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Wired or Wireless Local Area Networks?

To LAN or WLAN, That Is the Question

Since broadband wireless connections are oftentimes in the news, you might wonder if you should have one, especially if you're a notebook (or laptop) computer user. Before you take the plunge, you should determine which type of network suits your situation and needs. Computer networks for the home and small business can be built using either wired or wireless technology. But first, what exactly are LANs and WLANs?

Wired Local Area Networks

In a wired LAN, coaxial cable or special grades of twisted pair wires and network adapters connect the devices. Back in the dawn of computing, two computers were directly wired to each other using a crossover cable. In order to accommodate the demands of a network and connect more computers, central devices like hubs, switches, or routers have evolved.

Wireless Local Area Networks

WLANs send and receive data through the air and use radio and infrared waves to transmit information without a physical connection.  The access point receives, buffers and transmits data between the WLAN and the wired network infrastructure. A single access point can support a small group of users and can function within a range of less than one hundred to several hundred feet.

WLAN and Wired LAN Comparison

Now, let’s consider the pros and cons of each choice.

In a wired LAN, the cables that connect each computer can be inconvenient because they need to be hidden in walls or discreetly laid out in the open so they don’t become a hazard or an annoyance.  On the other hand, cables, hubs and switches are very inexpensive while wireless equipment may cost three or four times as much.

Wired LANs offer bandwidth up to 100 Mbps. Wireless LANs using 802.11b support a maximum bandwidth of 11 Mbps, while 802.11a and 802.11g WLANs support only 54 Mbps. On the other hand, the greater mobility of wireless LANs can compensate for the performance disadvantage. In addition, the same Wi-Fi adapter that connects your laptop to your WLAN will let you connect to the hotspots that becoming more ubiquitous every day.

Technically, LANs are more secure than WLANs. Since wireless signals are transmitted through the air, they can be captured by devices outside of the network. However, the majority of WLANs today protect their data with the Wired Equivalent Privacy (WEP) encryption standard, which makes wireless communications almost as safe as wired ones in homes.

The bottom line: first consider your computing needs and your budget and then decide which type of network makes the most sense for you.