Wireless Network Configurations

Ad-Hoc network: A network configuration without supporting network infrastructure.

• Every device involved with the ad-hoc network communicates with every other device within range, and all nodes help pass along messages

Wireless LANS (WLANS): One or more access points act as a bridge between a wireless and a wired network

• wired network acts as a normal LAN
• the wired LAN contains the outbound Internet link
• wireless devices need to communicate outside the LAN via access points, then they forward traffic along to gateway router

Mesh networks: Like ad-hoc networks, lots of devices communicate with each other device, forming a mesh if you were to draw lines for all the links between all the nodes

• most are made up of wireless access points and still be connected to a wired network
• this kind of network lets you deploy more access points to the mesh without having to run a cable to each of them
• can increase the performance and range of a wireless network