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- Let's consider some of the distinguishing characteristics
of wireless LANs.
Beginning with, the different ways
that we can interconnect our wireless devices.
When we connect to a wireless network,
we typically think of looking at
the available wireless networks,
connecting to one, maybe providing log-in credentials,
only then can we communicate with other devices
on the network.
However, there is an option
to have an ad hoc wireless network.
With this type of network,
we don't need any wireless infrastructure devices
such as wireless access points.
Instead two wireless devices,
they can communicate directly between themselves.
Now, while this type of network doesn't scale
it wouldn't be suitable as the primary type of wireless LAN
for a business or even a home, it's very convenient
for the occasional file transfer between devices.
A common example of an ad hoc wireless LAN
is using the AirDrop feature
between a couple of Apple I-phones
to transfer something like a photo or video.
This transfer is made without the need
for any sort of an infrastructure.
Instead, Bluetooth or wifi or wireless communication
could be used directly between those two devices.
The most common type of wireless LAN we have
is an infrastructure wireless LAN.
Here our wireless clients like laptops or smartphones,
they communicate directly with wireless access points.
Those access points then have hardwired connections
to the rest of the network.
This type of network is also very scalable.
If we want to support additional wireless clients
we simply add additional access points.
Or if we want to extend the range of our wireless coverage
throughout a building, we could strategically place
wireless access points throughout that building
allowing us to roam throughout the building seamlessly
without having to manually do any reconnection
to another access point.
And beyond the scalability of infrastructure wireless LANs
these types of LANs could give us additional management
and monitoring features that we wouldn't have
with an ad hoc wireless network.
For example, we could see the number
of wireless clients connected right now to the network,
we could check bandwidth utilization,
we could configure security where for example
somebody connecting to our network as a guest,
they wouldn't have access to any of our corporate servers.
And one final type of wireless LAN we'll consider
is a mesh wireless LAN.
Now we know that we can extend the coverage area
of our wireless network by adding access points.
However, with our traditional infrastructure
wireless LAN those access points
they're hardwired into our network.
That creates a challenge for us
if we need wireless coverage in an area
that's not in close proximity to an ethernet switch
in which we need to connect that access point.
Fortunately, we have the option of using mesh access points.
These types of access points
they don't need to be connected to our wired infrastructure.
In fact, as long as the mesh access point has power,
it can receive a signal from one access point
and then retransmit that wireless signal.
That's going to give us a lot of flexibility
when it comes to access point placement.
For example, let's say we want to extend
our wireless network into our company's parking lot.
There's a security guard letting people in the parking lot,
so we know it's okay for those people to be on our network.
However, we need to get coverage to the parking lot.
What we could do is place an access point
on the guard shack, assuming that we have power
to the shack, but no ethernet connection,
that would allow the access point on the guard shack
to receive wireless communication from the main building
and then retransmit that wireless communication
throughout the parking lot area.
And those are some of the different types
of wireless LANs.
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