Wireless networking is getting really good, especially with mesh networking coming along.
Amplifiers, Antenna, Interference, and Signal Strength
Wireless connectivity quality and range is affected by the following factors, among others:
- Antenna Shape and Design
- Interference (buildings, walls, rain, other wireless signals)
- Signal strength
Some wireless enthusiasts will attempt to increase wireless connectivity by increasing the signal strength of the transmitter. That might work to a certain degree, but at some point, the signal amplitude may start interfering with itself! Alternative strategies of increasing wireless connectivity include adding repeaters to extend range, and even building out a mesh network to increase coverage.
Bandwidth Capacity and Latency
Bandwidth over wireless networks is greatly affected by network connectivity, but in general it commonly ranges from about 1Mbps to 11Mbps.
Wireless Protocols
- 802.11a
- 802.11b
- 802.11g
- 802.11n
I'm looking forward to using 802.11n. Supposedly it can broadcast much further than the previous protocols.
Wireless Security
Wireless networks have suffered security problems for quite some time, and thankfully as of 2011, more and more people are securing their networks.
One of the first security protocol for wireless networks was WEP, and has since been followed by WPA and WPA2. WEP is considered to be vulnerable by the security community, while WPA and WPA2 are considered to provide improved security.
Wireless Networks
Wireless networking for computers are available in several forms:
- Infrastructure
- Ad-hoc