Linux Network Administrator's Guide, 3rd Edition

Chapter 18. Wireless Networking

Wireless networking is a promising and increasingly popular technology, offering a wide range of benefits compared to traditional wired technology. These advantages range from increased convenience to users and decreased deployment cost to ease of network installation. A new wireless deployment can save substantial amounts of money since there is no need for additional cables, jacks, or network switches. Adding new users to a network can be as easy as plugging in a wireless card and powering up a machine. Wireless networking has also been used to deliver network access to areas where there is little or no traditional network infrastructure.

Perhaps the biggest impact of wireless networking can be seen within its widespread acceptance among consumers. The most obvious example of this popularity can be seen with new laptop systems, where nearly every unit is shipped with integrated 802.11b or g. The practical benefits have consequently insured good sales, allowing manufacturers to lower the equipment costs. At the time of this writing, the price of client wireless cards is comparable to that of traditional Ethernet adapter cards.

These benefits, however, do not come without some disadvantages, the most severe of these being the security issues.

History

Wireless LANs are based on spread spectrum technology, initially developed for military communications by the U.S. Army during World War II. Military technicians considered spread spectrum desirable because ...