CompTIA A+® Certification All-In-One For Dummies®, 2nd Edition

2.2. Working with Wireless Networks

"Why do I need a wireless network?" was a question people used to regularly ask. You will not hear this question much anymore, though. The main reasons why people want wireless networks these days are increased mobility and to avoid cabling issues.

When wireless networks started, they had access speeds of 1–2 Mbps; current standards have network speeds higher than 100 Mbps. At one time, wireless networking equipment was a premium addition to a network, but this equipment has become a commodity and is inexpensive enough that anybody can start up a wireless network.

Wireless networking should not be used for a primary network because of its limitations, such as obstructions and interference. (See "Troubleshooting Issues", later in this chapter.) If the user knows what those limitations are, the network should be considered a best-effort network — and as such, it should not be expected to be available or to function at full speed at all times. As a secondary network, though, wireless networking does offer a great deal of flexibility for getting to your data. Any devices that exist on your normal wired network can be present on your wireless network, including firewalls, servers, and printers.

2.2.1. Components of a wireless network

The two main components of wireless networks are clients and access points. Clients are computers with wireless network ...