What is WLAN?

A Wireless Local Area Network (WLAN) is a wireless distribution method in which a mobile user can connect to a local area network through a wireless radio connection. A WLAN enables the users to move around the coverage area, often a home, workplace, while maintaining an internet connection. Earlier, the WLANs were very expensive and were only used when the wired connection is impossible in the premises. In the late 1990s, most of the WLAN solutions and proprietary protocols were replaced by IEEE 802.11 standards in various versions (from versions “a” to “n”). The IEEE 802.11 group of standards elucidate the technologies for wireless LAN. The 802.11 standards use the Ethernet protocol and CSMA/ CA (carrier sense multiple access with collision avoidance) for the process of path sharing and that also include the encryption standard ( The Wired Equivalent Encryption Algorithm).