Wireless LAN

Overview Wireless LAN technology has recently entered the home networking scene. It is affordable and simple, making it a serious option for connectivity between your PCs. With this new technology comes new challenges. Most notable among them are security and speed issues. The links below include information on the newest wireless technology, general information on wireless connectivity, and other related topics.

General Information What is wireless networking and how does it work? Answers to these common wireless networking questions can be found on the SearchNetworking.com’s “Wireless LAN” definition page. Different types of wireless LANs are discussed in depth on this Web page. Wireless LAN technology articles, tutorials and links to LAN hardware and software vendors can be found at www.cwnp.com. Additional general information about wireless LANs can be found on the Wikipedia.org wireless LAN Web page.

Wireless LAN Standards Resources Not all wireless LANs use the same type of wireless technology. Generally speaking, there are now two main wireless LAN standards: Bluetooth and 802.11. You can read current news articles about these standards at www.convergedigest.com/WiFi. The Wireless Networking Industry’s Information Source Web site, www.wlana.org, offers numerous wireless LAN resources including a learning center, job postings, a discussion forum, and a “Solution Center”. Wireless standards are the topic of the Web site standards.ieee.org/wireless. For specific 802.11 standard resources, visit the site grouper.ieee.org/groups/802/11. Bluetooth wireless LAN standard information can be obtained at www.bluetooth.com. Which wireless standard is the right one for your networking needs? Read the article “The Wireless Network Wars” by Beckey Waring of PC World Magazine to help you decide.

Wireless LAN Hardware and Accessories Shopping for wireless LAN components can get confusing when you consider the wide variety of technologies and components available on the market. The Web site www.bricklin.com/homenetwork.htm provides an informative discussion about one type of wireless LAN that uses the 802.11b standard. Here you can also find diagrams describing each device that can be used to achieve a basic wireless home network with Internet access. Read wireless LAN product reviews on this Web page and get a perspective of the latest prices and ratings. For more information about the price and availability of wireless LAN devices, be sure to visit www.pricewatch.com. Here you’ll be able to compare prices between vendors. Large e-commerce sites that specialize in selling components for PCs, such as www.outpost.com, are an excellent source for wireless LAN devices. 

Additional Links Security is one of the greatest concerns with wireless LAN technology. For a clear perspective on these security issues, read the article “Researchers Break Wireless LAN Encryption Algorithm” by Dan Verton and Bob Brewin. For an alternative view, read the article “Don’t Buy that Wireless LAN-Yet” by Steven Vaughan-Nichols.