Information Technology Reference
In-Depth Information
market is strong, because they get a jump on the competition, and may be able to
influence the standards process in their favor. However, it is not unusual for a for-
ward-looking “pre-” standard to be incompatible with the final standard. In a sig-
nificant number of cases, the equipment cannot be upgraded to the final standard,
and you are left with obsolete, incompatible equipment that soon will not be sup-
ported even by the original manufacturer. Be very cautious if you buy into one of
these “solutions,” and be prepared to either toss it all out later, or to put up with
the incompatibilities and lack of supply.
Wireless technologies are great for quickly or temporarily expanding access to a net-
work or to the Internet. In some cases, they offer a long-term solution where a wired
connection would be impractical. In other situations, wireless offers freedom of
motion and location that is impossible with a wired connection.
The best practice is to learn enough about both wired and wireless technolo-
gies to recognize those situations where wireless is the best solution.
