(wireless Local Area Network) A local network that provides wireless connectivity to laptops and other handheld devices. The wireless LAN standard is "Wi-Fi," which is the wireless counterpart to Ethernet, the standard for wired local networks. In the office, Wi-Fi is an adjunct to the Ethernet network. At home, it can serve as the only network if family members use laptops and wireless printers.
Wi-Fi LANs do not require line of sight between sender and receiver. Wireless base stations with antennas (access points) transmit a radio frequency over an area from approximately 30 to 150 feet through walls and other non-metal barriers. In an office with multiple access points, roaming users can be handed off from one access point to another like a cellular phone system.
Wi-Fi Is Everywhere
Wi-Fi adapters (transceivers) are built into new laptops and other devices such as PDAs, smartphones and digital cameras. Old laptops can be retrofitted with wireless adapters via a PC card slot or USB. Although desktop computers are typically wired to the network, they can also be made wireless by plugging a wireless adapter into the USB port or into an internal PCI slot. See 802.11 for specification details.
The Wireless Router
A wireless router is a network device specialized for the home or small office that requires wireless connectivity and Internet access via a cable or DSL provider. The wireless router comprises three parts: #1 - an access point for wireless transmission to Wi-Fi devices, #2 - an Ethernet switch that acts as a traffic cop between the wireless devices and up to four wired devices, typically desktop computers, and #3 - a router, which forwards Internet traffic outside the local network to the cable or DSL modem. The modem is wired to the cable company's coaxial cable or the telephone company's DSL line.
Since all wireless and wired computers are hooked up to the wireless router, they can exchange data with each other for backup and file sharing.
The illustration below shows a typical company local area network (LAN) with both wired Ethernet and Wi-Fi (wireless Ethernet). Since many computers are connected in a large office (sometimes hundreds and thousands), the access points, switches and routers are stand-alone products. The wireless router combines the functions of all three into one convenient unit. See WPAN.
Wireless LAN
Wireless LANs work similar to cellular telephone systems. An access point is like a cellphone tower, but, instead of transmitting over a radius of some number of miles, it transmits over a radius measured in feet. Just as a cellphone conversation keeps flowing when traveling into the range of the next cell tower, users can roam between Wi-Fi access points in a building without losing their connection.
Wireless Router
A wireless router combines access point, switch and router in one unit for setting up a small wireless and wired network from scratch. The antennas transmit the Wi-Fi signals, while the four Ethernet ports are wired to four computers. The Internet/WAN connection goes to the cable or DSL modem. This Belkin router uses multiple antennas: two send and three receive (see MIMO). (Image courtesy of Belkin Corporation, www.belkin.com)
Wi-Fi LANs do not require line of sight between sender and receiver. Wireless base stations with antennas (access points) transmit a radio frequency over an area from approximately 30 to 150 feet through walls and other non-metal barriers. In an office with multiple access points, roaming users can be handed off from one access point to another like a cellular phone system.
Wi-Fi Is Everywhere
Wi-Fi adapters (transceivers) are built into new laptops and other devices such as PDAs, smartphones and digital cameras. Old laptops can be retrofitted with wireless adapters via a PC card slot or USB. Although desktop computers are typically wired to the network, they can also be made wireless by plugging a wireless adapter into the USB port or into an internal PCI slot. See 802.11 for specification details.
The Wireless Router
A wireless router is a network device specialized for the home or small office that requires wireless connectivity and Internet access via a cable or DSL provider. The wireless router comprises three parts: #1 - an access point for wireless transmission to Wi-Fi devices, #2 - an Ethernet switch that acts as a traffic cop between the wireless devices and up to four wired devices, typically desktop computers, and #3 - a router, which forwards Internet traffic outside the local network to the cable or DSL modem. The modem is wired to the cable company's coaxial cable or the telephone company's DSL line.
Since all wireless and wired computers are hooked up to the wireless router, they can exchange data with each other for backup and file sharing.
The illustration below shows a typical company local area network (LAN) with both wired Ethernet and Wi-Fi (wireless Ethernet). Since many computers are connected in a large office (sometimes hundreds and thousands), the access points, switches and routers are stand-alone products. The wireless router combines the functions of all three into one convenient unit. See WPAN.
Wireless LAN
Wireless LANs work similar to cellular telephone systems. An access point is like a cellphone tower, but, instead of transmitting over a radius of some number of miles, it transmits over a radius measured in feet. Just as a cellphone conversation keeps flowing when traveling into the range of the next cell tower, users can roam between Wi-Fi access points in a building without losing their connection.
Wireless Router
A wireless router combines access point, switch and router in one unit for setting up a small wireless and wired network from scratch. The antennas transmit the Wi-Fi signals, while the four Ethernet ports are wired to four computers. The Internet/WAN connection goes to the cable or DSL modem. This Belkin router uses multiple antennas: two send and three receive (see MIMO). (Image courtesy of Belkin Corporation, www.belkin.com)
 | Reproduced with permission from Computer Desktop Encyclopedia. Copyright (c) 1981-2008 The Computer Language Company Inc. All rights reserved. |
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