Wireless Networking

With the advent of the IEEE 802.11 protocol and technology improvements over the last several years, wireless networking is not only a convenient way to communicate, it is a cost effective solution for "hard to wire" locations and structures.

Security

Now most of us would say "It's not secure, anyone can roam around and hack my network".  In the old days this was true.  However, since most wireless devices incorporate 128 bit or higher encryption levels, ESSID blinding and with the addition of MAC address access lists, wireless networking is not only secure, it is virtually fool proof.  You may have even heard of a wireless network that was hacked.  My first question is, "did you use encryption?" or "how about MAC access lists?", "did you block your ESSID?".  What MAC address access lists do is to only allow those network adapters with a specific MAC address to communicate with the wireless access point.  It's kind of like only answering the phone if you know the caller-id information and feel like talking to that person.  Otherwise the request to connect is simply ignored.  Every network adapter in the world has a singularly unique MAC address, much like every phone has a unique phone number.  ESSID is your wireless network name.  Turning off the broadcast of your ESSID makes it very difficult if not impossible to figure out what network you should communicate with.

Optional Installations Techniques

SDL Systems has installed numerous wireless access networks from simple single access point to a handful of wireless adapters to multiple point to point wireless bridges.  A wireless bridge is a great way to connect two or more adjacent buildings together without having to dig up the ground, install underground conduit, fiber optics and fiber optic equipment (which can get very expensive). You can connect as many buildings together as you wish.  We have even installed multiple wireless access points in a plant type environment for seamless wireless access for roaming users over the entire facility, switching from point to point much like a cellular phone does as you drive down the highway.

Cost

The wireless access points are fairly cheap, less than $80.00 and a wireless network adapter is even less, around $30.00.  We have wireless adapters for Palm Pilots that give you a wireless connection for Internet browsing, Hotsync operations to your base computer (without the use of the cradle), E-mail and the ability to edit Word and Excel documents on your company's server.  We also have wireless adapters for Pocket PC's, Laptops, Workstations, etc. for true network connectivity.

Network Administration

Wireless networking operates at a blazing fast 300 Mbps with 11 different radio frequency channels to tune into.  It's even possible to have more than one wireless network in the same environment.  This helps network administrators isolate who is on what network and control access on the physical network level.  Say you have a secure server but you want to give a couple laptops access the the Internet but not the server.  Simple, setup a NAT firewall between your server and the Internet (this should already be in place if you want your server safe from the Internet).  Install a wireless access point on the Internet side of the firewall, enable encryption and your MAC filtering and you're done.  Install a separate wireless access point on the server side of your firewall and tune it to a different channel and separate MAC filtering and those users can access the server and the Internet.  All your administrator has to do to change someone's access is update the MAC filters on the access points, no laptop configuration needs to be done.  The laptop will automatically scan the available channels and find it's MAC address on the other access point.

Increasing The Range

Another great feature of wireless networking is that it's free.  There is no air time to buy, no FCC license to fill out and the range is quite good (about the same a 2.4 Ghz cordless phone).  We can increase the range of wireless networking with the addition of external hi-gain antennas.  Some antenna manufactures boast as high as a 60 mile range on point to point applications.  Typical wireless access point antennas have a 2 dB gain.  We have installed external antennas as high as 24 dB gain.  The wireless access point manufacturer we prefer utilizes a dual antenna design which allow for the addition of two hi-gain antennas for even greater wireless coverage although it's been proven that one is usually enough.

Flexibility

Do you have a truly mobile user?  You know someone who works at the office and another remote location (home, remote office)?  I bet you do.  Think about the cost savings in only having to provide one laptop for that user instead of one at the office and another at the remote location.  And the user still has data in two separate locations.  I bet you say use a flash drive or sync your mobile phone?  Well, that is additional expense and management overhead.  How about this?  Simply install a wireless access point at the office and another at home (or wherever they need access) via a VPN connection and they can connect at the office and at home (or remote office) without any hassle.  The wireless adapter will scan for the network and automatically link up (providing encryption and MAC filters are set the same) and the user has all their data in one place, without the cost of an additional device or a second computer and much less IT management overhead.

Expandability

Many airports and large public areas like shopping centers, libraries and schools already have open wireless connectivity in place for instant high speed connectivity to the Internet.  Why not?  It's cheap and people love it.  More and more facilities are opening their eyes to the cost effective benefits of wireless networking.  I've heard of a group of people that go to the shopping center simply for the free high speed Internet access.  They sit in the food court, sip a soda and go online.  It brings people and business to them.  In an open environment, they simply disable encryption and MAC filtering to allow anyone with IEEE 802.11 hardware to connect.  Windows XP and up has IEEE 802.11 technology built in and it will even constantly scan for wireless connectivity wherever you go and notify you when a wireless network is found.  Now as your user travels, they can get online, check email, access the office network via web based remote access like Citrix or Microsoft Terminal Services or PCAnyWhere, without the expense of cellular airtime and slow modem connections.  All this for the low low cost of free!

See this DEMO (Hit your browser's BACK button when complete)

David Cohen, product manager, talks about 3Com’s new Wi-Fi™ 11Mbps Wireless LAN solution (25 min.)

Rick Bilodeau, director of product marketing (28 min.)

Kurt Olsen, mobility marketing manager talks about 3Com’s LAN and modem PC cards (9 min.)

Marc Feghali, product line manager, Home Wireless Gateway (16 min.)

For more information, product demonstration or a site survey please contact us.