Wired & Wireless Networking Solutions
The biggest difference between these two types of networks is one uses network cables and one uses radio frequencies. A wired network allows for a faster and more secure connection and can only be used for distances shorter than 2,000 feet. A wireless network is a lot less secure and transmission speeds can suffer from outside interference. Although wireless networking is a lot more mobile than wired networking the range of the network is usually 150-300 indoors and up to 1000 feet outdoors depending on the terrain
.The cost for wired networking has become rather inexpensive. Ethernet cables, hubs and switches are very inexpensive. Some connection sharing software packages, like ICS, are free; some cost a nominal fee. Broadband routers cost more, but these are optional components of a wired network, and their higher cost is offset by the benefit of easier installation and built-in security features.
Wireless gear costs somewhat more than the equivalent wired Ethernet products. At full retail prices, wireless adapters and access points may cost three or four times as much as Ethernet cable adapters and hubs/switches, respectively. 802.11b products have dropped in price considerably with the release of 802.11g. Wired LANs offer superior performance. A traditional Ethernet connection offers only 10 Mbps bandwidth, but 100 Mbps Fast Ethernet technology costs a little more and is readily available. Fast Ethernet should be sufficient for file sharing, gaming, and high-speed Internet access for many years into the future. (Wi-Fi.org) Wired LANs utilizing hubs can suffer performance slowdown if computers heavily utilize the network simultaneously. Use Ethernet switches instead of hubs to avoid this problem; a switch costs little more than a hub.
Wireless networks using 802.11b support a maximum bandwidth of 11 Mbps, roughly the same as that of old, traditional Ethernet. 802.11a and 802.11g LANs support 54 Mbps, that is approximately one-half the bandwidth of Fast Ethernet. Furthermore, wireless networking performance is distance sensitive, meaning that maximum performance will degrade on computers farther away from the access point or other communication endpoint. As more wireless devices utilize the 802.11 LAN more heavily, performance degrades even further.The greater mobility of wireless LANs helps offset the performance disadvantage. Mobile computers do not need to be tied to an Ethernet cable and can roam freely within the wireless network range. However, many computers are larger desktop models, and even mobile computers must sometimes be tied to an electrical cord and outlet for power. This undermines the mobility advantage of wireless networks in many organizations and homes. For any wired network connected to the Internet, firewalls are the primary security consideration. Wired Ethernet hubs and switches do not support firewalls. However, firewall software products like Zone Alarm can be installed on the computers themselves. Broadband routers offer equivalent firewall capability built into the device, configurable through its own software.
In theory, wireless LANs are less secure than wired LANs, because wireless communication signals travel through the air and can easily be intercepted. The weaknesses of wireless security are more theoretical than practical. (Wi-Fi.org) Wireless networks protect their data through the Wired Equivalent Privacy (WEP) encryption standard that makes wireless communications reasonably as safe as wired ones. No computer network is completely secure. Important security considerations for organizations tend to not be related to whether the network is wired or wireless but rather ensuring that the firewall is properly configured, employees are aware of the dangers of spoof emails, they are away of spy ware and how to avoid and that anyone outside the organization does not have unauthorized access to the network.