Wireless LANs in the office. Stewart Sharpe.

Key Benefits. Wireless LANs within an office allow users to roam freely around the office. No issues of proximity to a network port for connectivity to the network. They also allow network access in areas where it would be otherwise impossible or infeasible to lay cable.

Key Benefits. Wireless LANs are totally transparent to the user. The user experience of a wireless network is the exact same as a wired network. Standards based wireless LANs allow interoperability of different vendors equipment. Use of the ISM (Industrial, Scientific, Medical) band means that no license is required for wireless networking.

Key Benefits. Anything that can be run over a wired network can be run over a wireless network e.g. voice over IP. RF and IR versions available. This is beneficial where RF transmission is not desirable. Automatic load balancing between access points ensuring optimum available speed at all times.

Typical Uses. When there are a large number of mobile or portable users. Large open plan offices. Frequently changing office layouts e.g. project teams. Warehouse applications. Listed buildings. Meeting rooms. Roaming users.

Typical Uses. Leased office spaces. IT staff troubleshooting PCs in situ. Hotels offering guests internet connectivity. Hospitals offering wireless network access to, for example, patient records via laptops or PDAs at the bedside.

Co-existence with wired networks. Wireless LANs can be viewed as an alternative to wired networks. However, they can also be used to overlay an existing wired network; offering both the speed of a wired network and the convenience of wireless as required.

Issues that can affect communication speed. Distance from the nearest access point. Internal walls. Obstacles. Metal objects like filing cabinets. Microwave ovens. Number of wireless users. Number of access points.

Why get a site survey? Apparently unrelated issues can affect operation. Filing cabinets, thick walls and microwave ovens are examples of issues whose affect cannot be anticipated. The exact optimal location of access points will be required to determine precise equipment spec.

Why get a site survey? Items such as choice of antennae and required number of access points measured against number of users, vary hugely between deployment areas. Ensure that the wireless LAN will work exactly as anticipated. Ensure that roaming will work as expected.

Why get a site survey? Ensure that access point coverage extends to all required areas and does not extend into areas where coverage is explicitly not required, e.g. car parks. Accurately forecast resulting service and equipment requirements for quotation purposes.

Scenario 2. Field sales force. We are a medium sized company who have just moved premises. We have office space to accommodate 25 desks based staff in a large office area. The space is divided between admin., sales support and project design. We have a large room which is used for presentations, meetings, training and general purpose.

Scenario 2. Field sales force. We have sales force of ten who use office facilities sporadically. Our sales team liase with project design regarding prospective and ongoing projects. They must liase with sales support on an ongoing basis.

Scenario 2. Field sales force. They must attend product training sessions and presentations weekly. They must attend a weekly sales meeting in the office, presenting weekly call summaries and forecasts. Our sales force do do not have dedicated office facilities at their disposal.

Scenario 2. Field sales force. Progress reports on all ongoing contracts must be kept constantly up-to-date by sales staff. This information must be kept on the server to be accessible at all times.

Scenario 2. Field sales force. Proposed solution. Overlay a WLAN network over existing wired network throughout existing office space. Install WLAN access points in general purpose room.

Scenario 2. Field sales force.

2 access points in sales/admin. office Allows network access in areas where facilities are always fully utilised. User can move, with uninterrupted access, between departments.

Scenario 2. Field sales force.

1 access point in general purpose room. 15 client adaptors to give access for all sales staff and 4 managers.

Scenario 2. Field sales force. Acts as a temporary office space with file and access for roaming users. Accommodates all sales staff and managers for meetings.

Scenario 2. Field sales force. Multiple network access is provided without aesthetic implications for boardroom use. Allows integration of presentation facilities e.g. projectors.

Scenario 2. Equipment required. Sales/admin office. 2 access points General purpose/meeting room. 1 access point. 15 client adapters Site survey Installation

Summary of benefits. Allows movement throughout building with uninterrupted network access. Allows huge flexibility in areas of constantly changing network access demands. DHCP coupled with WLAN offers easy addition of users without skilled IT supervision.

Summary of benefits. Automatic load balancing ensures optimum available speed at all times. Multiple access points provide redundancy. Take your network with you when relocating.