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Wireless LANs are ideal for many
Small and Med-Size business
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| When rolling out a new network, small and midsize
businesses can save money by installing a wireless LAN rather than a
traditional wired LAN. Gartner details why WLAN technology is now a
viable alternative and looks at the TCO issues involved. Below is a great article by P. Redman and M. Yamamoto Krammer.
TCP-IP has been installing WLANs for business of all sizes for
years. We
can provide the equipment and installation of the WLAN at a fraction
of the costs listed in this article. This article is a great
resource to determine if a WLAN is right for your company. If you
have more questions about WLANs and if they would be right for your
business contact us we can design the
perfect Wireless LAN for your organization at a price you can
afford!
The word wireless, when associated with any data
technology, commonly connotes complexity and high cost. In the case
of wireless LAN technology, however, this is not the case. With
support from vendors (for example, 3Com,
Avaya, Cisco
Systems, and Symbol
Technologies), wireless LANs are now an option for small and
midsize businesses (SMBs), not only for complementing wired LANs for
network access in midsize and large office spaces, but also for
replacing the need for an extensive wired LAN network in small and
home offices that typically have fewer than 100 users. Gartner
research measuring total cost of ownership (TCO) shows significant
savings (in time and money) by using standard wireless LAN
technology instead of wired LANs.
Wireless LAN Technology Overview
The primary purpose of a wireless LAN in the enterprise is to
extend network coverage to allow for in-building or campuswide
communication for mobile and roaming users. Another key benefit is
to provide LAN access where it is too costly or prohibited to run
wired access—pulling cable and paying installation fees for
unwired buildings is expensive. A wireless LAN system is typically
composed of four components:
 | Access points
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| Wireless LAN network interface card (NIC) or Peripheral
Component Interconnect (PCI) card |
| Wired LAN or access to networked devices (servers or printers,
for example)
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| Client (notebook computer, handheld device, desktop PC) |
Access points convert wireless data transmitted at unlicensed
frequencies (900 MHz, 2.4 GHz, and 5.2 GHz) into wired data (such as
Ethernet or Token Ring). In effect, an access point acts as a bridge
between the wired interface (typically a LAN) and wireless clients.
The access point is merely a node on the network. Wireless LANs use
electromagnetic waves (radio and infrared) to transmit data without
a physical connection between access points.
Users access the wireless LAN through wireless LAN NICs in notebook
computers or through Industry Standard Architecture (ISA) or PCI
adapters in desktop computers or handheld devices. Access points can
support a small group of users in a range of several hundred feet;
most access points are rated for 60 to 70 users simultaneously, but
a conservative recommendation is for 25 simultaneous users.
The standard today, 802.11, was approved in 1997 by the Institute
of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE). Most users are
adopting 802.11b (also called Wi-Fi) with top throughput at 11 Mbps
(actual is 5 Mbps to 6 Mbps because of physical layer/transmission
overhead). Most vendors support this technology. We expect the newer
standard, 802.11a (also called Wi-Fi5), with standard throughput at
54 Mbps, will be available from most vendors later in 2002, although
only a few are available commercially today. Through 2002, we
believe more 802.11a products will emerge, and they will be
price-competitive with 802.11b by 2003.
SMBs should take advantage of the continuing cost decline of 802.11b
products as 802.11a products are introduced. Vendors have committed
support for 802.11b until approximately 2006. By 2004, low-cost
wireless LAN adapter prices will fall to less than $50. The average
selling price will continue to be higher because of the more fully
featured units that are purchased for business use, but we expect it
will fall below $50 by 2006. Many of these products will include
higher-level security features, more powerful radios, and better
customer service support. See Figure A for a breakdown of the
capital costs of a typical wireless LAN setup for SMBs.
| Figure A |
Please note the Access Point price is per
Access Point
not per user. |
Continued on PAGE 2
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WLAN Prices |
| Access Points (AP) |
$150 |
| AP-Gateway-Switch-Print
Server Combo |
$175 |
| Wireless NICs |
$90 |
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WLAN Benefits |
| Lower
installation and maintenance costs |
| Provides
access for roaming Laptops and handhelds |
| Easily
expandable just ad a new Wireless NIC. No more cable to
pull! |
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