What is a Wireless Network?

A network can be one computer connected to the Internet, or two or more computers connected to each other (and also to the Internet). In a wireless network, the computers are connected by radio signals instead of wires or cables. Advantages of wireless networks include mobility and no unsightly wires. Disadvantages can include a slower connection than a wired network and interference from other wireless devices, such as cordless phones.  more

A wireless network is a Local Area Network (LAN) that replaces wires and cables with radio frequency (RF) connections. Wireless networks have a relatively small coverage area, between zero and 300 feet per radio transceiver depending upon the surrounding building structure. Wireless networks give you the freedom to access the Internet, email, instant messaging services and your company's network anywhere within the signal coverage area.  more

A wireless network is a network that uses high-frequency radio waves rather than wires to communicate between nodes. It allows mobile users to connect to a local area network through a wireless (radio) connection. This type of networking is viewed as a data communication system that can extend or enhance a wired network. It provides connectivity where wiring is unavailable, impractical, or cost prohibitive.  more

A wireless network does not require a physical medium to connect computer-related devices together. Instead, it uses radio frequency in the atmosphere to construct a network, enabling file transfers and sharing. One of the main advantages of a wireless network is mobility, which means that a user can always be connected to a network wherever there is a wireless signal regardless of the availability of cables or wired network sockets. Although wireless network speed is about 2 times slower than wired network (usually 54 Mbps for wireless and 100 Mbps for wired), it is constantly being developed and will be very competitive with wired network in the near future.

Usually to connect to the University computer network you will need a cable that goes from a PC into a network socket on the wall. This means you are tied to using the PC in a fixed location, dependent on the length of the cable. A Wireless Network allows users to connect to the University computer network without having to physically use a cable, and so you can remain mobile. The connection and data is passed from your PC using radio technologies instead of a cable and so you need to be in the vicinity of a Wireless Access Point (locations all around the campus) in order to gain a connection. So you can now stay mobile and take your laptop or PDA around the campus and still be able to browse the Internet or send an email! The speed of the connection can be slowed down due to the distance you are from the Access Point, and also how many other users are also using the same Access Point. You will see the terms 'wireless network', 'WiFi network', '802.11b/g network' and 'WLAN' used ...  more

A wireless network, as its name would suggest, is a network of computers and computer peripherals that are connected to each other without wires. This enables ease of communication, especially for mobile computing platforms. Further, there are a number of other advantages to a wireless network that make them increasingly common in both the workplace and at home. Nearly all wireless networks in the world work on a standard set up by the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers known as the 802.11 standard. Depending on the technology involved, there are subsections. These are usually listed on the packaging of the accompanying material that given the user an idea of the speed and extent of the technology a unit possesses. For example, when looking at a wireless router, which is what enables communication between different computers on a wireless network, it may be marked as an 802.11(b). Many of the routers, when wireless networking technology first become popular, carried ...  more

A wireless network as described in this document is a network of wireless local area networks (LAN) connected together to form a metropolitan network (MAN), usually located in one geographical area, such as a city or small town. Several wireless interface standards currently exist, some operate within licensed and others within unlicensed spectrum, some point to point, others point to multi-point, and yet others more flexible. The most common readily available standard at the moment is the 802.11 family (802.11, 802.11a, 802.11b and 802.11g]). This is consumer equipment that operates on an unlicensed radio frequency. Each wireless network is composed of various nodes connected together. A node is a collection of various PCs or other equipment connected together directly using the IP network and within direct radio range. A node consists of at least one router and one of more clients. The clients normally require little configuration and talk only to the router, whilst the router will ...  more

wireless network is a type of local area network (LAN) which the carriage of data to and from your Laptop is done via low power radio frequency signal that is sent from the wireless card in your laptop to Wireless base stations located on campus. Wires are completely unnecessary to access full network and internet services. A hotspot is a campus location where the wireless network can be accessed. An antenna or base station is located nearby providing a radio signal.  more

A wireless network allows customers to connect their laptops or other mobile devices to the Internet without having to plug into a physical network port.  more

A wireless network uses transmitters, called access points, which connect by cable to the existing network. Access points positioned at various locations on campus allow our network to be more broadly and easily distributed. Your laptop with a wireless card communicates with these access points through the use of radio waves.  more