Conclusion: The Future of the WLAN

Conclusion: The Future of the WLAN
What will the future hold for wireless devices? At the moment, 802.11b
is the more popular wireless technology. Bluetooth hasn’t really caught
on as much as 802.11, but it is the most competitive wireless alternative
protocol to offer a really viable technological alternative for a mobile
user’s connectivity needs.
Since there are both pros and cons to 802.11 and Bluetooth, the two
technologies may complement each other’s capabilities as they proliferate.
The main concern is speed. While Bluetooth is still basically maxed
out at 2 Mbps, 802.11b can achieve 11 Mbps, and with 802.11a coming
down in price and increasing in practicality (with compatibility to
802.11b devices) it may well be the winner in the next few years.
When we compare technologies, we can’t make a direct comparison per
se between wireless devices based on speed. Bluetooth is more advanced
in the area of mobile phone devices and some PDAs because it was
designed more as a universal standard that can be used to eliminate our
wired world. 802.11 is more popular and provides users with needed
speed. This means that mobile devices will more than likely stick with
Bluetooth applications, while wireless workstations will stay with 802.11.
Support for 802.11 is more evident as Microsoft Windows XP, Mac OS
X, and the new operating system called Lindows OS (Linux-based operating
system that can run some Windows applications) all offer integrated
support for 802.11 right out of the box without any configuration necessary.
This is the best indicator that 802.11 is here to stay and will
have the most impact on WLANs for the near future and beyond.