Best Wireless LAN

WaveLAN Dominates Over LAN Airwaves

The wireless market arrived hyped and hot, and ever since it has been trying to find its rightful place in corporate offices. One of the first systems available--and still the most useful--is AT and T Global Information Solutions' WaveLAN. WaveLAN uses direct sequencing technology for accessing bandwidth. While direct sequencing might not be appropriate for some environments, like shop floors or other environments with lots of electrical noise, it works well in most office environments.
Throughput is the key criterion for in-building wireless networks, and WaveLAN is the king of the hill. Proxim's frequency hopping approach sacrifices some bandwidth, on a per-station basis, for lower power consumption and higher noise immunity. AT and T GIS WaveLAN also offers one option not available from the others: Its DES encryption is unique and a must for those worried about data security.
Right behind AT and T, Proxim was the first to offer cards that use frequency hopping and comply with the 802.11 IEEE specification. As a result, Proxim sets itself apart as the vendor to beat for frequency hopping technology. RangeLAN2 includes a full range of bus options including PCMCIA cards.
Windata's wireless Ethernet bridge is a high-bandwidth, short-distance solution for connected LAN segments. Because of its high-speed design, it has the potential to actually run at full Ethernet speed. Don't look for a PCMCIA version of Windata's product. To get the very high throughput rates, they use gallium arsenide technology. Gallium arsenide is very fast, but it runs hot a nd would melt the average laptop. The system is wireless, so any protocol will run over it. If you need a high-speed wireless system to connect a couple of LAN segments, Windata has a great solution.

WaveLAN, $695, AT and T Global
Information Solutions,
1334 S. Patterson Blvd.,
Dayton, OH 45479.
(800) ATT-WAVE; fax (513) 445-5552.

Runners-Up
RangeLAN2, Proxim,
295 N. Bernardo Ave.,
Mountain View, CA 94043.
(415) 960-1630; fax (415) 964-1984.

FreePort, Windata, 543 Great Rd., Littleton, MA 01460.
(508) 952-0170; fax (508) 952-0168.