What Is a Wireless Network?

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Wireless networks are everywhere these days. From home routers to cell phones, they seem to be popping up at every turn. What exactly is a wireless network? And why should you care?

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What Is a Wireless Network?

A wireless network is a computer network that uses radio waves to communicate between computers rather than using wires or cables. The term wireless refers to the fact that it does not require any physical connection (such as a wire) between devices on the network. Instead, each device communicates with other devices by sending and receiving radio signals over the air.

This networking technology has become increasingly popular because it allows you to move around your home without worrying about tripping over cable cords. They offer several advantages, such as mobility, flexibility, and ease of installation.

Types of Wireless Connections

There are four main types of wireless networks:

LAN

The most common form of wireless networking is called Local Area Networking (LAN). A local area network connects multiple computers within a single building or small group of buildings. For example, an office building might have several different offices connected via a local area network. Each office would be able to share files and printers among themselves.

PAN

Another type of wireless networking is Personal Area Networking (PAN). A personal area network connects one or more portable electronic devices, such as cell phones, PDAs, digital cameras, video game consoles, etc., to each other and a larger network. These networks range from very simple systems where only two devices communicate to complex systems that allow many thousands of devices to communicate.

MAN

A Metropolitan Area Network connects large groups of computers located at various locations throughout a city or region. These networks usually have a central hub that coordinates all communications between the individual nodes.

WAN

A Wide Area Network connects computers across a large geographic area, such as a country or continent. A typical example of this type of network is the Internet.

The Components of a Wireless Network

To set up a wireless network, you need three basic components:

  • Access Points
  • Routers
  • Clients

Access Points

An access point is a piece of equipment that acts like a bridge between the wired and wireless worlds. An access point provides a way for clients to connect to the Internet through a wireless network. In addition, an access point can provide connectivity to other wireless networks.

Routers

A router is a device that forwards data packets between different parts of a network. Most routers use Ethernet technology to send and receive data. However, some newer routers use Wi-Fi technology instead.

Clients

A client is a device that wants to get online. Clients include laptops, desktop PCs, mobile phones, handhelds, PDA’s, and other similar devices.

What are the Benefits of a Wi-Fi Wireless Network?

Convenience

Wireless networks make it easy to connect to the Internet wherever you go. You don’t have to worry about tripping on a cable cord or plugging it into a wall socket.

Security

You can protect your private information by encrypting the data you transmit over the airwaves. Encryption scrambles the data so that no one else can read it.

Cost

Because no wires are involved in a wireless network, you won’t incur any installation costs.

Mobility

With a wireless network, you can move around without worrying about losing power or running out of cables.

Productivity

Wi-Fi allows you to work anywhere with your laptop computer. You can surf the web, check your email, and download documents.

Easy setup

Setting up a wireless network is easier than a traditional wired one.

Expandability

If you want to add additional users or devices to your network, you can do so easily.

Wired vs. Wireless Network: What Is the Difference?

There are several differences between wired and wireless networks.

The most obvious difference is that wireless networks require less space than wired networks. This means that wireless networks can be placed closer together than wired networks.

Wireless networks operate using radio waves rather than electrical currents. Radio waves travel farther than electricity does. So, if you’re trying to reach a distant location, a wireless network may be a better choice than a wired network.

Wireless networks are usually faster than wired networks. Because they use radio waves, wireless networks transfer data at a higher rate than wired networks.

Another difference is security. With a wired network, all connections are made directly between two pieces of hardware. If someone breaks into one of those connections, he could potentially break into every connection on the entire network.

However, with a wireless network, each connection is protected by encryption. That makes it harder for hackers to intercept messages.

The final difference is cost. A wired network requires expensive cabling. On the other hand, a wireless network doesn’t need any wiring. It also doesn’t require any special equipment. All you need is a wireless router.

How to deploy a wireless network

You can choose three ways to deploy your wireless network: centralized, converged, and cloud-based.

Centralized Deployment

A typical centralized wireless network consists of controllers located at a central point (such as an office building) and access points distributed throughout the campus. These controllers manage the wireless network by controlling radio frequency channels, assigning IP addresses, and providing security for the entire network.

Converged Deployment

Converged deployments offer wired and wireless connectivity consistency for small campus or branch office environments. A converged deployment combines an Ethernet port into a single point of management (SPM) solution, which provides consistent wired and wireless connectivity.

Cloud-Based Deployment

This system uses the Cloud to manage networking equipment deployed on-premise at different locations.

Wi-Fi Connection Modes

Wireless networks have many modes of operation

Infrastructure Mode

In infrastructure mode, the wireless router connects to the Internet through a broadband modem. The wireless router acts like a bridge between the computer’s network adapter and the Internet.

Wifi-Direct Mode

Wifi-Direct allows devices to connect directly without going through a gateway device. Wifi-Direct works only when both devices support this feature.

Wifi hotspot

A wifi hotspot is a public place where people can connect their laptop or mobile phone to the internet via a wireless network.

In conclusion, wireless technology has become very popular because of its flexibility and ease of installation. Wireless networks allow users to move around freely while still being connected to the network. This means they don’t have to worry about cables tangled up. They also don’t have the hassle of plugging in their computers or laptops.

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