Wi-Fi LAN, or Wi-Fi technology has been available for approximately four years, and has been applied mainly on campuses and in office buildings, though its extension to use by corporations for access from hotels, airports and coffee shops is expected to be the next expansion step (Pappalardo, 2002). Wi-Fi technology is based on the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) 802.11b specification, using the 2.4-GHZ. spectrum to transmit data. This supports data flow rates of up to 11Mbit/sec, but because the access is shared, no one user sees rates this high. To access the services, users sign up with a Wi-Fi service provider and put a Wi-Fi PC card in their laptop to gain access to the Web and email services. At the present time, users have to be fairly close to a hotspot to access Wi-Fi services. Security is the major drawback on Wi-Fi systems, and it is recommended that customers use a VPN client who provides end-to-end encryption.
The IEEE 802.11 Working Group for Wireless and LANS is composed of nearly ô400 individuals with voting status who are affiliated with computer, networking and software companies, as well as with consultant organizations and academic institutionsö (Kerry and McCabe, 2003). IEEE 802.11 standards are a set of specifications which define how WLAN equipment should be produced so that there is compatibility among equipment made by different manufacturers. The IEEE Standards Association sets standards globally through an open process bringing all parts of the industry together. It has more than 870 completed standards, and over 400 more in development. It ôcreates, develops, and integrates, shapes, and applies knowledge about electro- and information technologies and sciences for the benefit of humanity and the profession.ö The Wi-Fi Alliance (WFA), formerly WEGA, is a not-for-profit organization formed in 1999 to certify the interoperability of 802.11 products and to promote the...