A pervasive trend in modern computing is to network multiple computing devices to one another so that the computing devices can share data in an electronic format. Computing devices that can be networked include, for example, fixed location computers (e.g., desktop computers and workstations), portable computers (e.g., laptop or notebook computers and personal digital assistants (PDAs)), input/output (I/O) devices (e.g., printers, scanners, and digital senders). However, the networked devices can also include devices that exchange voice data (e.g., mobile telephones or handheld radios).
Another trend in the networking of computing devices is to provide wireless data exchange between a client device and an access point. Multiple access points can be networked together to form a wireless local area network (WLAN). More specifically, the access points (also referred to as wireless access points, or WAPs) communicate via a hard wired infrastructure using a series of hubs and/or switches that are interconnected to form a local area network (LAN). Various servers (e.g., a web server, an e-mail server, a print server, a database server, a file server, and so forth) can be coupled to the LAN via one or more of the hubs and/or switches.
With reference to FIG. 1, a typical conventional network 10 that includes wireless communication to one or more client computing devices 12 is illustrated. The client computing devices 12 are provided with a communications protocol that can be executed by a processor of the computing device 12 and/or by dedicated communications hardware (e.g., a transceiver) coupled to the client computing device 12. The communications hardware can include an antenna 14. The antennas 14 exchange signals with the WAPs 16. The WAPs 16 execute a communications protocol corresponding to the communication protocol executed by the client devices 12. The WAPs 16 also include communications hardware (e.g., a transceiver with an antenna 18) for broadcasting signals to the client devices 12 and receiving signals broadcast by the client devices 12.
Each WAP 16 is placed in communication with a switch or, as illustrated, a hub 20 via a physical hard wired connection 22. Each hub 20 is hard wired to at least one other hub 20 via a physical wired connection 24. For example, the hubs 20 can be arranged in a hierarchical structure, a token ring configuration and so forth. It is noted that the hard wired connections 22 and 24 can be electrically conductive wires (e.g., twisted pair or coaxial cable) or can be another conductor medium (e.g., fiber optic cable). The hubs 20, the WAPs 16 and the hardwired connections 22 and 24 make up a wired LAN 30.
Various servers 26 and/or a network manager terminal 28 can be coupled to the wired LAN 30 via one or more of the hubs 20. The wired LAN 30 can also be coupled to an external, or public network 32 (e.g., the Internet) via a firewall 34. The firewall 34 provides information technology security between the external network 32 and the wired LAN 30.
Although the conventional network 10 illustrated in FIG. 1 is effective for exchanging data packets between the client computing devices 12 and the servers 26, the conventional network 10 has at least two disadvantages. First, the hard wired connections 22 and 24 are difficult, time consuming and expensive to install. In a hard wired network, cables must be strung throughout a facility (e.g., a building). Wiring the network can include passing wires through walls, floors, above suspended ceilings panels, below raised floor panels, and so forth. Such installation work can prove difficult during construction of a new building and even more difficult in an existing building, especially in existing buildings that were built before computer networks were considered in the architectural plan.
A second disadvantage of the conventional network 10 is that information security of the conventional network 10 can be compromised if an unscrupulous user of a client device 12 establishes communication with one of the WAPs 16. Such a client device 12 would be located on the local side of the firewall 34 and, assuming that the client device 12 has obtained proper authentication, can access various other devices on the local side of the firewall 34, including the servers 26.
Accordingly, there exists a need in the art for a communications network that reduces its reliance on hard wired connections and has enhanced security.