Wireless Local Area Network (WLAN)

Wireless Local Area Network (WLAN)

A wireless local area network (WLAN) is a wireless distribution method for two or more devices that use high-frequency radio waves and often include an access point to the Internet. A WLAN allows users to move around the coverage area, often a home or small office, while maintaining a network connection.

A WLAN is sometimes called a local area wireless network (LAWN).

In the early 1990s, WLANs were very expensive and were only used when wired connections were strategically impossible. By the late 1990s, most WLAN solutions and proprietary protocols were replaced by IEEE 802.11 standards in various versions (versions “a” through “n”). WLAN prices also began to decrease significantly.

Every component that connects to a WLAN is considered a station and falls into one of two categories: access points (APs) and clients. APs transmit and receive radio frequency signals with devices able to receive transmitted signals; they normally function as routers. Clients may include a variety of devices such as desktop computers, workstations, laptop computers, IP phones and other cell phones and Smartphones. All stations able to communicate with each other are called basic service sets (BSSs), of which there are two types: independent and infrastructure.

Independent BSSs (IBSS) exist when two clients communicate without using APs, but cannot connect to any other BSS. Such WLANs are called a peer-to-peer or an ad-hoc WLANs.

The second BSS is called an infrastructure BSS. It may communicate with other stations but only in other BSSs and it must use APs.

Ad Hoc Mode (Peer-to-Peer Workgroup)

In an ad hoc network, computers are brought together as needed; thus, the network has no structure or fixed points—each node can be set up to communicate with any other node. No access point is involved in this configuration. This mode enables you to quickly set up a small wireless workgroup and allows workgroup members to exchange data or share printers as supported by Microsoft® networking in the various Windows® operating systems. Some vendors also refer to ad-hoc networking as peer-to-peer group networking.

In this configuration, network packets are directly sent and received by the intended transmitting and receiving stations. As long as the stations are within range of one another, this is the easiest and least expensive way to set up a wireless network.

Infrastructure Mode

With a wireless access point, the wireless LAN can operate in the infrastructure mode. This mode lets you connect wirelessly to wireless network devices within a fixed range or area of coverage. The access point has one or more antennas that allow you to interact with wireless nodes.

In infrastructure mode, the wireless access point converts airwave data into wired Ethernet data, acting as a bridge between the wired LAN and wireless clients. Connecting multiple access points via a wired Ethernet backbone can further extend the wireless network coverage.