Technology

Wirelessly connecting people to their data, e-mails, the Internet is a large part of our business. Over time the technology used to deliver wireless networking has changed substantially.

A wireless LAN installed just two years ago may by current standards be considered old technology.

WIN enable your staff to have secure access to their important data from anywhere in or around the Enterprise. Our wireless infrastructures provide robust and highly secure connectivity between the wireless enabled laptop, PDA or IP mobile phone, to the Enterprise network.

Our wireless LAN infrastructures are designed to cover all areas of the enterprise buildings and surrounding areas outside. This means that staff with a mobile device such as laptop, PDA or IP portable telephone, can continue to work whilst away from their desk using the fixed connection to the network and accessing their data.

Enterprise wireless networking has evolved - from the individual access point technology that originated in the mid 1990’s to today’s third-generation solutions. Now highly secure, with multi-service access point technology.

The evolution of enterprise wireless networking is now moving in two directions using two technologies. Each delivers unique features and benefits. As to which will suit the needs of your organisation, we will be pleased to assist and advise you. However, the following overview may help you.

The advances have been in several key areas.

• How the radio is operated – switched or stand-alone access points
• Voice over wireless LAN, for portable IP telephones to communicate across the network
• High security and Management

There are currently two main wireless LAN technologies

Technology type one

• An extension to the existing network, not an overlay as traditional wireless LANs. The IT manager sets up only one list of profiles. Users are either fixed or mobile
• Each access point has up to 16 virtual access points, each with its own ESSID. This means that up to sixteen completely separate types of user can access the network, completely securely through one access point. Users can include - corporate users of several profiles, guests for Internet/e-mail access, portable IP telephones, CCTV cameras etc.
• Highly scaleable from just one or two access points up to hundreds of access points
• High performance. Up to 16 users of portable IP handsets can connect to the network via a single access point.

Technology type two

This later technology has developed from the realisation that:
a)  Frequencies are a scarce resource and must be used very efficiently
b)  That WiFi wireless LAN is not designed for mobility

• All access points across the network provide seamless coverage and operate on the same channel
• No radio planning is required and so no costly radio survey is needed. Keeping costs very low. Also, simple to install, equates to very low installation costs
• Access points can be added without the need for radio planning, each with up to 16 virtual access points
• Delivers the highest data rate of any enterprise wireless LAN infrastructure. The higher the capacity, the more users can access services at fast connection speeds
• Is voice ready, meaning that any VoIP ‘SIP’ phone will operate across the network. This technology can guarantee a number of concurrent voice sessions throughout the area
• Compared to traditional wireless LAN technologies that also deliver voice, this technology has solved the issue of roaming IP telephone users by allowing at least 25 users to move around and roam between wireless cells whilst on a call

For more details on the technologies used in our wireless LAN solutions please call or contact us