Wireless LAN 101
Installing a wireless LAN goes beyond purchasing an AP and wireless cards. As with any technology, it is important to understand how it works under the hood.
Service Set Identifier (SSID) Broadcasts
On a regular basis—typically every 100 milliseconds—APs broadcast management beacons to advertise their presence. (See Appendix B for more information about management frames.) The beacons contain information about the AP such as the SSID (network name), supported data speeds, and signal strength. You can think of these beacons as Wi-Fi mating calls. Like the siren's lure, they shout, “Here I am, wireless client! Come and get me!”
At first glance, this may seem like a great feature and, for some environments, it may be. When you click ...
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