802.11 (Wi-Fi) Network Handbook

Your One-Stop 802.11 Wireless LAN Resource

Get briefed on the intricacies of wireless LANs, and learn why 802.11 is best-suited among the WLAN technologies for most wireless applications. With a comprehensive approach thats easy to understand, this resource covers the entire integration of wireless LANs into an overall network architecture, from equipment and component selection, through design and deployment. Learn site survey techniques, performance tips, architecture requirements, and best practices by reviewing the secrets of successful deployments. The authors front-line experience with Cisco Systems gives them the unique ability to bring Wi-Fi into the comfort zone of IS professionals at any level.

• Leverage your existing hardware, including switches and routers
  
• Utilize tools like SNMP-compliant network management software and AAA servers
  
• Get pertinent, up-to-date information on the public access of wireless LANs
  
• Understand radio frequency fundamentals
  
• Select the right equipment for various indoor and outdoor deployments, including access points, client adapters, and bridges
  
• Learn why 802.11 technology must be viewed as a fully integrated component to existing networks
  
• Navigate the regulatory environment summarized--including international considerations
  
• Secure your wireless network with propriety or IEEE standards-based security products and architectures
  
• Deliver robust and interoperable Quality of Service
  

Contents        

   Part I: Moving from Wired to Wireless Networks
    1: A Brief History of Wireless LANs
    2: A Summary of Common WLAN Standards
    3: Understanding Radio Frequency Fundamentals
    4: The RF Physical Layer

   Part II: Designing Your Enterprise Wireless LAN
    5: Performance, Architechtural, and Interoperability Considerations
    6: 802.11a and 802.11g: High Performance Wireless LAN Standards
    7: Understanding the Regulatory Environment

   Part III: WLAN Equipment and Component Selection
    8: Selecting the Right Wireless LAN Equipment Components

   Part IV: Integrating WLAN into Your Network Infrastructure
    9: Wireless LANs in the Enterprise
    10: Wireless LANs in Small, Branch, and Home Offices
    11: Wi-Fi Security Best Practices
    12: QoS in Wireless LANs

   Part V: 802.11 and the Last Mile
    13: Hotspots: Public Access of Wireless LANs
    14: 802.11 In the Service Provider Market

    A: Audio, Video, Voice, and Data to a PDA over 802.11 at a Nuclear Power Plant
    B: Glossary