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Redirected from: WLAN

Definition: wireless LAN


(wireless Local Area Network) A wireless communications network that connects almost anything electronic to the Internet and to each other.

Wi-Fi is the standard wireless LAN in homes and offices for creating hotspots for tablets, printers and smartphones. It is commonly used with wired Ethernet, and both wireless and wired devices enable access to the Internet and local sharing. See Ethernet.

The wireless base station is an "access point" (AP) with antennas that transmit and receive radio frequencies within 150 feet indoors through walls and non-metal barriers. Outdoors is 500 feet and more. For Wi-Fi standards, see 802.11. See Wi-Fi hotspot, cellular hotspot, wireless router, LAN switch, wireless broadband and WPAN.




Wi-Fi in a Company
In a big company, access points, switches and routers are stand-alone devices. In addition, industrial strength commercial products can cost 10 times as much as consumer devices.






Wi-Fi in the Home
For the home and small office, a wireless router combines three network devices in one box. For more details, see wireless router.





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