Wireless Backbone Solutions
Welcome to Educational Networks by HSdataline
Wi-Fi in the Backbone
Nearly 70 percent of network pros recently polled currently running fixed wireless report that 802.11 products form the backbone of their networks. Two types of 802.11--a and g--provide a theoretical maximum of 54 Mbps and are available at a low cost from many distributors. An 802.11a/g bridge can serve as a link between the network main node and a remote location, and specialized antennas with high levels of gain, such as a yagi or parabolic dish, make the signal effectively stronger than if it had been transmitted from a standard patch or "rubber duck" antenna (the stubby rubber antenna you see on walkie-talkies and most Wi-Fi access points). As readily available, low-cost and highly adaptable as these systems are, why would anyone use anything else?
A few reasons. 802.11a/g products' limits in throughput and security may lead IT to consider other options for bridging and MAN (metropolitan-area networking) deployments. Although 45 percent of readers polled say they are most concerned about security, compared with 27 percent citing performance, the most significant limitation is that the protocols involved were created to support individual users in a point-to-multipoint topology, resulting in throughput levels that are, at best, only half the data rate because of network overhead, lack of signal strength, and various contention and interference issues. Wi-Fi links won't reach 54 Mbps and may miss that mark by a wide margin, especially if the endpoints are using noise-filled channels trying to avoid interference in the crowded 2.4-GHz band (for 802.11g) or the (as yet) less crowded 5-GHz band (802.11a). Because of less potential for interference and many more channels, 5 GHz is usually a better choice than 2.4 GHz for these links.
In addition, the aforementioned wide availability means attackers can get their hands on a range of Wi-Fi gear, along with testing, surveying and security tools that will help them find and dissect your 802.11a/g signals. Transmissions can be made more secure through encryption, though we recommend going beyond the security methods contained within normal 802.11a/g implementations by including, for example, strategies such as 128-bit AES encryption. Although preshared keys are not acceptable for Wi-Fi because of key distribution issues, this method, implemented through third-party software systems, is fine for fixed wireless deployments consisting of a small number of nodes.
Still, if your demands are relatively low, say, 25 Mbps or less, and you don't need iron-clad quality of service or security, an 802.11a or g system may be the most cost-effective way to extend a wireless network. If your requirements are more rigorous, throughput in excess of 100 Mbps, interference reduction and consistent performance are available in systems developed for point-to-point purposes.