Hardware

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Selecting the right networking gear is far from cut and dried. A corporate WLAN, in particular, requires a thoughtful hardware selection process. While anyone can buy WLAN gear at most electronics stores, many of those products won't have the sophisticated security and management features that a corporate IT professional demands.

The most important piece of advice the author can give to a WLAN team regarding product selection is to buy wireless networking gear from established vendors that can offer enterprise-class support. A detailed examination of all of the components that might be found in an enterprise wireless network is provided in Section VII: The Hardware.

Selection Process

Follow the advice set out in "The Vendor Selection Process" section of Chapter 8. But don't be shy. As with any other technology purchase, pin the vendors down on precisely what they can deliver and what they can't. For instance, if they promise site survey tools-find out exactly what they mean. The same holds for network management and maintenance tools.

As with any project, calculate the overall costs of the WLAN. The results can be used to compare a wireless LAN with a wired alternative, perform a feasibility study for a specific application (e.g. deploying a WLAN to provide connectivity within a conference area), or provide the basis for the budget you're proposing to upper management. In all of these cases, take into account the hardware, software, and vendor support needed to install and maintain the new wireless networking environment.



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Going Wi-Fi. A Practical Guide to Planning and Building an 802.11 Network
Going Wi-Fi: A Practical Guide to Planning and Building an 802.11 Network
ISBN: 1578203015
EAN: 2147483647
Year: 2003
Pages: 273

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