Chapter 19. IEEE 802.11b: Wi-Fi Pioneer
SOME OF THE MAIN TOPICS IN THIS CHAPTER ARE
Components of an 802.11-Based Wireless Network 292 802.11bFirst, But Fading Away 292 What to Look For in an Access Point 294 Do You Need a Wireless Network? 297 Connecting the Wireless Network to a Wired LAN 298 Dual-Mode Access Points 298 Why Wi-Fi? 299
This chapter is intended to give you a brief introduction to the IEEE 802.11b standard, the first widely-available wireless Ethernet network standard. As discussed in the preceding chapter, the 2.4GHz radio frequency band (the Industrial, Scientific, and MedicalISMband) has been set aside as a worldwide (for the most part) radio frequency to be used for specific purposes, and this frequency range doesn't require a radio operator's license for you to use it. This is the frequency range that was chosen for wireless networking based on the IEEE 802.11b standard and its successor, IEEE 802.11g (see Chapter 21, "The IEEE 802.11g Standard"). The 802.11a standard, which uses the 5GHz band, is covered in Chapter 20, "Faster Service: IEEE 802.11a."
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