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The Wireless LAN (WLAN) is finally going mainstream. In both the home and the enterprise, setting one up has never been easier or more fun.
Why wireless LANs? Ask anyone who manages networks for an evolving organization. By eliminating LAN wiring, wireless LANs reduce the cost of space planning and preparation, "moves, adds, and changes," equipment and peripheral upgrades - all this, while also conferring short-range mobility on laptop and PDA users.
In the past, WLANs were a hard sell simply because they were based on proprietary technology, and didn't provide much practical bandwidth. Since 1997, however, a family of wireless specifications grouped under what's referred to as 802.11 has undergone refinement by the Institute of EIectrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE, www.ieee.org) along with various manufacturers.
There care three main 802.11 transmission specifications: 802.11 a, b, and c. All of them use the Ethernet transport protocol, making them compatible with higher-level protocols such as TPC/IP, with popular network operating systems, and with the majority of LAN applications.
In the U.S., the most popular, "uni- versal" WLAN standard at the moment is 802.11b, now called "Wi-- Fi." It operates in the 2.5 GHz frequency range and can transmit up to 11 Mbps. Wi-Fi certification means interoperability: if necessary, you should be able to integrate Wi-Fi gear from different manufacturers' products into one system.
THE BUSINESS CASE FOR WLANS
NOP World-Tech;nology's (www.nop. co.uk) recent "Wireless LAN Benefits Study" surveyed 300 companies, each with 100 or more employees using WLANs. Their data reveals that using wireless LANs lets end users stay connected 1.75 hours longer each day, amounting to a time saving's of 70 minutes for the average user, increasing their productivity by as much as 22%.
The study also shows that WLANs save their owners an average of $164,000 annually on cabling costs and labor, more than 3.5 times the amount IT staffs had anticipated saving. Cost savings and productivity gains produce a per-employee annual estimated ROI of $7,550.
THE COMPONENTS
The three main components of a WLAN are WLAN client adapters, Access Points (APs), and Outdoor LAN bridges or routers.
WLAN Client Adapters. Adapters-- complete with adorable little antennas - will get your laptop, printer, PocketPC, PDA, or other device onto the WLAN. They are...