wireless local area network

2 definitions found

wireless local area network - WordNet (r) 2.1 (2005) :

  wireless local area network
      n 1: a local area network that uses high frequency radio signals
           to transmit and receive data over distances of a few
           hundred feet; uses ethernet protocol [syn: wireless local area network
           , WLAN, wireless fidelity, WiFi]

wireless local area network - Free On-line Dictionary of Computing (26 May 2007) :

  wireless local area network
  LAWN
  WiLAN
  WLAN
  
     <networking> (WLAN /W-lan/, or "LAWN" /lorn/, sometimes
     "WiLAN" /wi-lan/) A communication system that transmits and
     receives data using modulated electromagnetic waves,
     implemented as an extension to, or as an alternative for, a
     wired LAN.  WLANs are typically found within a small
     client node-dense locale (e.g. a campus or office
     building), or anywhere a traditional network cannot be
     deployed for logistical reasons.
  
     Benefits include user mobility in the coverage area, speed and
     simplicity of physical setup, and scalability.  Being a
     military spin-off, WLANs also provide security features such
     as encryption, frequency hopping, and firewalls.  Some
     of these are intrinsic to the protocol, making WLANs at
     least as secure as wired networks, and usually more so.  The
     drawbacks are high initial cost (mostly hardware), limited
     range, possibility of mutual interference, amd the need to
     security-enable clients.
  
     The established protocols are covered by IEEE 802.11 (http://standards.ieee.org/getieee802/)
     .  Recent developments
     include the Bluetooth project and other WPAN, or Personal Area Network
      initiatives, accessible through IEEE 802.15 working group (http://grouper.ieee.org/groups/802/15/)
     .
  
     Wireless Lan Association (http://wlana.org/).
  
     Usenet newsgroups: news:comp.dcom.lans.misc,
     news:comp.std.wireless.
  
     (2003-09-23)