What is a Wireless LAN Controller? Complete Guide

A wireless LAN control is generally used in conjunction with the Lightweight Accesspoint Protocol to manage several light-weight access points by an enterprise or local network operations center. The wireless LAN control is a part of the Data Plane in the Cisco wireless model. It is used for controlling and managing the connection of various devices such as printers, computers, modems and phones to the same wireless site or server. The wireless controllers are also used for performing other functions such as processing, analysis, statistics, and reporting.

The wireless LAN controllers are very small in size and can be installed in an area where there is no LAN card or router. They work on the principle of radio frequencies. They can also be used to provide centralized control over multiple access points. They are very useful for controlling and monitoring wireless connections in multiple locations.

In the previous years, the wireless LAN controllers provided only one-way communication between the clients and the remote access points. However, recent devices support multi-mode communication between the client and the access points. These newer technologies provide for automatic negotiation and locking of communication channels for secure and exclusive use. The newer technologies also provide for secure data encryption to provide for secure transmission of data.

Earlier, the wireless LAN controllers were considered as a substitute for the wired LAN cards. They replaced the old wired systems with the wireless devices. However, the users found it to be inconvenient and uneconomical to use these wireless devices. Moreover, the users had to make frequent trips to the office and the location of the access points. Further, the security threat was high as it was necessary to set up passwords to access the wireless zones.

Thus, the wireless access controllers were developed. Nowadays, the wireless controllers are available as a built-in part of the computers. Some of the popular wireless LAN controllers include the Intel wireless adapters, Realtek wireless adapters, Linksys Wireless WiMax adapters and Motorola wireless adapters. They are mostly bundled with the computer, and the user need not buy them separately.

Further, wireless access controllers are also available in wireless adapter form. These devices are also known as wireless router or wireless adapters. They are specially configured to accept and connect to a specific SSID. It uses the built-in commands to connect to a LAN or network of computers. It can work better when used with a PC that supports wireless signals.

On the other hand, some of the most advanced WLAN controllers are the wireless access point, wireless bridge and wireless repeaters. All these devices use the same radio frequency for transmission. The difference lies in their modes of operation. Wireless bridge combines a switch and an AP and it is useful for further distances.

A few of the APs mentioned above can be used for wireless networks even when there is no physical connection between two computers. These wireless lan controllers can work both independently and cooperatively. In other words, it can work like a software cooperative computer. In short, these devices are quite a boon for people who run businesses from home or for people who want to protect their personal information from the prying eyes of others.

SSIDs or standard subscriber lines are the standard way of connecting to your service provider. SSIDs are assigned dynamically and it helps your service provider to manage its bandwidth efficiently. Another advantage of static SSIDs is reduced memory usage. You can always download the latest SSIDs from the web and you can even get them printed if you have a printer. These features make wireless lan controllers more advanced.

There are different types of WLCs available and they differ in terms of the number of modes they support. Some of the best wireless lan controllers support the modes of three, five, seven and ten. Most of these devices have at least two access points and they are often coupled with another device. In most cases, these devices support at least three simultaneous connections. These devices are also quite capable of transmitting and receiving data at a rate of thirty frames per second.

Many companies are providing wireless controllers with the help of software and advanced monitoring capabilities. These software modules make the device more efficient and they also simplify network management. This results in the reduced cost of maintenance and the enhanced performance. If you are looking for a good wireless LAN controller then it is advisable to download the latest free apps os today.

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