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Wireless Networks
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Article 3: Wireless Networks for Business
With declining costs, more
industries have adopted WLANs. Already it is
believed as many as 30 percent of companies with
computer networks use wireless technology to
supplement their systems or to meet all of their
needs. But not every company gains equally from
a wireless network.
If you already have an existing wired network,
you can benefit from a WLAN’s greater
flexibility and convenience. Conversely, if your
business functions fine without networking, you
probably can do without a WLAN. And if you’re on
a tight budget, the cost difference between
wireless and wired networks may be important,
though wireless prices continue to drop and the
price gap is shrinking.
Industries in which mobile access to real-time
data is important have quickly adopted wireless
networks. The technology also appeals to
businesses operating in facilities that may not
easily accommodate running cables through walls
and floors, such as older buildings, temporary
offices or remote work sites.
The power and flexibility of WLANs are
attractive to industries in which employees
spend a lot of time out of the office. The
employees may not have dedicated work cubicles,
but they still need to connect to the network
when returning to the office. Equipped with a
laptop, they can connect instantly, a benefit
appreciated by visiting branch office workers
and telecommuters.
Such mobility is valued in industries like
health care, where doctors’ and nurses’
productivity is boosted with hand-held or
notebook computers fetching instant patient
information. Any business that frequently
reconfigures its network also will find WLANs
helpful because they greatly simplify the
process.
Businesses operating in small workgroups, like
consultants and accountants, enjoy increased
productivity with WLAN’s quick network setup and
easy accessibility. The benefit of easily
installing pre-configured wireless LANs without
relying on tech support has across-the-board
appeal. With WLANs, companies can also allow
customers and clients to have network access,
although it may invite security breaches,
against which not all systems are inherently
safe.
A WLAN is not limited to inside the office. By
employing LAN-to-LAN bridges such as directional
antennas, networks can be linked between
buildings, up to 25 miles apart.
Wi-Fi users have access to networks in other
locations. Already there are public “hot spots”
in airports and coffee shops allowing Internet
access to anyone with a laptop and Wi-Fi card.
Here the technology is more than empowering.
It’s a marketing edge. The venue providing
Internet access to customers with NIC-equipped
laptops has customer appeal that its competitors
don’t.
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