What is wireless networking?
• The term wireless networking refers to technology that enables two or more computers to communicate using standard network protocols, but without network cabling. Strictly speaking, any technology that does this could be called wireless networking. The current buzzword however generally refers to wireless LANs. This technology, fuelled by the emergence of cross-vendor industry standards such as IEEE 802.11, has produced a number of affordable wireless solutions that are growing in popularity with business and schools as well as sophisticated applications where network wiring is impossible, such as in warehousing or point-of-sale handheld equipment. • What is a wireless network made up of? There are two kinds of wireless networks: • An ad-hoc, or peer-to-peer wireless network consists of a number of computers each equipped with a wireless networking interface card. Each computer can communicate directly with all of the other wireless enabled computers. They can share files and printer
Wireless networking , like the description says networking without wires, it comes in several different specifications , the most popular being 802.11b and 802.11g Network glossary words & FAQ article What is a network card A network card is a piece of hardware that enables a computer to communicate with other devices such as computers , printers , internet connections .
Networking allows two or more computers to interface with each other, whether in an office, a library or other type of establishment, or at home. Running cables throughout an office or a house can be tedious and time-consuming, however, making wireless networking – a network of interfaced computers that doesn’t require any hardwired connection between the computers – the ideal choice for many businesses and homes. Wireless networking has many uses. Wireless networking at an office or place of business makes it easy to share files, printers, and Internet access between all of the computers. Wireless networking at home or in a home office can enable you to print a file from your laptop without having to go to the printer and hook up to it. Wireless networking also means that you can take your laptop to a place that offers WiFi, known as a “hotspot,” and instantly connect to the Internet – a valuable tool for businesspeople, entrepreneurs, and students. For wireless networking to be possi
802.11 (sometimes called “Wi-Fi”) is a set of protocols that are widely used for small Local Area Networks. Another protocol called Bluetooth allows devices to communicate wirelessly, but it is only useful for very short ranges, and generally not used for home networking. Bluetooth can be useful for networking personal devices in a small area, often called a Personal Area Network (PAN). 802.11 standards actually encompass several different protocols. The trailing letters (i.e. 802.11a) indicate different speeds and frequency bands used. The most important ones are listed below: Standard Speed 2.5 GHz band 5 GHz band Details 802.11 1-2 Mbps X This standard is older and most products on the market do not support this standard. 802.11a 54 Mbps X Currently, there are products on the market that use this standard, but if they are not dual band (eg. 802.11a/b) they are not compatible with any of the products that use the 2.5 GHz frequency (802.11b, g or n). 802.11b (11 Mbps) 11 Mbps X Our or
