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WLAN
WLAN refers to lenient data communication system that is built to extend or as an alternative for physical wired local area network in a premise or campus. WLANs apply the principle of electromagnetic waves to send out and receive data over air. Wireless connectivity has shown tremendous improvement in productivity of enterprise employees especially those moving from offices to conference halls and other places within the organization for business critical activities.
In procuring WLAN connectivity, there are important questions that should be asked. These are: do you have a wired LAN in place? How much do you have for the total network setup? What is the approximate mobility distance? Are there potential RF noises? What throughput would you require? Which vendor would you like?
Budget estimate is necessary since there are other costs that have to be incurred in the process of realizing this network. A WLAN needs installation by a professional and some cabling is involved. An access point has to be installed and data drops terminated. In addition, cost of traditionally used RJ-45-based network cards have to be considered. Other cost that should not be forgotten is the cost of fibre-optic cable that will be laid down to address the shortcomings of copper wire and distance of separation between buildings. Mobility approximations would help in determination of hardware locations, 500 to 1000 feet requires one WAP. Presence of wired network would help the cost of integration. If there is potential source of RF noise, rectification ways should be sought. The amount of throughput required determines the amount you be paying. Equipment compatibility determines the choice of a vendor.
There are various components of WLAN that should be purchased in order to set up the network. The components of a typical WLAN for small business include: wireless network card, the access point that is used for connecting wireless users to the network, and a bridge used for allowing house-to-house wireless connectivity. These components are manufactured by various manufacturers and therefore a thorough investigation should be done so that you purchase quality components at a cheaper price. There are some vendors like NetGear, Linksys, and D-Link offering cheap components suitable for small business.
The cost of WLAN components differ from one vendor to another depending on the size. Some components are suitable for small business organizations and homes while others are suitable for large enterprises. For instance, the cost of network card for small business organizations range from $50 to $100; access point for small business organizations range from about $150 to about $250 depending on the vendor; and the cost of a WLAN bridge suitable for small business organization ranges from $50 up to $200.
References
FitzGerald, J., & Dennis, A. (2008). Business Data Communications and Networking. New York: John Wiley and Sons.
Harte, L. (2004). Introduction to 802.11 Wireless LAN (Wlan), Technology, Market, Operation, and Services. Australia: Althos.
