An Introduction to Wireless Networking

Wireless Networking refers to any kind of networking between computer based equipment that is not connected by wires. It is a fast developing practice by which a wide range of users, ranging from enterprise level, telecommunications networks down to small-office-home-office users, can install and create connections between their computer equipment in various locations whilst avoiding the process of installing high cost, data transmission cabling. This is generally achieved by transmitting the data over free air space using RF (Radio Frequency) Waves between transmitters and receivers connected to the computing equipment, hence the name, Wireless Networking.

Wireless Networking continues to grow and develop at a rapid rate and usage levels are ever increasing. Some examples of wireless networking solutions include:

• Point-to-Point Links (i.e. Wireless Networking Ethernet Bridges) can be used by individuals and businesses to send and share data rapidly wirelessly, whether it be in a small office building or across the world, at high data transmission rates. This can be essential to the operation of businesses where the management and use of critical data is needed in more than one location.
  
  




An example of a point to point network

• Wi-Fi Routers (i.e. Access Points) are a feature of many modern day homes and in the industrial workplace where internet access is needed by one or more users in different locations. Multiple devices connect to the router and can access either the internet, an internal network between the other devices, or both.
• Cellular Networks (i.e. Smartphones), which have grown to be a part of an everyday lifestyle, utilise wireless networking through different Cellular Networking transmissions, such as GSM, allowing easy and personal communication all over the world.

In summary, wireless networks can offer a wide variety of uses that are transmitted through different forms of media that are most commonly found in both home networking and in the business environment. Some uses of wireless networking are more common and obvious; however they do not have a generic order of significance to you, the end user, as it all depends on the situation in which they are to be employed.

Performance

Wireless Networking Throughput Speed varies greatly depending primarily on a few certain parameters.

Standards

Wireless Networking Standards are set so that wireless equipment can be banded into groups to help the end user know what their equipment can offer. The most common set are the IEEE 802.11 standards for implementing wireless local area network (WLAN) computer communication in the 2.4 and 5 GHz frequency bands but there are others that apply to lower and much higher frequencies and also other, more specialist, equipment. Standards will usually dictate the characteristics of the equipment which in turn suits them for different applications. For example (typical application):