Wireless technology is a natural solution to bridge two or more separate wired LAN segments. Proxim offers several PTP (point-to-point) kits. Its Tsunami QuickBridge 11, which lists at $2,099 for a pair of units, including antennas, mounting brackets and all necessary cables, delivers 5 Mbps of throughput, while the QuickBridge 20, which lists at $3,499, delivers 18 Mbps of throughput.
You can eliminate licensing headaches by using products that function in the unlicensed ISM ranges, but other wireless devices in the 2.4- and 5-GHz ranges could interfere with your connection. At a minimum, use encryption so your data can't be stolen. Highly directional antennas will improve and stabilize performance.
Wireless security for client connections can be an after-thought in small deployments, but it doesn't have to be because of cost. At the most basic level, if you already provide VPN client termination for your remote users, you can duplicate this setup for your mobile users. If you want a more secure Layer 2 connection and have an all-Windows shop with a reasonably new AP, Microsoft's version of PEAP (Protected Extensible Authentication Protocol) lets wireless LAN clients authenticate without using digital certificates. If you don't use a Windows server or associated directory store, look to the open-source FreeRADIUS project. Although you'll need to speak some Linux to use this software, FreeRADIUS is a functional replacement to products such as Funk Software's Steel-Belted Radius or Cisco's Secure Access Control Server.
To monitor for rogue clients or APs without spending a dime, check out shareware or freeware such as Netstumbler, and Linux-based products like Kismet and Wellenreiter. You don't even need to install Linux--try the CD-bootable Auditor security collection (moser-informatik.ch) with a supported wireless card. For more comprehensive and continuous wireless security and performance management, try Network Chemistry's distributed solution. The RF Protect pilot package includes three 802.11a/b/g sensors and associated software for only $1,899.
Pending 6GHz spectrum availability, faster speeds, and private wireless access use drive FWA forward.
The new HPE Aruba 730 series Wi-Fi 7 access points tout high performance, enhanced security, location tracking capabilities, and more.
Verizon is demoing crowd analytics technology that uses 5G along with AI and mobile edge computing to give stadium operators insights into the flow of fans throughout a venue.
