Jim Geier

Unforeseen RF transmission impairments, such as cordless phones that use the 2.4GHz band, can cause frustration when deploying wireless LANs. In order to maintain happy users, it’s a good idea to perform an RF site survey before installing access points. The survey can uncover problems such as RF interference and multipath propagation, two troubles that […]

With wireless systems, it’s very difficult to predict the propagation of radio waves and detect the presence of interfering signals without the use of test equipment. Even if you’re using omni-directional antennas, radio waves don’t really travel the same distance in all directions. Instead walls, doors, elevator shafts, people, and other obstacles offer varying degrees […]

With 802.11’s optional WEP (Wired Equivalent Privacy), all access points and client radio NICs on a particular wireless LAN must use the same encryption key. Each sending station encrypts the body of each frame with a WEP key before transmission, and the receiving station decrypts it using an identical key upon reception. This process reduces […]

Wireless LANs certainly provide the freedom of mobility as we use our laptops and PDAs without the constraints of network cabling. Of course to facilitate this benefit, we unplug our devices from AC power and operate them from batteries. As most of know, however, 802.11 network cards consume significant amounts of energy that drains batteries […]

In a previous article, we discussed the importance of requirements when deploying wireless LANs. It’s very important to define requirements at the beginning of the project. If you don’t do this, you’ll likely install a solution that doesn’t fully meet the needs of users or effectively interface with other systems. You need to get this […]

When deploying wireless LANs, most installers ensure that there are enough access points to provide adequate RF coverage. This enables users to roam throughout the facility; however, it doesn’t completely address capacity requirements. You should also plan to include a sufficient number of access points to support the wireless applications and the quantity of users […]

There’s no doubt that the most widely available and implemented wireless LANs today comply with the 802.11b standard. The recent availability of 802.11a radio cards and access points, however, introduces what is becoming another mainstream wireless LAN solution. If you’re planning the deployment of a wireless LAN, you now face making a decision on which […]

Last month we discussed how RF interference hinders the installation of wireless LANs, and we covered the use of site survey tools that help with deployments. Once you have the network installed, everything should continue to operate without any problems, right? Don’t count on it! Unforeseen problems can drive you crazy Chances are that you’ll […]

Wireless LAN installation is tricky. Unlike wired networks, you can’t visualize the wireless medium. The construction of a facility and silent sources of RF interference impact the propagation of radio waves, often in odd ways. This hinders your ability to plan the location of access points. How do you avoid these drawbacks? Perform an RF […]

RF interference is still plaguing wireless LAN deployments. Many companies have gotten by without any problems, but some have installations that don’t operate as well as planned. The perils of interfering signals from external RF sources are often the culprit. As a result, it’s important that you’re fully aware of RF interference impact and avoidance […]

Wireless LAN installation is tricky. Unlike wired networks, you can’t visualize the wireless medium. The construction of a facility and silent sources of RF interference impact the propagation of radio waves, often in odd ways. This hinders your ability to plan the location of access points. How do you avoid these drawbacks? Perform an RF […]