What is a wireless LAN?
Wireless LANs provide all the functionality of wired LANs, without the need for physical connections (wires). Data is modulated onto a radio frequency carrier and transmitted through the ether. Typical bit-rates are 11Mbps and 54Mbps, although in practice data throughput is half of this. Wireless LANs can be formed simply by equipping PC’s with wireless NICs. If connectivity to a wired LAN is required an Access Point (AP) is used as a bridging device. AP’s are typically located close to the centre of the wireless client population.
A wireless Local Area Network (LAN) is a group of computers or other devices that communicate with each other over radio frequency waves, rather than cables. Wireless LAN users can access the internet, print to a network printer, share files with other connected computers, and perform all functions of a wired LAN.
It’s a networking technology allowing the connection of computers without any wires and cables (apart from the mains), mostly using radio technology (and sometime infrared). It’s called LAN (Local Area Network) because the range targeted is small (within an office, a building, a store, a small campus, a house…). This technology is slowly growing (I should say maturing), and despite a general lack of interest, Linux is able to take advantage of some of the wireless networks available.
