Definition Wireless networking gives users the mobility to work virtually anywhere — at their desk, in a conference room, at the airport, in a coffee shop or at their home office. Wi-Fi is no longer considered a luxury, but a necessity, with nearly 100% of notebooks including wireless. Businesses also recognize the value of mobile computing and wireless networking. Wireless networks increase employee productivity, lower the cost of adds, moves and changes; and facilitate applications like mobile POS terminals and wireless VoIP. Enterprise-class wireless networks are growing 12 percent per year, and total wireless spending is expected to reach $3.5 billion in 2008.
Wireless networking is based on IEEE Standards. These standards define radio frequency, throughput and distance ranges. 802.11b and 802.11g are the most commonly implemented protocols in wireless networking today using the 2.4 GHz band. 802.11b/g uses a direct sequence spread spectrum signaling method (DSSS) and suffer with RF interference issues from non-network devices which share the same 2.4 GHz frequency band such as microwave ovens, cordless phones, Bluetooth devices, and baby monitors to name a few. 802.11a uses the 5 GHz band, which offers 8 non-overlapping channels rather than the 3 offered in the 2.4GHz ISM frequency band. 802.11n is a proposed amendment which improves upon the previous 802.11 standards by adding multiple-input multiple-output (MIMO). Approval for this new standard is estimated to occur in December 2009.
Application
Network managers need to support these new users, new networks, new technologies and new applications, all while still delivering the network reliability and security users and business managers demand. Keeping control of a wireless network, that by design is constantly changing, requires an end-to-end management approach focused on each phase of the wireless lifecycle. The wireless lifecycle involves distinct and interrelated phases: pre-deployment and expansion planning, installation and verification, troubleshooting, and management and optimization.
To navigate through each phase successfully and efficiently, a network manager needs tools that provide features and functions specific to the unique requirements of each phase of this wireless lifecycle. Wireless solutions need to deliver complete network visibility to help successfully manage a network's wireless lifecycle.
Wireless Lifecycle Phases1. Pre-deployment and expansion planning
The first phase of the wireless lifecycle is preparing for the deployment of a new wireless network or the expansion of an existing wireless LAN. Site survey tools allow you to simulate a wireless network before purchasing a single access point. Import a map of your site and add virtual access points, virtual walls and other features. Determine the correct quantity and placement of access points required to meet your performance criteria. RF spectrum analyzers can help detect, identify and locate RF interfering devices with cause over 66% of all wireless LAN problems. Performing a site survey and RF frequency sweep can reduce deployment time, minimize re-work, and reduce overall deployment and implementation costs.
2. Installation and verification
After deployment, walk your site with a site survey tool to verify actual wireless coverage and performance. Check 802.11a/b/g channels, RF metrics and correlate the measurements to site locations. Identify the areas within your site that do not meet your performance criteria. Save these visualizations to document the baseline condition of your wireless network.
3. Troubleshooting and Security
There are a lot of wires in a wireless network — from access point to switch to server to router. You need to analyze both the wired and a/b/g wireless networks so you can identify problems on both sides of the access point. Portable analyzers can discover active networks, mobile clients and access points. These tools can also help see configuration details, troubleshoot WLAN connectivity, authentication and performance issues. Unauthorized rogue devices and unprotected access points create wireless security vulnerabilities. Detect, identify and located rogue devices with a portable analyzer. RF interference causes over 66% of all wireless network issues. An RF spectrum analyzer can help you detect, identify, and locate non-network devices causing interference issue. A periodic survey is recommended to scan the network for changes that could indicate a security breach.
4. Management and optimizationSite survey tools can indicate the optimal access point placement to achieve the best performance. Portable analyzers should be chosen that have the necessary utilities for network and device management – with web browser, telnet and terminal emulation functionality. RF spectrum analyzers can help you determine if new types of RF interference have appeared so you can detect, identify, and locate the interfering devices before they cause issues with your wireless network.