8
Wireless Basics
D-Link wireless products are based on industry standards to provide easy-to-use and 
compatible  high-speed  wireless  connectivity  within  your  home,  business  or  public 
access wireless networks. D-Link wireless products will allow you access to the data 
you  want,  when  and  where  you  want  it. You  will  be  able  to  enjoy  the  freedom  that 
wireless networking brings.
A WLAN is a cellular computer network that transmits and receives data with radio signals 
instead of wires. WLANs are used increasingly in both home and office environments, 
and public areas such as airports, coffee shops and universities. Innovative ways to 
utilize WLAN technology are helping people to work and communicate more efficiently. 
Increased mobility and the absence of cabling and other fixed infrastructure have proven 
to be beneficial for many users.
Wireless users can use the same applications they use on a wired network.  Wireless 
adapter cards used on laptop and desktop systems support the same  protocols  as 
Ethernet adapter cards. 
People use wireless LAN technology for many different purposes:
Mobility - Productivity increases when people have access to data in any location 
within the operating range of the WLAN.  Management decisions based on real-time 
information can significantly improve worker efficiency.
Low  Implementation  Costs  –  WLANs  are  easy  to  set  up,  manage,  change 
and  relocate.  Networks  that  frequently  change  can  benefit  from  WLANs  ease  of 
implementation. WLANs can operate in locations where installation of wiring may be 
impractical.
Installation and Network Expansion - Installing a WLAN system can be fast and 
easy and can eliminate the need to pull cable through walls and ceilings. Wireless 
technology allows the network to go where wires cannot go - even outside the home 
or office.
Scalability – WLANs can be configured in a variety of topologies to meet the needs 
of specific applications and installations. Configurations are easily changed and range 
from peer-to-peer networks suitable for a small number of users to larger infrastructure 
networks to accommodate hundreds or thousands of users, depending on the number 
of wireless devices deployed.
Inexpensive Solution - Wireless network devices are as competitively priced as 
conventional Ethernet network devices.