Getting to know more about wireless networks - Part 3
Is wireless networking right for you? Here are some points to consider.
Wireless networking can be soft on security. You can protect a wireless local area network (WLAN) by putting up a firewall and activating the Wired Equivalent Privacy (WEP); data encryption technology designed specifically for wireless networking. It comes with your networking software, but it remains less secure than a traditional wired LAN.
WLANs can't match the speed of their wired counterparts. Actual data throughput many times is less than the theoretical maximums that manufacturers of wireless equipment claim. The data speeds can drop to zero if your position your PC behind a sizeable obstruction blocking the signal. You can work around this by positioning access points (devices that transmit data to networked computers).
In the end, a wireless network offers the opportunity to maximize the capabilities of a multicomputer environment.