Wireless LANs are useful for a wide range of applications. There are some applications, however, that are more effective and efficient than others. Let's take a look at several "killer applications," which are convincing situations that prompt the use of wireless LANs.

Sharing Internet Access

The most compelling reason to install a wireless LAN is to share a single high-speed Internet connection. This ability can benefit almost anybody, from the enterprise businessman to the college student to the person surfing the Web at home. The use of a wireless LAN to share a high-speed Internet connection allows the user to stay mobile and save money, because there are no wires to buy or install.

One example of a wireless LAN for this purpose is within a small office or home setting. Every member of a family or small business can easily share a single high speed connection through the use of a cable/DSL modem, access point (or wireless router), and radio-equipped end user devices. This is very convenient and saves money because everybody can simultaneously have access to a single connection and roam anywhere in the house or office.

A wireless LAN increases the flexibility of the network because you can add new workstations at any time without having to run cable. The relocation of workstations, along with any printers or servers, is also very easy. Wireless LANs also provide a high level of convenience in a larger enterprise environment because guests and corporate visitors with wireless devices can quickly connect to the network with very little configuration.

Transmitting Voice over Wireless LANs

The use of a wireless LAN to transmit voice is a great solution when people need to constantly be in contact with each other. Wireless LAN phones, which work just like cell phones when they are in the coverage of the wireless LAN, are very useful in places where workers are moving around. Some examples of wireless LAN phone solutions include the following:

• Retail stores where employees can communicate with each other to locate certain clothes for a customer and/or check inventory.
• Buildings where security guards can quickly call for onsite help, the police or an ambulance.
• Schools that need constant communications with teachers and custodians.
• Hotels where staff members are spread out on different floors and need to respond quickly to requests.

The most attractive aspects of wireless LAN phones are that they carry no monthly fee for use and there is no major installation associated with them (assuming a wireless LAN is already in place). While the phones themselves are a little expensive, they are still only about half the per phone cost of an equivalent wired system because they do not require any installation or wires. Conversely, a single wired phone usually runs about $900, which includes the phone and installation of wires.

Managing Manufacturing and Inventory

Many businesses benefit from using wireless LANs to manage their manufacturing processes. This lowers operating costs. Because the connections between the manufacturing equipment and main control systems are wireless, the company can reconfigure the assembly process at any time from anywhere, saving time and money.

A wireless LAN can also track and update inventory in real-time, enabling efficiency and accuracy to increase dramatically. In a retail environment, as soon as a clerk purchases or stocks a product, a wireless management solution can update the inventory. In the manufacturing environment, wireless LANs can keep the raw materials and finished product statistics up-to-date. Employees equipped with wireless-enabled bar code scanners can check or change product prices and/or check the number in stock.

The improved accuracy provided by using a wireless LAN to manage inventory creates a chain reaction of benefits. Because the clerks enter the information directly into the main computer via handheld scanners, there is no paperwork to deal with. This significantly reduces human error when entering data, which leads to very accurate financial records. This is important to manufacturing companies because accurate financial records ensure correct taxes are paid and fines (and possible law suits) are kept to a minimum.

Jim Geier is an independent consultant and founder of Wireless-Nets, Ltd (www.wireless-nets.com), a consulting firm assisting municipalities, enterprises, hospitals, airports, and equipment providers with the development and deployment of wireless networks.