The goal of WLANs is to replace office cabling, to enable tetherless access to the internet and, to introduce a higher flexibility for ad-hoc communication in, e.g., group meetings.
Some advantages of WLANs are:
Flexibility: Within radio coverage, nodes can communicate without further restriction. Radio waves can penetrate walls, senders and receivers can be placed anywhere (also non-visible, e.g., within devices, in walls etc.). Sometimes wiring is difficult if firewalls separate buildings (real firewalls made out of, e.g., bricks, not routers set up as a firewall). Penetration of a firewall is only permitted at certain points to prevent fire from spreading too fast.
● Planning: Only wireless ad-hoc networks allow for communication without previous planning, any wired network needs wiring plans. As long as devices follow the same standard, they can communicate. For wired networks, additional cabling with the right plugs and probably interworking units (such as switches) have to be provided.
● Design: Wireless networks allow for the design of small, independent devices which can for example be put into a pocket. Cables not only restrict users but also designers of small PDAs, notepads etc. Wireless senders and receivers can be hidden in historic buildings, i.e., current networking technology can be introduced without being visible.
● Robustness: Wireless networks can survive disasters, e.g., earthquakes or users pulling a plug. If the wireless devices survive, people can still communicate. Networks requiring a wired infrastructure will usually break down completely.
