What is a Wireless Network?

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?

What is a Wireless Network?

A wireless network is a grouping, or network, of multiple devices where data is sent and received over radio frequencies. They differ from wired networks, which require each end of a data connection to be physically connected by a cable for communication to take place. Wireless networks make it possible for organizations to eliminate the dedicated wired cabling required to connect endpoint computing devices – such as tablets, laptops, and smartphones – to embedded and peripheral devices. Wireless backhaul is often part of large service provider networks.

They generally include some form of radio transmission for broadcasting and receiving wireless signals across a specified range of electromagnetic radiation spectrum, commonly referred to simply as spectrum. The transmission of data across a wireless network is typically done with antennas, which are often small, embedded pieces of hardware within a given device. Different wireless networks use various frequency ranges of spectrum. Within the spectrum, different channels help reduce the risk of congestion within a given spectrum frequency.

The components of a Wireless Network

Several components make up a wireless network’s topology:

• Clients: What we tend to think of as the end user devices are typically called ‘clients’.  As the reach of Wi-Fi has expanded, a variety of devices may be using Wi-Fi to connect to the network, including phones, tablets, laptops, desktops, and more. This gives users the ability to move about the area without sacrificing their bridge to the network. In some instances, mobility within an office, warehouse, or other work area is necessary. For example, if employees have to use scanners to register packages due to be shipped, a wireless network provides the flexibility they need to freely move about the warehouse.
• Access Point (AP): An access point (AP) consists of a Wi-Fi that is advertising a network name (known as a Service Set Identifier, or SSID).  Users who connect to this network will typically find their traffic bridged to a local-area network (LAN) wired network (like Ethernet) for communication to the larger network or even the internet.

The benefits

Businesses can experience many benefits from a wireless network, including:

• Convenience: Access your network resources from any location within your wireless network’s coverage area or from any Wi-Fi hotspot.
• Mobility: You’re not tied to your desk, as you are with a wired connection. You and your employees can go online to conference room meetings, for example.
• Productivity: Wireless access to the Internet and to your company’s key applications and resources helps your staff get the job done and encourages collaboration.
• Easy setup: You don’t have to string cables, so installation can be quick and cost-effective.
• Expandability: You can easily expand wireless networks with existing equipment, whereas a wired network might require additional wiring.
• Security: Advances in wireless networks provide robust security protections.
• Reduced cost: Because wireless networks eliminate or reduce wiring expenses, they can cost less to operate than wired networks.

Types of Wireless Connections

• 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.

How to deploy a Wireless Network

You can choose three ways to deploy: 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.

Conclusion

In closing, wireless networks have revolutionized connectivity, evolving from early radio breakthroughs to omnipresent Wi-Fi accessing resources and serving industries through remote troubleshooting and scalability. Various network types now provide purposes, Complete from linking individual devices to enabling comprehensive communication. Wireless technology will further enhance operations and experiences across sectors with continued innovation.