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ABSTRACT:
Wireless local area networks (WLAN) are expected to be a major growth factor for communication networks. They are expected to provide a transparent connection for mobile hosts to communicate with other mobile hosts, and wired hosts on the wired LAN and broadband networks. Wireless LANs frequently augment rather than replace wired LAN networks-often providing the final few meters of connectivity between a wired network and the mobile user. In the second part of the paper, we evaluate and compare configuration and features of Wireless LAN. We also evaluate how well the two network modules play. We found that, Wireless network security and at the same time signal strength problems with Wireless LAN. 
INTRODUCTION TO WIRELESS LAN:
A wireless local area network (LAN) is a flexible data communications system implemented as an extension to, or as an alternative for, a wired LAN. Using radio frequency (RF) technology, wireless LANs transmit and receive data over the air, minimizing the need for wired connections. Thus, wireless LANs combine data connectivity with user mobility.
Wireless LANs have gained strong popularity in a number of vertical markets, including the health-care, retail, manufacturing, warehousing, and academia. These industries have profited from the productivity gains of using hand-held terminals and notebook computers to transmit real-time information to centralized hosts for processing. Today wireless LANs are becoming more widely recognized as a general-purpose connectivity alternative for a broad range of business customers. Business research Group, a market research firm, predicts a six fold expansion of the worldwide wireless LAN market by the year 2000, reaching more than $2 billion in revenues.
Why wireless?
The widespread reliance on networking in business and the meteoric growth of the Internet and online services are strong testimonies to the benefits of shared data and shared resources. With wireless LANs, users can access shared information without looking for a place to plug in, and network managers can set up or augment networks without installing or moving wires.
Wireless LANs offer the following:
 Mobility,
 Installation Speed and Simplicity,
 Installation Flexibility,
 Reduced Cost-of-Ownership,
 Scalability…
HOW WIRELESS LANS ARE USED IN THE REAL WORLD:
Wireless LANs frequently augment rather than replace wired LAN networks-often providing the final few meters of connectivity between a wired network and the mobile user. The following list describes some of the many applications made possible through the power and flexibility of wireless LANs:
• Doctors and nurses in hospitals are more productive because hand-held or notebook computers with wireless LAN capability deliver patient information instantly.
• Consulting or accounting audit teams or small workgroups increase productivity with quick network setup.
• Students holding class on a campus greensward access the Internet to consult the catalog of the Library of Congress.
• Network managers in dynamic environments minimize the overhead caused by moves, extensions to networks, and other changes with wireless LANs.
• Training sites at corporations and students at universities use wireless connectivity to ease access to information, information exchanges, and learning.
• Network managers installing networked computers in older buildings find that wireless LANs are a cost-effective network infrastructure solution.
• Trade show and branch office workers minimize setup requirements by installing pre-configured wireless LANs needing no local MIS support.
• Warehouse workers use wireless LANs to exchange information with central databases, thereby increasing productivity.
• Network managers implement wireless LANs to provide backup for mission-critical applications running on wired networks.
• Senior executives in meetings make quicker decisions because they have real-time information at their fingertips.