Securing your wireless systems

The Institute of Electrical and Electronic Engineers (IEEE) has developed certain standards to enable wireless local area network (WLAN) devices to work together, regardless of which manufacturer made them. These changes were driven by two factors:speed - getting data transmitted faster between PCs and access pointssecurity - making sure that the wireless capability is not abused

You need to be aware of both factors when selecting WLAN equipment.Although there are several standards that exist, standard 802.11b is used in a large proportion of devices. This standard can enable operation up to 100 metres away in unobstructed areas, but it has limited security capability. This is particularly the case in older devices, so ensure that your equipment is not too old if using this standard.

Standard 802.11a is rarely found in standard office systems and is not compatible with any of the other standards.If you are setting up your first WLAN, or looking to upgrade an existing system, it is advisable to purchase equipment that incorporates standard 802.11g. This standard offers greater speed and security and is available in most new equipment.Using 802.11b and 802.11g devices together is possible, but if you do, you may find that your 802.11g equipment is less effective. It is advisable to select those devices that have been certified by the Wi-Fi Alliance to ensure interoperability.

Newer standards, 802.11i and 802.11n have been launched but they are not yet widespread and may cause you compatibility problems with your older devices.All these standards are for devices that share the available speed. If you have only one laptop in an area serviced by an access point it will get all the speed. If you have ten devices they will get, on average, a tenth of the performance