WLAN Technology essay

Nowadays, WLAN is considered to be a rather flexible and convenient data communication system which can be easily used within a building. It is a very effective tool for small offices as it transmits information over the air and does not require wired connections. This paper discusses the implementation of WLAN, its major components and modes.

WLAN Technology ”“ the Best Solution for offices

     WLAN is a wireless local area network which links several devices by means of some special wireless distribution method.  This local area network is based on the use of high frequency radio wires. As WLAN provides wireless network communication which can be performed at short distances by means of radio, it can be easily implemented at our new Canadian office.

There are several basic components which are very important for the successful work of WLAN. They include the following ones:

• AP, or access point which provides access into the LAN backbone.
• the wireless devices of the clients which are equipped with a special wireless Network Interface Card;
• the LAN backbone which connects the AP and clients, and provides access to the Internet.(What is Wireless LAN?)

There are two main modes of operation of WLAN: Ad-hoc mode and AP-mode. There are some differences between them. There is also a hybrid mode which combines the above mentioned modes.

Ad-hog mode is considered to be the easiest WLAN mode as it needs the least hardware. This mode is comprised of several computers which can communicate with each other by means of special wireless network cards. This type of mode can be used in our office. In this case hardware or software is not required. Each computer in the office is connected to the network on an ad-hog basis. This mode has a lot of advantages:

• it is easy to configure;
• it does not require any real administrative management;
• it is easy to add some additional systems.

This mode is a good variant for small offices. Each computer in the office will be responsible for its security.

AP mode is also a good variant for our Canadian office but it is considered to be a more difficult one. In this case, hardware is a part of WLAN. A specific AP is used for connection with a specific WLAN. Each computer has its wireless network card which is configured for specific AP. This mode is better that the first one as it provides security for WLAN and “a single point of control”.(WLAN Modes of Operation)