Centralized WLAN Troubleshooting

Maximizing Wireless Network Availability

By Motorola
Published 2009, Posted April 2009

Abstract:

Wireless Local Area Networks (WLAN) have proliferated within the enterprise. The business efficiencies realized though wireless mobility are fairly well established. WLAN infrastructure solutions have matured, and provide reasonable interoperability under the Wi-Fi certification program.

While the cost of deploying a WLAN solution has dropped over the last several years, the operational expense of maintaining and managing a WLAN continues to rise. As more and more enterprise applications and workforce migrate to wireless, the cost of troubleshooting and fixing wireless network connectivity and performance issues is increasing. Unlike wired networks, wireless networks pose unique challenges given the transient and shared nature of the communication medium. The ability to effectively analyze and respond to wireless problems is indispensable for maximizing the Return-on-Investment (ROI) from a WLAN solution.

This paper provides a summary of some of the key wireless performance issues that affect enterprise WLAN deployments. The Motorola AirDefense distributed WLAN monitoring system provides a vendor agnostic, cost effective, centrally managed, WLAN troubleshooting solution that can significantly improve the wireless network availability for enterprises.