Product Description
Wireless LANs are the ′silver bullet′ for networks of the future, allowing small communities of office workers, industrial workers, hospital employees, technical teams, etc. to communicate via their mobile devices without having to worry about cables. Scenarios include: small buisnesses where everyone′s lap tops are connected the minute they walk through the door so they can move around from office to meeting room and stay on the network throughout; hospital nurses carrying out foetal scans without the need for the scanning device to be connected to the screen; construction sites where the technical foreman can log onto the same system as the architect and compare plans on their respective lap tops. At the moment there are various different technologies, all of which suit different scenarios. Many books discuss wLANs in concept, but do not cover the different technologies, or demonstrate how to build a wLAN with only one of the technologies. This book is unique in presenting the broader picture and providing decision makers with the tools they need to make the appropriate investment for their own situation.
∗ The only book that gives a broad overview of all the different technologies
∗ Discusses which technologies are best for different situations and requirements along with business trade–offs
∗ Gives practical hints and advice on how to implement the technologies
∗ Includes a chapter on the practical details of operating an IEEE802.11b–wLAN together with application examples
∗ Covers security considerations
From the Back Cover
Increasingly, people, computers and microelectronic devices are being linked together to bring to life the communications mantra: anybody, anything, anytime, anywhere. Wireless Personal and Local Area Networks are an essential part of the complex puzzle that will solve the problem of ultimate connectivity.
Understanding wireless Personal and Local Area Networks (WPANs and WLANs) is, in itself, a problem – due to the fact that there are many technologies and products available, the market has not yet been consolidated, and progress and technological innovation is non–stop. The aim of this book is to act as a solid foundation of introductory facts about the technologies upon which the reader can build his/her knowledge of the various networks and systems. The author places special emphasis on explaining the differences between the various WLAN and WPAN technologies.
Features:
∗ State–of–the–art introductions to technology standards: IEEE802.11, Bluetooth, DECT, HomeRF, HiperLAN/2
∗ In–depth discussion on essential aspects of safety, security and compatibility
∗ Practical overview of the structure and administration of a WLAN network along with a sample installation
∗ Criteria for choosing the right WLAN product for your requirements
Network and systems administrators, planners, and designers as well as wireless application developers will find this overview a useful reference, as will small–business managers considering implementing a WPAN or WLAN.