A review paper on IEEE 802.11 WLAN

Abstract

IEEE 802.11 wireless networks are becoming omnipresent nowadays, providing mobility as well as flexibility to the users accessing the information. Presently, it acts as an alternative to the wired network, but soon it may replace the wired network completely. The protocol is based on multiple access where a node competes with other nodes to get access to the communication medium and to transmit the data. A major aspect of wireless technology is roaming, which is defined as the ability to seamlessly change from one wireless AP to another. TCP used in wired networks is not appropriate for wireless networks because TCP assumes all loses as a result of congestion, which is not the case always in wireless links. Also, wireless networks are more vulnerable to security threats as compared to wired networks.