Cost Concerns

Although WLAN equipment is initially more costly than wired LANs,
you can actually save money when taking into consideration implementation
costs for deploying LAN cables. There are several mission-critical
factors you need to be aware of when you are contemplating costs (Figure
11.2) for your WLAN deployment:

Manufacturer compatibility (with future standards like 802.11a)

Manufacturer support

Retail sales

Cost factors

Equipment availability

When you determine the actual cost for a typical WLAN, it is important
to consider what types of computer devices you are going to use and
how much each brand/version will actually cost you in the long run, taking
into account operating expenses, software maintenance, and hardware
upgrades. The factors that will determine the cost of your specific
WLAN depend mostly on the devices described above, but you must also
consider your monthly management, application development, and any outsourcing expenses you will incur in dealing with everything from
installation to deployment.

In the majority of cases, your WLAN will actually pay for itself within
a year, when you consider increases in efficiency and productivity.
Equipment itself is not a limiting factor in today’s market, due to ease of
use and deployment.

The real issues involve the costs you will incur from a security
breach. Without careful attention and a proper security vulnerability
assessment, it is not uncommon for someone to hack into your network.
Whatever cost savings you might have enjoyed with respect to deployment
will be erased by analyzing the loss of data, business, and security.
However, if you pay careful attention to your security needs up front,
pay a little more for a proper security assessment, and maintain security
guidelines for your system—you can realize the benefits of this technology
and still save money in the process.