Foundation Topics

This chapter examines the basics of WLANs. In particular, the first section introduces the concepts, protocols, and standards used by many of the most common WLAN installations today. The chapter then examines some basic installation steps. The last major section looks at WLAN security, which is particularly important because the WLAN signals are much more susceptible to being intercepted by an attacker than Ethernet LANs.

Wireless LAN Concepts

Many people use WLANs on a regular basis today. PC sales continue to trend toward more laptop sales versus desktop computers, in part to support a more mobile workforce. PC users need to connect to whatever network they are near, whether at work, at home, in a hotel, or at a coffee shop or bookstore. And the proliferation of tablets and other devices that all connect through WLANs all conspire to drive growth in WLANs today. For example, Figure 11-1 shows the design of a LAN at a retail bookstore. The bookstore provides free Internet access via WLANs while also supporting the bookstore’s devices via a wired LAN.