What is Wireless?

• Also known as Wi-Fi networking
• Uses radio signals to transfer data packets
• Four common standards: draft 802.11n, 802.11g, 802.11b, 802.11a

Benefits

• Increased mobility
• Can be upgraded (scalable)
• Easy installation
• Less clutter
• Room to also connect wired devices – have both wired and wireless devices in your network!

Drawbacks

• Range
• Reception : interference from other household appliances, architectural obstacles

Draft 802.11n - The Latest and Greatest

Draft 802.11n is the newest consumer wireless networking technology. With greater speeds and a farther range than 802.11g, you get better performance for transferring larger files between computers and devices in your network. If you want to stream HD video, play intense online games throughout your home, and utilize VoIP calling, draft 802.11n is your answer. Plus, draft 802.11n is backwards compatible with 802.11g and 802.11b, allowing you to still use your legacy 802.11g and 802.11b devices.

802.11g - The Basic Wireless Standard

If you are new to networking and want to set up the least expensive network to perform basic network applications, 802.11g is the way to go. 802.11g uses the 2.4GHz frequency, and is sufficient for sending e-mails, surfing the Web, and downloading files. While users may experience delays when transferring large files between computers on a network, 802.11g is adequate for basic home networking since its rated speed of 54Mbps is faster than most broadband connections. Most hotspots, be it the local coffee shop, bookstore, or airport, use 802.11g.

802.11b - An Aging Technology

802.11b is an aging technology that is being phased out of many networks and replaced by draft 802.11n and 802.11g. This technology has a slower maximum speed and supports fewer users than draft 802.11n and 802.11g.

802.11a - The Alternative

802.11a uses the 5GHz frequency spectrum to provide the same networking speed as 802.11g. Since it uses a higher frequency, it has a shorter range than 802.11b/g. On the plus side, this frequency is less affected by interference caused by common household appliances such as cordless phones and microwaves. Typically, 802.11a is suitable for multimedia-intense applications.

Choose the right wireless standard for your network

Next >>