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Wireless DSL routers are produced by s everal manufacturers, including Linksys, Belkin, Netgear, D-Link, and others. These manufacturers provide wireless routers for the SOHO (Small Office Home Office) marketplace. In essence, a wireless broadband router combines all the functions of a wired router but adds AP (access point) functionality to the bundle, as well as some additional software to setup wireless security, filtering, and control. Standard and Not. IEEE has established standards for the wireless DSL router spectrum, and currently has defined the 802.11a, 802.11b, and 802.11g standards. For a wireless DSL router to work, it must have a compatible wireless card in either a desktop or portable device that will work on the same format.
*G is considered "backward compatible" so that an 802.11g router can accept connections from both b and g client connections. Emerging standards involve combining frequencies to double the available bandwidth, and are expected to be known as 802.11n by 2006. WIMAX, operating at 10Ghz is expected to yield 5-10Mbs and cover a 25-mile range. Carrier trials are underway in 2005 as this emerging standard matures. Other wireless services are under trial as well, including SuperG, Mesh, Mobile-Fi, 3G, and MIMO. Here are some of the major functions of a DSL wireless router: ISP Connection Interface. These wireless routers are generally configured to work with DSL service. Since competition in the SOHO market for high-speed access is hot, and is projected to continue, prices will get more attractive on a "dollar per bit" rate, and you can expect that DSL router manufacturers will continue to distribute equipment that will work on either ISP format. DSL wireless routers terminate the ISP connection directly from the cable or DSL modem via a 100Mb Ethernet interface cable. Routing. Routing is the management of information across a network and involves two primary functions: 1) Establishing logical destination paths for information to use, and 2) Transmission of information "packets" along the predetermined routes. Routing tables can be either discovered or programmed, depending upon the complexity of a network. In a fully meshed network, several route choices may exist for transmission between two points. Wireless routers can manage traffic for both wired and wireless client connections. |
Wireless DSL Routers
