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Wi-Fi, wireless fidelity, is a technology that allows information to be sent from one device to another without wires. This is especially exciting in the computer networking industry, as it allows devices and people to be more mobile. This technology also has many applications for associations. Associations are beginning to use wireless technology to increase mobility and productivity of staff members. In our association each staff is provided a laptop and wireless card. For collaboration purposes each staff member can simply pick up his or her laptop and walk across the office to show someone else something on the screen. They still maintain access to the network, including the ability to print, access the fileserver, and browse the Web. Wireless also has several applications for associations at meetings. Attendees are coming to meetings with wireless technology and are expecting connectivity. While the technology is usually easy to provide, you must fit the right technology to the right application

Wi-Fi, wireless fidelity, is a technology that allows information to be sent from one device to another without wires. This is especially exciting in the computer networking industry, as it allows devices and people to be more mobile. This technology also has many applications for associations.

Technology requirements

The most widely available wireless technology in use today is the 802.11b LAN standard (an Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers standard). The 802.11b standard allows data to be sent at a speed of 11 megabits per second (Mbps). That is usually sufficient for normal office tasks such as reading e-mail and browsing the Web. Many offices are still wired with 10Mbps equipment, so users won't notice much difference when switching to wireless if they are used to that speed of network. The primary bottleneck for most associations browsing the Web is the association's connection to the Internet, which is usually significantly slower than 10Mbps. Staff may see a delay when performing a large data transfer from a server-for example, when they are installing an application from the network server. For those types of applications a wired network connection or something faster than 11Mbps will be of benefit.

A newer, faster technology is now becoming more readily available. The 802.11a LAN standard will support data transfer speeds of 54Mbps. This is significantly faster than the 11Mbps of 802.11b. The 802.11a standard also provides other benefits. While 802.11b operates at the 2.4 gigahertz (GHz) level used by cordless phones and microwave ovens, 802.11a runs in the less congested 5GHz spectrum. Some vendors are now providing technology that supports both the 802.11a and the 802.11b standards simultaneously. This allows organizations to choose which technology is best for each application and helps support the investment that many organizations may already have in 802.11b technology.

The technology devices generally consist of access points, which can be thought of as hubs, and wireless cards, which are installed in a PC, laptop, or printer.

Access points. An access point can provide connectivity for several wireless devices simultaneously. When installing a wireless access point, you need to take into consideration distance and interference of internal walls. For example, in an office environment you might choose to install access points every 100 feet throughout the building to account for walls and other interference. In a relatively open foyer of a convention center or hotel, you might be able to reach several hundred feet with a single access point. Placing the access point in a high, open location generally produces the best results. Some access points provide an input for an external antenna, The use of an external antenna can greatly increase your distance. Some access points can also be used as bridges. A wireless bridge allows you to go from a wired connection to a wireless connection. The wireless connection then connects to another wireless device across an open space. That wireless device can then be converted back to a wire. This is a great application when you want to connect across a foyer of a hotel but do not want to run a wire across the floor. We have also used wireless bridges to connect from a convention center to a nearby hotel. In those cases a directional antenna can greatly boost performance. Keep in mind that each access point usually needs a data cable that connects to the facility's infrastructure and electricity.

Wireless devices. The other part of the technology is the wireless device. Several vendors provide wireless PCMCIA (Personal Computer Memory Card International Association) cards for laptops and wireless peripheral component interconnect (PCI) cards for desktops and printers. Many manufacturers are currently providing built-in wireless technology. Small handheld devices like the PocketPC also have wireless capability, which will allow you to browse the Web from your handheld device. Wireless capabilities can be added to personal and handheld computers for around $150 per device.

Uses for association staff

Associations are beginning to use wireless technology to increase mobility and productivity of staff members. In our association each staff is provided a laptop and wireless card. For collaboration purposes each staff member can simply pick up his or her laptop and walk across the office to show someone else something on the screen. They still maintain access to the network, including the ability to print, access the fileserver, and browse the Web.

Staff feel much more comfortable in bringing technology into staff meetings. While a wired connection is still available in the conference rooms, most staff rely on the wireless connectivity. It is not uncommon to see three or four staff in the conference room all working on a project. Each of them will have their laptop with their wireless connection.

The technology is also convenient for telecommuters. Many of our employees have connected a wireless access point to their home broadband connection. This allows them to use wireless throughout the home. Devices on the market now allow you to connect your broadband connection and then connect wired devices, wireless devices, and a shared printer to the same box for less than $100.

Staff who travel are finding an increasing number of public facilities that provide wireless access. Many airports, hotels, and convention centers provide fee-based or free access to wireless networks. Costs are normally around $10 per day for access. In airports, for example, this is well worth the cost when faced with trying to find a modem-capable public phone. Staff who use wireless on the road generally stay more connected and are more productive when traveling.

We see an increase in the number of visitors to the office who are coming prepared with wireless technology. We host several meetings at our facilities for committee members and task forces. By providing the necessary configuration information for visitors, they can stay connected and be more productive m their meetings.

Uses in association meetings

Wireless has several applications for associations at meetings. Attendees are coming to meetings with wireless technology and are expecting connectivity. While the technology is usually easy to provide, you must fit the right technology to the right application. Here are several examples of effective uses of wireless technology for conducting various association-related meetings.

* Board of directors meeting. Let's say that you have a board meeting in a hotel conference room, and the only connectivity is a standard phone line. Board members would like to check their e-mail in the meeting room instead of carrying their laptops back to their hotel rooms. An inexpensive low-band-width application of wireless technology would be to order a single phone line from the hotel. Then set up a modem-enabled wireless access point such as AirPort, manufactured by Apple Computer, Inc. From that single phone line all participants could share a 56kb wireless connection, and you can even connect an inexpensive hub to the Apple AirPort so that people without a wireless card can connect a wire to a standard Ethernet cable. The cost of the single phone line from the hotel is relatively inexpensive. Will it be slow? Probably, but not much different from the phone jack provided in the hotel room. Will it be adequate for a handful of people to check e-mail? Almost always.

* General session in a large ballroom.

The general session speaker is giving a presentation to your attendees that requires Internet access. The room has an Ethernet connection, but unfortunately it is on the wall in the back of the ballroom. You could run a wire across the floor of the ballroom but that might look tacky, be hard to conceal, and could pose a hazard. In this case you can connect a wireless hub to the data port in the back of the room. Make sure that the access point is raised off of the floor well above the heads of the attendees, as the human body can interfere with connectivity. Then on the stage place a wireless bridge. Connect an Ethernet cable to that wireless bridge up to the computer at the podium for Internet connectivity.

* Kiosks for attendees. You have been providing kiosks for attendees to access their e-mail at your conference, hut there just never seems to be enough computers. To help lessen the pressure on the few kiosks, connect a wireless access point to the network in a common area. Then provide adequate signage that wireless connectivity is available. Prior to your conference, announce to the attendees that wireless connectivity will be provided in common areas for attendees. You may also want to provide a single-page brochure in the registration materials that explains to attendees how to use this technology. We see a couple hundred people simultaneously using this technology at our meetings.

Consider whether you want to provide connectivity in the meeting rooms or not. Some speakers may see that as a distraction. Currently we restrict our connectivity to the common areas by strategically placing the access points. Wireless access at a conference is also a good candidate for sponsorship. You may consider asking a vendor to provide funds to pay for the access points and Internet connection for attendees in return for having their name on signage in the area.

Issues and concerns

Many issues and concerns with wireless connectivity still exist.

Security. Security is a major concern in offices. A common mistake is to connect the access point behind your firewall. (A firewall is a combination of hardware and software that protects your private network from other users outside of your network.) When you do that, anyone walking down the street can connect to your network behind the firewall. One strategy to address this issue is to place the access point outside of your firewall. That protects your network from outsiders but makes access more difficult for authorized users. To connect to the network staff will be blocked like all other users and will need to access the internal network by using a VPN (virtual private network) connection. This connection creates a secure tunnel through the firewall to access resources on the network.

A set of new products is emerging that allows you to place the wireless access point inside your firewall while still authenticating access through passwords or the computer's media access control (MAC) address. Encryption technologies do exist but are not all fully mature. The WEP (wired equivalent privacy) protocol was designed to provide wireless networks with a level of security and privacy equal to wired networks. While it is normally effective, several tools are available on the Internet that would allow hackers to compromise this security. So WEP should not be used as the only security measure for your wireless networks.

Costs. The costs of wireless technology are relatively inexpensive. This is good and bad. It means that you can inexpensively install a wireless network consisting of a single access point ($100-$500) and wireless access cards for under $1,000 total depending on the number of access points and wireless-enabled devices. One issue that can pose problems is that speakers and exhibitors are beginning to use wireless connections. At our last convention we found more than a dozen fully working wireless networks installed in exhibitor booths. While it is convenient and low cost for them, it can create compatibility and usability issues for everyone. We ask that exhibitors notify us in advance of the conference if they plan to use wireless in their booth. We then create a network plan to help reduce interference between booths.

Meeting facilities are just beginning to see the benefits of wireless technology. However, in some cases the pricing models have to adjust as well. Some facilities use the "per-user" or "per-computer" pricing model. It is not uncommon for a single access point to provide access for 50 people. An hour later, 50 different people might be connected to the same access point. Some facilities would count this as 100 users or 100 computers while others would count this as 50 simultaneous users. So it is important to understand the facility pricing models before you order service. It you use your own equipment, some facilities will charge a set fee per IP address (a unique identifier of a computer attached to the Internet) or per-computer MAC address, making the costs prohibitive for associations. The wired pricing models just do not apply in the wireless world.

Some facilities are providing the wireless connectivity as a service. This can be a real no-brainer for some associations, as they do not have to worry about the costs or the billing. However, it is an added cost for the attendees at those facilities because they will have to provide a credit card and purchase the service through the facilities billing system. Make sure that you understand what technology is in place at a facility. If you plan to use wireless for your registration desk, make sure that you negotiate with the facility the ability to provide your own hub and equipment to connect your registration desk. Most facilities will allow you to bring a hub or network into a single room or area. Wireless technology makes it easier for your association, but you need to coordinate your plans with the facility before you get on site.

Technology of today

Wireless technology is here to stay. It will continue to emerge and be integrated into more of our everyday products. The wireless office of the future might include wireless computers, printers, fax machines, and even phones. The relatively low expense, easy setup, and proliferation of wireless-enabled devices should lead even an executive of a small association to consider what role wireless technology will play m his or her organization's daily operations in the future.