wireless LAN images

Wireless LAN

This shows wired and wireless networks working together. In a large office, access points, switches and routers are stand-alone products. An access point is like a cellphone tower, but its signal distance is measured in feet, not miles. In a large building, users can roam between access points without losing a connection.

Wireless Router

For small networks, a wireless router combines router, access point and switch. The antennas are the Wi-Fi, the 1-2-3-4 Ethernet ports are wired to computers and printers, and the Internet/WAN port is for the cable/DSL modem. This Belkin unit uses two antennas to send and three to receive (see MIMO). (Image courtesy of Belkin Corporation, www.belkin.com)

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