802.11n is delivering on promises to bring revolutionary advances in throughput and capacity to the wireless LAN. For the first time in the history of the development of IEEE 802.11 networks, wireless LAN speeds are comparable to commonly used wired technologies. Now that wireless LAN users have access to speeds well in excess of 100 Mbps, wireless LANs can no longer be treated as an afterthought. Overlay approaches of years past that treated wireless access as subordinate to the wired LAN are no longer feasible given the speed parity and the expectation of users that 802.11 is the default method of connecting to a network. With the adoption of 802.11n, concerns over the capabilities of wireless LAN technology have become concerns that affect the whole network, not just the first hop across the radio.
Before successfully migrating to 802.11n, there are several questions that must be considered. These questions include:
- How do 802.11n APs connect to the existing core network?
- How are 802.11n APs powered?
- What changes are required to the network backbone to support the higher speeds of 802.11n?
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This paper provides an excellent overview of quite important technical issues that must be addressed as Wi-Fi access continues to permeate the enterprise and, in many cases, to be used as a replacement for "wired" access.
Issues such as the use of PoE are especially nicely addressed, as is the general overview of how the addition of extensive wireless coverage can have an impact on overall network design.