repeater.

Apple Airport Extreme, $179
The most pleasing to look at and simple to install, but suffered from slow transfer speeds and frequently struggled to stream music to difficult locations.

Belkin Play N600HD, $109.99
Acceptable and sometimes impressive file transfer speeds, but often dropped the connection while streaming music.

Netgear WNDR3700, $169.99
The least pretty, but most reliable, especially when using the potentially neighbor-unfriendly ‘performance mode.’

Cisco Linksys E3000, $179.99
Fast in most tests, but sometimes cut out when streaming music. A good option for the less technically inclined

Walter S. Mossberg returns next week.

Write to Geoffrey A. Fowler at geoffrey.fowler@wsj.com

New York-based iLuv Creative Technology unveiled on Thursday a new line of iPad products, including hard and soft carrying cases and screen protectors. It’s also selling water-resistant sleeves that have two front cover pockets for accessories and a secure lip to keep the iPad protected while on the move. The products, which will be available next month, each cost $20 to $40.

Also Thursday, Belkin introduced three 10-inch sleeves designed with reinforced panels to protect the iPad’s touch screen from scratches. Its products will be available in the spring, with prices comparable to iLuv’s cases.

Read the rest of this post on the original site

In an effort to make laptop computing as painless as possible, many companies have designed trays and pads on which you can easily rest your laptop while you work. This week, I’ve been testing a few laptop trays that are designed specifically to cool hot laptops and, in turn, cool laps.

I tried out trays from Logitech (LOGI), Microsoft (MSFT) and Belkin that cost $30 each and use fans to cool the underside of the laptop, as well as a larger $50 Belkin tray that has a fan and some extra features. I tried a $20 tray from Kensington that doesn’t include a fan, but elevates the laptop to allow air to circulate under it and keep the hot computer off your lap. None of the trays had cushions for comfort.

Logitech Cooling Pad N100

Of the trays with fans, Logitech’s Cooling Pad N100 ran the quietest — so quiet that it was hard to tell if it was on, aside from the fact that my lap was cooler. The trays with fans kept my lap cool, but the Kensington tray didn’t work quite as well and left my lap feeling a bit warmer than the others. All the trays raise the laptop higher and closer to eye level, a feature that keeps you from hunching over while reading the screen. I liked the $50 Belkin Laptop Cooling Lounge for its generous size, sturdy feel and three adjustable heights.

Even though these trays help to keep your laptop cooler, they don’t do anything about your keyboard, which, on some laptops, also can get hot — especially where your wrists rest. I noticed that my Lenovo ThinkPad X60′s wrist rest area was still warm when I used this laptop with each tray.

Of the $30 trays, the Logitech Cooling Pad N100 (Logitech.com) was the widest, measuring 14.4 inches across. Its gray and green colors are a welcome switch from the bland white used on most trays. The fan on this and the other trays is powered by a short USB cable that plugs into a USB port on your laptop. An indent in the Logitech tray holds the cable flush against the bottom of the tray when not in use.

Logitech says its tray’s single fan has a minimal drain on your laptop’s battery — draining five minutes of total battery time while using a Hewlett-Packard (HPQ) laptop playing a DVD in one company test. I don’t think many people will use these cooling trays on-the-go and will, instead, use them at home where their laptop can easily plug into a wall socket and power isn’t a problem.

Microsoft’s $30 Notebook Cooling Base (Microsoft.com/hardware) will come in white and black when it’s available early this summer (Amazon is accepting orders now). Compared with the Logitech, its fan was a little noisy. But the Microsoft tray was considerably smaller and thinner, making it more portable.

The tray has a fold-away stand that raises it up about two inches on one end. Its USB cable has a clip on its end so that it can loop around and attach to itself, rather than tuck neatly into the tray. Microsoft says that based on an 18 Ampere per hour battery, the Notebook Cooling Base will lessen battery life by only about 4%.

Belkin’s $30 Laptop Cooling Pad (Belkin.com) reminded me of Microsoft’s offering in shape and size. Both are square, unlike the rectangular Logitech tray, and both have flip-out stands and a wave-like shape that leaves open space under the laptop. Belkin says that its Laptop Cooling Pad uses no more than 5% of a laptop’s battery. But the Belkin fan was slightly louder than Microsoft’s and considerably louder than Logitech’s. It also seemed to be a bit stronger, blowing more air than the others.

Belkin’s Laptop Cooling Lounge (available at OfficeMax.com) was the largest tray I tested, wider and deeper than the Logitech tray by a few inches in width and depth. A piece under the tray can be adjusted to raise it to one of three heights, allowing it to rest comfortably on a lap because it raises up or down using a roll of plastic rather than a stand that might dig into your thighs. This tray’s fan was louder than the Microsoft and Logitech fans, but I ignored the noise because it was so comfortable.

When closed, the $20 Kensington LiftOff Portable Notebook Cooling Stand (Kensington.com) resembles a one-inch thick plastic briefcase with handles. Once the stand is opened, one piece lies flat while the other piece is raised to one of two heights, elevating the laptop. The top raised piece supports the laptop and has a hole in the center, designed to allow air to pass under the laptop, thus cooling it off without a fan. However, this no-fan method left my lap feeling a bit warm. When you’re done with the Kensington LiftOff, you can close it shut and carry it using its built-in handles. But its plastic parts felt flimsy and unstable, especially compared with the Belkin Laptop Cooling Lounge.

Of course, you could always just use a regular laptop tray without a built-in fan. It won’t cool your laptop, but if it’s thick enough, it at least could prevent your lap from feeling the computer’s direct heat. Just be aware that hot wrist rests won’t be cooled by these trays.

Edited By Walter S. Mossberg

• Email us at mossbergsolution@wsj.com. Find this and other columns and videos online free at the All Things Digital Web site: http://solution.allthingsd.com

In this week ramping up to the holidays, good cheer–unsurprisingly–was hard to find. 2008 may well be remembered as the year the econalypse stole Christmas.

Yahoo (YHOO) was bereft of cheer, for sure. BoomTown covered its long-dreaded layoffs and published Jerry Yang’s complete memo to Yahoo staff about the painful process, which began on Wednesday. Ex-Yahoos from all corners of the company declared their preferences (and vented) to BoomTown about the as-yet fruitless search for a CEO to replace Yang, who laid himself off last month. But wait–Digital Daily pointed out a singular moment of misplaced cheer–akin to fiddling while the proverbial Yahoo burns–as the company, uh, celebrated the holidays with a bafflingly lavish year-end party last Saturday–four days before its massive layoffs began.

Digital Daily covered a lot more bad news this week–even some for Apple (AAPL). Belkin, historically the largest exhibitor at January’s MacWorld, announced it won’t be at the convention this year. In addition, registrations for the annual Macfest are down 20 percent since last year. Fairchild became the latest in a long procession of semiconductor companies to lower estimates in the face of dwindling demand, and IPO activity dropped 50 percent in 2008, according to Ernst & Young’s year-end Global IPO Update. What’s that word? Oh yeah, schadenfreude. In a cold bit of circumstance, almost any company can feel a little bit better by comparing itself to Nortel (NT), which lost an astonishing 97 percent of its value this year.

MediaMemo wrote about CBS’s (CBS) appointment with the piper–it spent $1.8 billion on CNET last year, and started paying the consequences this week. The re-org of the entire CBS Interactive group is laid out in Quincy Smith’s memo to its staff. Hulu was hurting this past week, too. Its traffic dropped sharply in the absence of Tina Fey/Sarah Palin viral videos. There was at least one happy anomaly in this week’s news, though: Microblogging site Tumblr brought back memories of the heady early days of Web 2.0, announcing a $4.5 million-dollar round of funding from Union Square Ventures and Spark Capital.

On the Mossberg front, Walt is on a holiday break, but Personal Technology is not. Nick Wingfield sat in for him this week with a column about digital projectors, which are getting smaller and more portable. And in anticipation of Mac-themed holidays for Windows PC users, Katherine Boehret discussed reliable methods of getting data from a PC to a Mac.

Not Seagate (STX).

Not Logitech (LOGI).

Not Cisco (CSCO).

Not Philips.

Not Yahoo. Obviously.

And not Sanyo, either.

All six companies have abandoned plans to exhibit on the Consumer Electronics Show floor. Like Belkin, they are all opting for the more intimate and inexpensive floorspace of a Vegas hotel room. Said Seagate spokesperson Woody Monroy, “We haven’t pulled out of CES…we’re just taking a different approach.” Cisco offered this statement on the matter:

On our Q1 FY ’09 earnings call on November 5 we announced that we will be reducing expenses for FY09 by over $1B from our annualized expense run rate, given the challenging macroeconomic environment. We are targeting reductions in travel and discretionary-related expenses, including offsite meetings, outside services, equipment, events, trade shows, prototypes, marketing and other activities. Given this focus on reducing costs, we are modifying our participation in the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas in January 2009.

We have several speakers presenting in the various CES sessions, and Cisco chairman and CEO John Chambers will be delivering a keynote at the conference, as well. We are focusing our CES presence on our direct customers, press and analysts in order to create a more intimate event and reduce expenses. We look forward to an exciting CES 2009 with multiple product announcements that will reinforce Cisco’s consumer strategy. We remain committed to the consumer market, and we believe our cost control focus at this time is appropriate. In support of our CES presence, we will be utilizing Cisco’s world-class Web 2.0 collaboration technologies, such as TelePresence and WebEx, to maintain essential customer and partner communication. Cisco will have compelling demonstration areas and meeting rooms in the Venetian hotel in Las Vegas as we have for the past several years.”

Belkin has confirmed that it’s pulling its booth from the show floor as well. The company has opted instead to hold private meetings with its channel partners. It insists that this isn’t so much a financial decision, as a strategic one–”we’re reallocating show floor funds to hold private product meetings,” a spokesperson told me–but it’s hard not to view it that way, given the continued deterioration of the economy. Interesting to note, though, that sources tell AppleInsider that the company had already paid for its 2009 booth space.

Show organizer IDG must be offering Econalypse refunds….

UPDATE: Belkin won’t be exhibiting at the Consumer Electronics Show, either. “No booth at CES–and it’s for the same reasons why we’re not exhibiting at MacWorld,” a spokesperson tells me. “We learned that a smaller group of our channel partners will be attending CES, and those who are attending are focusing on driving incremental value in 2009. We believe that private meetings in hotel suites are more conducive for this type of discussion, as they are more intimate. So, we are redistributing our resources and funds to help support sell-thru for our retail partners and drive traffic into their stores. Examples: more holiday promotions and programs.”

As of this morning, no participants–potential or otherwise–have pulled out of Super Bowl XLIII, but the trend is looking grim for seasonal blockbusters. We’ll keep you posted.

Belkin has confirmed that it’s pulling its booth from the show floor as well. The company has opted instead to hold private meetings with its channel partners. It insists that this isn’t so much a financial decision, as a strategic one–”we’re reallocating show floor funds to hold private product meetings,” a spokesperson told me–but it’s hard not to view it that way, given the continued deterioration of the economy. Interesting to note, though, that sources tell AppleInsider that the company had already paid for its 2009 booth space.

Show organizer IDG must be offering Econalypse refunds….

UPDATE: Belkin won’t be exhibiting at the Consumer Electronics Show, either. “No booth at CES–and it’s for the same reasons why we’re not exhibiting at MacWorld,” a spokesperson tells me. “We learned that a smaller group of our channel partners will be attending CES, and those who are attending are focusing on driving incremental value in 2009. We believe that private meetings in hotel suites are more conducive for this type of discussion, as they are more intimate. So, we are redistributing our resources and funds to help support sell-thru for our retail partners and drive traffic into their stores. Examples: more holiday promotions and programs.”

As of this morning, no participants–potential or otherwise–have pulled out of Super Bowl XLIII, but the trend is looking grim for seasonal blockbusters. We’ll keep you posted.

I am in the market for a new HDTV and the newspaper ads are using terminology that I’m unfamiliar with. Do TVs rated at “720p” provide the same quality picture as those rated at “1080p”?

Technically, the answer is no, but it may not matter. The 1080p resolution is certainly higher, but almost nobody can tell the difference between the same material shown in the two resolutions on TV screens up to around 50″ in size and at the typical distances from which people watch those screens. Not only that, but most sources of video content, with the exception of Blu-ray discs, can’t even fully utilize 1080p. Major TV networks don’t use it yet because it requires a lot of bandwidth.

If you can afford a set that can handle 1080p, you might want to buy it so that you are ready in case a lot of 1080p content one day becomes available. You might also want a 1080p set if you are a videophile; have an enormous screen or a projector that fills a large wall; or if you play a lot of Blu-ray discs and believe you can discern the difference on a typical-sized screen. Otherwise, you could save money by buying a 720p set and you might never know the difference.

In 2006, you recommended a powerline adapter for Internet access by Netgear, the XE104. Is this still a good buy or are there others by now that are better?

I haven’t tested powerline adapters, the gadgets that route computer networks over standard home electrical wiring, since that date. Netgear and its competitors — such as Linksys and Belkin — have, naturally, come out with newer, faster units since then. But I am still personally using the XE104 successfully and feel I continue to get my money’s worth from it. It is still being sold. The newer units typically have greater speed in order to do a better job of streaming video around a home, but they work in basically the same way.

I have a Windows XP system, and things work well with my cable modem in my office. But when I’m on the road using Wi-Fi, I can receive emails, but can’t reply or send out. Any idea on how to resolve this problem?

This usually happens because the Wi-Fi provider is blocking the outgoing email server (called an “SMTP” server) that you or your IT department has set up in your email program. Some providers block all such outgoing servers. There are a number of possible solutions. The simplest is to use a Web-based email service, like Gmail or Yahoo Mail, or the Web-based version of your usual service. If your email is provided by your company, you may be able to access a version of Microsoft Outlook over the Internet that will work.

Another possibility is to ask the provider at the hotel or airport what SMTP server it does allow — usually its own — and enter it into your email program’s settings, if you know how. Yet another option would be to use a data card from a cellphone carrier, which I have found can usually overcome this problem. There may be other workarounds, and I invite readers to suggest them.

You can find Mossberg’s Mailbox, and my other columns, online, free, at the new All Things Digital Web site, http://walt.allthingsd.com.

With the new iPods coming out, how do you deactivate an old one? I think Apple only allows a certain number to be used with an account.

You don’t have to deactivate an iPod if you replace it. The copy-protection rules imposed on Apple by the entertainment companies allow for copy-protected music and videos purchased from the iTunes Music Store to be stored and played on an unlimited number of iPods.

The only “deactivation” iTunes users have to perform is on a computer — Windows or Mac — because the copy-protection rules allow purchased, copy-protected songs and videos to be played on no more than five computers at a time. So, before you replace a computer on which you are storing such purchased, protected iTunes material, you should deauthorize the machine by going to the “Store” menu in iTunes and selecting “Deauthorize Computer…”.

Of course, if you aren’t at or near the five-computer limit, this issue may not matter. It’s also irrelevant if none of the music or videos you play from within iTunes is copy-protected material purchased from the iTunes store. You can happily use iTunes and iPods without buying any copy-protected stuff from Apple. You can restrict your music and videos to those you copy from legally obtained CDs, those you create yourself, or those you buy in unprotected formats from iTunes, or other sites, like eMusic.

I have a printer hard-wired to a desktop computer, but would like it to be available to my laptop wirelessly over my home network. How can I do this?

There are two main methods, assuming the printer doesn’t have a built-in networking port or Wi-Fi transmitter. One method is to buy a small box called a print server and plug it into your router. Then, you plug the printer into the print server, and, with the right software and settings, it will appear on your network and be available to any computer on the network, wired or wireless.

The same companies that make routers, such as Linksys and Belkin, also often make these print servers. The other method is to buy a wireless router that has such a print-server function built-in, with a USB port for connecting a printer.

If I have a laptop with Wi-Fi capability, does that mean I can surf the Web while sitting in a car?

Yes, but only if the car is in range of a Wi-Fi network that is either open (not password-protected) or for which you know the password. And it would only be practical if the car was stopped or parked, since a car moving at normal speed would very quickly drive out of range of any networks you encountered.

A better option, which works even when a car is moving, is to purchase a high-speed cellular wireless modem for your laptop, or buy a laptop with such a modem built-in. These modems, which get you on the Internet via citywide cellular-data networks instead of Wi-Fi, can remain in range for miles. But they require hefty fees, typically $60 a month. And, of course, you should only be surfing the net in a moving car if you are a passenger in that car, not the driver.

You can find Mossberg’s Mailbox, and my other columns, online for free at the new All Things Digital Web site, http://walt.allthingsd.com.

Write to Walter S. Mossberg at mossberg@wsj.com

At first glance, this should be easy. The iPhone uses the same hardware ports as the iPod, which has attracted thousands of accessories. And the iPhone uses a modified version of Apple’s Macintosh operating system, which runs numerous small programs called “widgets” that would be perfect for the iPhone.

But, in fact, using add-on hardware for the iPhone will, in many cases, require buying new gear, or at least adapters to make the old iPod gear work, because of subtle differences in the way its hardware ports work. And there is no way to load Mac software onto an iPhone — even widgets. So you have to access iPhone-specific software through the phone’s built-in Web browser.

I have been testing some of the very first crop of iPhone add-on hardware and software. Some work well, others not so much. I expect to return to this topic when the add-on market is more mature, but here is an early look.

Most of the first hardware accessories are cases and headsets, for both music and phone calls. I didn’t test any cases, though I liked the look of one from Belkin, called simply the Acrylic Case, because it has a kickstand on the back that makes it easy to watch videos on the iPhone without having to hold it upright. It costs $30.

A good guide to third-party iPhone cases, headsets and other accessories can be found at ilounge.com. Apple’s own limited selection of accessories can be viewed at apple.com/iphone/accessories.

Many headphones for the iPod won’t work on the iPhone, because its headphone jack is deeply recessed and the connectors on even expensive headphones just can’t reach in deep enough. Belkin sells an $11 adapter to solve this problem. I tested it with my expensive Shure iPod headphones and it worked.

The bigger problem is that even the costliest iPod headphones lack a microphone and a call-answering button, so they can’t handle the dual functionality of the iPhone — listening to music and conducting phone calls.

Apple includes such a combo headset with the iPhone. It looks like the standard white iPod earbuds, but includes a tiny controller, embedded in the right earbud cord, that incorporates a microphone and also acts as a button. Push it once and it answers calls or ends them. When playing music, a single push pauses a song and a rapid double push skips to the next song. I found these Apple earbuds worked very well and were much more comfortable than Apple’s old iPod earbuds.

If you want to use your existing third-party earbuds or headphones, Shure will begin selling in August a $40 adapter called the MPA-3c. It not only fits the phone’s recessed jack, but also includes a microphone and control button that works just like Apple’s. I tested it with several iPod earbuds, from Apple and others, and it worked fine, though the mic is very low on the cord and must be clipped higher up on your clothing to work optimally.

Altec Lansing has several iPhone-compatible wired headsets in the works. I tested one, the $90 UHS306, due in August, and liked it a lot. It doesn’t require any adapter and it has a combination microphone/control button mounted high up on one cord, plus a second cord-mounted controller for volume adjustment and muting.

Plantronics also plans several wireless Bluetooth headsets to work with the iPhone. Most existing Bluetooth headsets should also work, but only for phone functions. The iPhone doesn’t currently support playing stereo music through Bluetooth. I tested a new Plantronics Bluetooth headset, the $130 Discovery 665, and it worked well. It is available now. Apple will also be bringing out its own Bluetooth headset for phone calls for $129.

Many accessories, such as car audio kits and home speakers, that worked with the iPod’s bottom connector, will require a simple plastic adapter for the iPhone to fit into them. Apple sells these for $9 for a pack of three.

Other accessories that use the iPod connector won’t work right on the iPhone because they don’t reroute the sound from its speaker, a feature the iPod lacks; or because they aren’t properly shielded against interference from the iPhone’s transmitters. New versions are likely to be rolling out. These will display an Apple-endorsed label that says “Works with iPhone.”

I also tested about a dozen add-on iPhone software programs. Most were either rudimentary, pointless, or worked poorly.

There were two that I liked a lot. One is a Sudoku game, at sudoku.myiphone.pl. The second, at showtimes.optimalconnection.net, lets you look up movie show times in any zip code, and links to the phone’s Google Maps program and to the Fandango ticket-buying site.

Still, the whole system of running programs through the browser is more cumbersome and less satisfying than if you could directly install them on the phone.

You can find a growing list of iPhone software at iphoneapplicationlist.com.

• Email me at mossberg@wsj.com. Find all my columns and videos online for free at the new All Things Digital Web site, http://walt.allthingsd.com.

Here are a few questions about computers I’ve received recently from people like you, and my answers. I have edited and restated the questions a bit, for readability. This week my mailbox contained questions about using the Belkin Easy Transfer cable, moving files from a Mac to a PC and backing up a Mac with Parallels virtual machine software.

Last week, you advised using an Easy Transfer Cable to transfer files from a Windows XP computer to a new Windows Vista computer. But what about those of us still using Windows 98 who want to get a new Vista machine?

The Belkin Easy Transfer cable I discussed only works fully when the old PC is running the latest version of Windows XP, although it will work partially with Windows 2000. But there are other methods for people using older consumer versions of Windows, such as Windows 98 and Windows ME.

You can, of course, use a two-step process, copying your files to recordable CDs or to an external hard disk and then inserting the CDs into the Vista PC, or attaching the hard disk to it and moving the files over. You could also use a USB flash drive in the same manner. Or, if you are skilled at networking, you could move the files over a network.

However, there are also some cable solutions that will work with Windows 98 and Windows ME. For instance, the Tornado, the cable with the built-in manual file-copying software I discussed last week, works with versions of Windows back to the SE edition of Windows 98, though you need to install driver software for that version. More information is at www.thetornado.com.

Another product I reviewed last week, PCMover from LapLink, also works with older versions of Windows, albeit with different cables that LapLink sells, not the Easy Transfer cable. Information is at laplink.com. Another similar product that has worked for me in past tests is IntelliMover by Detto, at detto.com, which also comes with cables.

I am a Macintosh user and plan to buy a new Dell with Windows Vista. How can I move my programs and files from the old Mac to the new Dell?

Well, first of all, you can’t switch your Mac programs to the Dell. They won’t run on Windows. But nearly all of the common files used on a Mac, such as Microsoft Office documents, text files, pictures, songs and Adobe PDF files, will work fine on your Dell.

I don’t know of a simple, integrated cable-and-software solution for such a Mac-to-Windows migration. So you’ll likely have to use recordable CDs, or an external hard disk or USB flash drive. Just make sure to use drives that are formatted for Windows. Macs can read, and write to, such Windows drives, but Windows PCs can’t natively read, or write to, Mac-formatted drives.

I have a Mac running Windows via the Parallels virtual machine software. I am also running an older Windows PC, which I back up to an external disk drive. Can I plug the external drive into the Mac and copy the files into the Parallels environment?

Yes. A virtual Windows computer running on a Mac behaves just like a regular Windows computer, so you can indeed plug in an external hard disk and copy the files over. In addition, as I mentioned last week, the forthcoming new version of Parallels includes a utility called Transporter that will move the entire contents of a Windows PC into a virtual Windows machine running on a Mac. See parallels.com for details.

* * *

Because of the volume of e-mail I receive, I can’t routinely answer individual questions by e-mail, or consult on individual problems or purchasing decisions. I read all questions I receive and select three each week to answer in the column.

• Write to Walter S. Mossberg at mossberg@wsj.com

Windows XP to Windows Vista: Microsoft has built a decent migration utility into the new Vista version of Windows. It’s called Windows Easy Transfer. It allows you to migrate folders and files, email accounts and messages, settings and favorites.

Windows Easy Transfer can be used to manage a migration over a network, via burned CDs or DVDs, or with external hard disks. But I tested it only with the simplest approach, the one Microsoft recommends: a special cable called an Easy Transfer cable. The best known of these is made by Belkin. It costs $40, and is available in electronics stores and from www.belkin.com/easytransfercable/. It works only if your old computer is running the very latest version of Windows XP, called SP2.

In my test, I first installed the software for the Belkin cable on my old Windows XP machine (Vista can handle it out of the box). I then plugged in the cable and used Windows Easy Transfer on both machines, following the instructions as I went along. The process was simple and quick. It transferred over 11,000 files totaling 10.9 gigabytes — documents, music, pictures, videos and more — in about 40 minutes. The files and settings were placed in a new user identity on the Vista PC.

Windows Easy Transfer even lets you select which items to move — and which to skip, if you want. But there are some downsides. Windows Easy Transfer doesn’t move programs, so you will have to reinstall these manually. Microsoft is testing a program that will move programs, called Windows Easy Transfer Companion. You can download it at Microsoft.com/downloads.

Also, I got a blue-screen crash shortly after the transfer completed, but the computer worked after a restart.

I also tested another program that can use the Belkin cable (or a similar cable sold by its publisher), PCMover by Laplink Software. It costs $50, or $60 with the cable, but has the advantage of moving programs, as well as files and settings. In my tests, it worked fine, transferring roughly 23 gigabytes of programs and files in about three hours. It also set up a new user identity on the Vista PC for the transferred material.

However, PCMover can only move all of your stuff. It doesn’t allow you to choose which items to move.

Worse, one of the transferred programs wouldn’t work on the Vista computer because it lacked some underlying components. Moving programs this way is a hit-or-miss proposition, because of the hideously complicated manner in which Windows stores programs on the hard disk and because some Windows programs won’t “activate,” or run, on a PC other than the one on which they were first installed.

Another alternative is a retractable cable called The Tornado, which costs $60 at www.thetornado.com. The beauty of this product is that it requires no software installation; the software is built in and just appears when you plug in the cable. The downside is that the software is entirely manual. You have to select, then drag and drop, folders and files between two windows representing the two computers.

In my tests, it worked fine, but was tedious. And unless you’re a techie, you wouldn’t be able to use it easily to transfer settings and programs, because you wouldn’t know where to find all of the files needed.

Windows XP to Macintosh: If you bought a new Apple Macintosh, instead of a Vista PC, the process of moving your files is even easier. No cable is needed. When you buy a Mac in an Apple retail store, Apple will transfer your pictures, music, movies and other documents from your Windows PC to your new Mac free of charge. If you bought the Mac elsewhere, including Apple’s online store, an Apple retail store will perform the data transfer for $75.

If you plan to run Windows on your Mac using the $80 Parallels software, from Parallels, the company will soon release the final version of a utility called Transporter. This program can transfer all the contents of a real Windows PC into the Windows environment on a Mac. But it works only over a network, and the files it moves won’t be easily accessible by Mac programs. Details are at www.parallels.com/products/desktop/transporter/.

I haven’t tested either of these procedures.

Macintosh to Macintosh: For years, all new Macs have come with an excellent built-in migration utility that, in my experience, is simple, quick and comprehensive. It works via a Firewire cable available for as little as $4 at electronics stores. It moves all types of files, settings and even programs, and lets you choose which types to move. I have used this process multiple times in recent years. It has never failed me, and typically has required two-to-five hours.

Whatever computer you buy, migration is now easier than ever, if not perfect.

Email me at mossberg@wsj.com. See video versions of my reviews at wsj.com/mossbergvideo.

But there’s more than one way to get a strong, fast Internet signal all over your house. You aren’t limited to using a single wireless router. You don’t have to install a bunch of complicated wireless “range extenders.” And you don’t have to snake networking cables through your walls.

Instead, there’s a simple alternative that’s often overlooked: Using small gadgets called Powerline adapters, you can route your Internet connection around your house over your regular electrical power lines, the ones already in your walls. It really works, it’s fast and it doesn’t disrupt your electrical system. Even better, it requires zero technical skill.

You just plug one of the adapters into a standard electrical outlet near the place where your Internet connection enters your home. Then, you connect the adapter to your wired or wireless router. Next, you plug a second, identical adapter into an electrical outlet in a distant room where you lack an Internet connection. Finally, you plug a computer (or even a wireless access point) into that second adapter. There’s no setup, no required software and no technicians or tools are needed.

When you plug in a computer into the second Powerline adapter, it’s as if that computer was right next to your cable or DSL modem and router. You are on the Internet at full speed. If you plug a Wi-Fi wireless access point into the second Powerline adapter, it will create a wireless network in and around the distant room, which multiple computers can use.

I first reviewed these Powerline adapters in 2003. I liked them, but they were a little slow and never took off. Now, however, one of the leading home network product makers, Netgear, offers a whole line of faster Powerline adapters.

I’ve been testing one of Netgear’s newest models, the XE104, which costs $100 per adapter, and I can heartily recommend it. It couldn’t be simpler or more effective. In my tests, the XE104 gave me wicked-fast connections. I tried plugging Windows and Macintosh laptops directly into the adapters in rooms where my wireless signal was weakest. I also tried plugging a Wi-Fi wireless access point into an XE104 adapter and picking up the connection wirelessly on the laptops. (An access point is a wireless gadget that takes a wired Internet connection and propagates it through the air.)

In all scenarios, the Netgear XE104 adapters delivered nearly the full speed of my Internet service, which in my case is very fast — 15 megabits per second downstream and two mbps upstream. In fact, the XE104 can handle speeds up to 85 mbps, far faster than any common connection.

You can use up to four Netgear adapters at once, and the company claims they will cover a 5,000-square-foot home. Netgear includes optional software to encrypt your Powerline connection, but this is needed only if you share an electrical system with other families.

Linksys, Belkin and other companies also make Powerline adapters, sometimes called bridges. But Netgear is the leader in this category, and I didn’t test the other brands.

The XE104 is a small, white rectangular gadget about 4 inches high, 3 inches wide and 1.5 inches thick. It carries a standard two-pronged electrical plug and mounts right into the wall outlet.

On the side, there are four standard Ethernet network ports, like the kind on your router and laptop. Netgear includes a short Ethernet cable so you can connect the first adapter to your router and the second one to a PC or a wireless access point.

The four Ethernet ports are what make the XE104 a “switch.” They allow you to connect each adapter to multiple devices. For instance, the first adapter can be connected both to your router and to a PC. The second might be connected to a PC, a wireless access point and a device like a game console.

Netgear makes a similar model without the multiple Ethernet ports, called the XE103, for $80. There’s also a costlier model that goes up to 200 mbps, though that’s overkill for 99% of people.

The company also makes a Powerline adapter with a built-in wireless access point for the distant room, the $150 WGXB102 model. This saves you the cost and hassle of buying and connecting a separate access point. But it’s slower and uses older technology. In my tests, it was less than half as fast as using the XE104 with a separate, modern wireless access point.

Unfortunately, like a lot of network-equipment makers, Netgear is clueless about naming products so that normal humans can understand what they are. The XE104 is officially called the XE104 85 Mbps Wall-Plugged Ethernet Switch. That’s like calling a table lamp the LS482 75 Watt Wall-Plugged Switched Illumination Device.

Netgear even makes it hard to find the XE104 on its Web site, netgear.com. It lists it under a section called “Bridges, Access Points, and Range Extenders.” You can buy them at computer stores and other retail outlets.

These adapters are a terrific way to clear up Internet dead spots.

• Email me at mossberg@wsj.com.

Lots of new technologies claim to be transformative, productivity-enhancing and liberating. But only a few really live up to those claims. One of them is Wi-Fi, the wireless networking technology that has truly revolutionized the way people use the Internet.

With Wi-Fi, you can get online in any room of a home or office — not just the room where your wired Internet connection lives. And you can use the Internet in airports, coffee shops, hotel lobbies and lots of other places where it wasn’t possible before.

But like a lot of technologies, Wi-Fi has been changing so fast that confusion has crept in. A new version of Wi-Fi, generally known as draft-N, promises greater speed, greater range and standardization, but may not deliver any of those things. I’ve been testing some of this latest Wi-Fi gear, with mixed results.

Linksys draft-N router

Also like some other technologies, Wi-Fi adheres to standards set by a private engineering organization called the IEEE (Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers), in which representatives of interested companies participate.

The current version of Wi-Fi blessed by the IEEE is called G and has a maximum speed of 54 megabits per second. This G version of Wi-Fi, known to techies as 802.11g, is built into most wireless routers (which transmit and receive Wi-Fi signals) and most laptops.

Now, the IEEE is working on a new, faster standard called N. It promises much greater speeds, measured in the hundreds of megabits per second, and much better range. But certifying this N standard is taking forever, partly because of factionalism within the IEEE.

In the meantime, the marketplace has moved on. Last year, major makers of Wi-Fi routers, like Linksys and Belkin, brought out routers that used a major advance, called MIMO, expected to be in the eventual N standard. This technology uses multiple antennas to send and combine multiple data streams into one faster, longer-range signal.

Last year, I endorsed one of these MIMO products, Belkin’s Pre-N router, which was the only Wi-Fi router I ever tested that covered every corner of my home at decent speeds, even when I used laptops with only the older G technology built in.

Now, the Wi-Fi market has moved again. The major makers have all brought out what they call draft-N routers and cards for laptops that adhere to a draft of the coming N standard that the IEEE has passed. It’s probable, but not certain, that the final N standard likely to emerge next year will comply with this draft. Similar draft-N gear will be built into new laptops later this year.

The makers are claiming that the draft-N routers will have up to 12 times the speed and four times the range of G equipment when used with compatible laptop cards. Even if you are just using a laptop with a G receiver built in, the new routers can also improve speed and range, though more modestly.

Speed is nice, but even current G maximum speeds far exceed the speed of most home DSL or cable modem connections. What’s more important to most consumers is range, or more accurately, decent speed at longer ranges. The biggest Wi-Fi problem people face is dead spots or very slow connections in parts of their homes.

I tested the new Belkin draft-N router, called the Belkin N1, in my house and compared it with the Belkin Pre-N router I bought last year and have used ever since. The new router, which I placed in exactly the same spot as the old one, was easy to set up. It has lovely, large icons on the front that tell you if everything on your network is connected and working.

But the N1 didn’t perform any better, and in some cases did worse, than the old Belkin. This was true whether I was testing it on a Windows laptop or a Mac laptop, and whether I was using the Belkin N1 laptop card or just the built-in G radios in my test laptops. The new model covered my whole house, but so did the old one.

I also tried the Linksys draft-N router, called the WRT300N, which has an antenna array that makes it look like a radar station or a submarine conning tower. The company had to help me set it up, because I use a very fast Internet service called Verizon FIOS, which the router’s program doesn’t recognize. The Linksys proved much slower than the Belkin, though this may be because of a mismatch between its settings and my Verizon service, which is used by only a few hundred thousand homes in the U.S.

My unimpressive draft-N experience is confirmed by several, more extensive tests done by some magazines and Web sites, which showed the draft-N gear to be no big deal.

There are two other problems with the draft-N systems. The manufacturers aren’t promising to upgrade them to the final N standard when it emerges. And buying them will get more complicated in the coming months, because they will be offered in a range of speeds and even in two different frequencies.

I can’t recommend the draft-N equipment over the previous round of MIMO-equipped routers. They will likely be better than your G equipment, but so were last year’s models.

• Email me at mossberg@wsj.com.

Corrections & Amplifications:

A new, faster standard for Wi-Fi wireless network connections promises speeds measured in the hundreds of megabits per second. This column incorrectly says the new speeds would be in the hundreds of megabytes per second.

Here are a few questions about computers I’ve received recently from people like you, and my answers. I have edited and restated the questions a bit, for readability. This week my mailbox contained questions about recording features for newer iPods, saving files to “write protected” floppy disks and choosing the right cellphone service for your business.

If you have a question, send it to me at mossberg@wsj.com, and I may select it to be answered here in Mossberg’s Mailbox.

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I would like to record my yoga classes on an iPod for playback later, but all of the recording accessories I find work only with older iPod models. Is there a recorder that works with the new video iPods?

Yes. Next month, Belkin will begin selling a $70 plug-in recorder for the video-capable iPods. It’s called the TuneTalk Stereo, and features twin mikes, plus a jack for hooking up an external mike. I haven’t reviewed it, so can’t say how well it works. Another option is to buy an MP3 player with a built-in recorder, like Creative Technology’s Zen Vision: M.

I tried to save a letter on a floppy but received the message that the file couldn’t be saved because the floppy was “write protected.” How do I get rid of this write protection?

Floppy disks have a plastic tab that can be moved up and down to either allow data to be written to the disk, or to block the writing of data, which means the disk is “write protected.” This is intended to keep important files from being overwritten. The tab either exposes or covers a hole in the disk.

The tab is set by default to cover the hole. This allows the writing, or saving, of files. I’m guessing you moved it accidentally, so the hole is exposed, which protects the disk. To correct your problem, turn the disk over to the back, and look for the tab in the upper left. Move it to the position that covers the hole. You should now be able to save your file.

Our growing small business in Pasadena, Calif., is struggling with our decision on the right system and device for cellular phone and email. We are trying to decide between Cingular and Verizon Wireless as carriers and the Treo and the traditional model of the BlackBerry, the one with the full keyboard. What is your recommendation?

On your choice of carrier, I always suggest people decide based on coverage and reception in their home area, their office area and the areas to which they travel. Price and phone selection are important, of course, but they make little difference if you can’t get calls or email where you need them. So ask around and try and determine which one has coverage and reception where you want it.

On the devices, I generally prefer the Treo, which has a much better calendar and address book, and other features the BlackBerry lacks, including a camera, strong multimedia capabilities, the ability to edit Microsoft Office documents and a vast trove of third-party software. However, when you set up the BlackBerry server to work with the BlackBerry devices, it is a powerful email tool and an adequate phone.

One thing to note: Verizon Wireless has much faster data service than Cingular in most cities. The Treo 700s sold by Verizon Wireless use this faster service, and are more advanced than the older Treo 650 model sold by Cingular. The BlackBerry 8700c sold by Cingular is the best full-keyboard BlackBerry model, but it’s much slower than the older BlackBerry 7250 sold by Verizon Wireless, because of Verizon Wireless’s faster network.

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Because of the volume of e-mail I receive, I can’t routinely answer individual questions by e-mail, or consult on individual problems or purchasing decisions. I read all questions I receive and select three each week to answer in the column.

Write to Walter S. Mossberg at mossberg@wsj.com

Here are a few questions about computers I’ve received recently from people like you, and my answers. I have edited and restated the questions a bit, for readability. This week my mailbox contained questions about mixing Macs and Windows computers on the same wireless network, setting up video-conferencing and switching email addresses.

If you have a question, send it to me at mossberg@wsj.com, and I may select it to be answered here in Mossberg’s Mailbox.

We have two Windows PCs on a wireless network controlled by a Netgear router. We are thinking of buying an Apple Mac laptop. Can the Mac connect to this wireless PC network?

Yes, you can easily mix Macs and Windows computers on the same wireless network, even if the router isn’t made by Apple, and even if the router maker says it doesn’t “support” Macs — which merely means the maker won’t help you connect them. Apple uses the same Wi-Fi wireless standard the Windows guys do, so it can recognize and connect to any standard wireless router, right alongside your Windows machines. In fact, connections are generally easier to establish on the Mac, which had Wi-Fi before Windows computers did.

You can also do this in reverse. You can add a Windows PC to a mostly Mac wireless network being run off an Apple router. I have done it both ways. In my home, I have a mixture of Windows and Mac computers running on a Belkin wireless router. In my office, I have an Apple router that is mainly used with Windows machines that visitors bring in. No special knowledge, special equipment, or special software is required for such mixed networks.

I want to be able to see and hear my grandchildren on my computer. What equipment do I need to accomplish this?

Assuming both you and your grandchildren have Windows computers, you would need to buy and install Web cameras on each. I recommend Logitech cameras, which are decent and inexpensive. Then, you would have to join an instant-messaging service that has video, like AOL, Yahoo or MSN. Then, you just initiate a video session with the grandchildren, and you’re in business. (If you have trouble doing any of this, the grandchildren can probably set it up for you on their next visit.)

Another interesting video-conferencing service for Windows users is Paltalk, at paltalk.com. Skype, at skype.com, also now has a video-conferencing service, for Windows users. If you and your grandchildren have the latest Macintosh desktop computers, both the cameras and the video service are built in, and the video experience is vastly better than with AOL or Yahoo or MSN.

I want to quit AOL, where I’ve been for years, but I need an easy way to move over my address book, forward my email for awhile, and notify everyone of my new address. Does such a thing exist?

Yes. To notify everyone of your new address, move over your address book, and generally to help with the switch, try a service called TrueSwitch, at trueswitch.com. It costs $20, unless you’re switching to MSN, AT&T or SBC/Yahoo, in which case it is free. TrueSwitch will even copy your saved emails, Web bookmarks and calendar entries. I have tested it, and it works, though only with Windows computers.

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Because of the volume of e-mail I receive, I can’t routinely answer individual questions by e-mail, or consult on individual problems or purchasing decisions. I read all questions I receive and select three each week to answer in the column.

Write to Walter S. Mossberg at mossberg@wsj.com

Here are a few questions about computers I’ve received recently from people like you, and my answers. I have edited and restated the questions a bit, for readability. This week my mailbox contained questions about completely erasing a PC, installing Verizon’s Fios Internet service, and using a Firefox Web browser on an iMac.

If you have a question, send it to me at mossberg@wsj.com, and I may select it to be answered here in Mossberg’s Mailbox.

I am giving my PC to my sister and I would like to completely erase my files from the hard drive. How can I do this?

What you need to do is wipe out the files in a way that is more thorough than merely deleting them in the standard manner. This process is often called “wiping” files, and makes the files impossible, or at least very difficult, to recover. It works by overwriting the portion of the hard disk formerly occupied by a file’s data with nonsense characters.

You could format the disk, but that also would wipe out the operating system, which would require your sister to buy and install a new copy. So you need a program that wipes out only the folders and files you target. On an Apple Macintosh, this capability is built in. You just move the files to the trash and then select “Secure Empty Trash” instead of the usual “Empty Trash” command.

On Windows, you need add-on software. There are many programs that do this, but one that I have tested and can recommend is Window Washer, which is available at webroot.com for $30. You can find others by doing a Web search for “file wipe” or by doing a similar search at download.com.

If you install the new high-speed Verizon Fios Internet service you recently reviewed, do you have to upgrade your wireless network?

It depends. Verizon will supply you with either a wired or wireless router, the box that transmits your Internet connection. If your current Wi-Fi network is slower than the maximum speed of Fios, you should take the Verizon wireless router. For instance, if you have the 15 megabits per second version of Fios, but only have a Wi-Fi “b” type network, which works at a maximum of 11 mbps, take the Verizon wireless router and allow Verizon to install it in place of your current one. The Verizon wireless model works on the newer “g” flavor of Wi-Fi, which can handle speeds of as much as 54 mbps.

You also will need to make sure that all the PCs you are planning to connect wirelessly to Fios have “g” type Wi-Fi connections. If even one of them has “b” equipment, it will drag down the whole wireless network to the lower speed of “b.” (This doesn’t affect wired connections to computers.)

However, if your wireless router is fast enough, and you like it, you can keep it with Fios service. I did, because I am using the Belkin “Pre-N” router, which has better speed and range than any “g” router I’ve seen. I just took the plain old wired router from Verizon and plugged my Belkin wireless router into it. Others have dispensed with the Verizon gear entirely, and just plugged the Fios cable directly into their wireless routers. The main downside here is that Verizon says the routers it installs contain special software that can help diagnose Fios problems.

Can I use the Firefox browser on my iMac? I am running version 9.1 of the operating system.

Unfortunately, no. While Firefox works on the Mac, it requires the newer Apple operating system, Mac OS X, which was introduced in 2001. Firefox requires Mac OS X 10.1, at a minimum. Your computer has an entirely different, older, and much less capable operating system, which Apple has pretty much abandoned.

By the way, for Windows users, Firefox requires Windows 98 or higher. For both platforms, there also are minimum hardware requirements. Firefox also runs on the Linux operating system, and has minimum requirements on that platform as well. Requirements for all platforms are at: www.mozilla.org/products/firefox/system-requirements.

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Because of the volume of e-mail I receive, I can’t routinely answer individual questions by e-mail, or consult on individual problems or purchasing decisions. I read all questions I receive and select three each week to answer in the column.

Write to Walter S. Mossberg at mossberg@wsj.com