Protacom

IT SOLUTIONS PROVIDER

WIRELESS NETWORKING

Wireless LAN's are a very effective way to connect PC's. They are easy to install and scale quickly, making a wireless network a dynamic system that is no longer tied down by wires. Moves, additions and changes are easy to implement. A freestanding wireless LAN provides flexibility that cannot be achieved with a wired network. Smaller organisations may find that a wireless network can take the place of a wired network. Larger organisations typically use a wireless LAN as an overlay network to their existing wired LAN. It becomes an enhancement network not a replacement network.

Wireless networks are becoming more and more popular everyday. There are several very appealing aspects of wireless including not being tied to a specific location with your laptop, not having a conventional cable run installed, and the ability to connect to other public and private wireless networks. Before you decide to jump into a wireless network, there are some things you should know.

A quick breakdown on the different standards:

	802.11a: (Data transfer rate is 54 Mbps; maximum operating range is 100 ft) Excellent for handling bandwidth intensive applications such as large databases or any other application that requires a lot of information being sent back and forth across the WLAN. Drawbacks include hardware costs and effective range.
	802.11b: (Data transfer rate is 11 Mbps; maximum operating range is 300 ft) Great for internet access, email and applications that don’t require much data being sent across the WLAN. The hardware is relatively inexpensive and the effective range is better than 802.11a.
	802.11g: (Data transfer rate is 54 Mbps; maximum operating range is 300 ft) Better speed than 802.11b with backwards compatibility and still less expensive than 802.11a. The main drawback is that the performance of newer 802.11g cards will suffer if there are also 802.11b systems on the WLAN. There are also new standards being worked on that will allow even more bandwidth, improve on security, and provide compatibility with existing hardware.

Security: Wired Equivalent Privacy (WEP)

Wireless networks use WEP to encrypt data on a WLAN. Right now your choices include 64-bit and 128-bit encryption. You can also disable SSID (secure set identifier) broadcasting to help secure your WLAN even further. There are also users who decide to skip securing their network. However, the extra time spent securing your WLAN may be enough to deter hackers from compromising your network.

Connecting To Your Wired Network:

There are several different options available to connect any wired workstation with a WLAN. They include Wireless Access Points (WAPs), Wireless Routers and Ethernet Bridges. The best choice for a LAN to WLAN connection depends on a few things. If your current wired LAN has a DHCP server running and WLAN to LAN communications is a must, a WAP, Ethernet Bridge or high end Router/Gateway is the way to go. If WLAN to LAN communication isn’t a factor, for example, if you just want to get both your wired pc and your wireless laptop on the internet, then the less expensive wireless router will do the trick.

Protacom provide a range of consulting services related to wireless networks. For most business systems, we will be glad to provide a written quote for services based on a company's specific situation.

	Design - The initial phase of any wireless project is to determine the specific application and the predicted demand. For larger enterprises, this may involve a site survey to map out coverage areas, establishing current usage and predicting future growth.
	Installation - Protacom can install wireless networks in offices with as few as two computers as well as large businesses with hundreds of PC's.
	Testing - Before we turn a wireless network over to our clients, we conduct signal strength tests throughout the physical site. We will map out the coverage to insure you get a wireless network that provides optimum connectivity.
	Security - A wireless network requires an appropriate level of security from hackers based upon the needs of the organization. We can conduct a wireless audit and recommend available security options.
	Maintenance - Let us keep your wireless system up to date with regular checkups. Interference from unknown sources may slow your system and cause throughput problems. Most home and small office networks are relatively easy to setup. For a small fixed fee, we can install a basic wireless network that allows each of your computers to share an Internet connection and a printer.