802.11: Leaving the Wire Behind

Wireless networking applications continue to proliferate at an incredible pace as wireless features, functions, security, and throughput improve. 802.11 is the standard on which wireless networking exists today, and products that employ the technology support a broad range of uses for enterprises and home users. With such explosive growth in infrastructure and applications, understanding some basics about the technology, and its limitations, can be very helpful amid claims from competing vendors about what 802.11 can do and what the future has in store. The author explores the current environment of 802.11 wireless networking technologies and where the dialog in the standards bodies appears to be leading the industry. The primary focus is 802.11b.