Wireless Access Points: Thin vs. Thick

Wireless LAN Switches: The Best Solution

There are two types of wireless access points Smart (Fat) and Thin wireless access points. A fat wireless access point has everything you need to handle wireless clients. A Thin wireless access point is basically a radio and antenna controlled by a wireless switch. If you deploy multiple Fat wireless access points, they must be configured individually. With slimline wireless access points, all configuration is done on the switch, saving you time and money.

Wireless LAN switches provide many benefits:

Wireless Mobility – Smart Access is not managed in a central location, which means there is no third party monitoring a user’s movement. If a user moves to another work area, traditional wireless access points have a hard time moving the user to the new access point. The slimline wireless access points are controlled by the wireless LAN switch that will manage the movement of the users.

Security: With the wireless LAN switch, the administrator can check logs, configure security settings, and create group policies for wireless users all in one place. Many wireless LAN switches also incorporate RADIUS servers that will provide another layer of security in addition to their encryption policies. In enterprise wireless networks, the biggest fear for administrators is rogue wireless access points. Wireless LAN switches can detect when a new wireless access point enters the area and decide whether it is a trusted or untrusted device.

Location – Power over Ethernet is another great feature of wireless LAN switches. Power over Ethernet eliminates the need for an electrical outlet near the wireless access point. This saves your business money by not having to install new outlets. Additionally, this improves security by keeping wireless access points out of reach of passers-by.

If you’re implementing a wireless LAN for a business, I’d be scared if you don’t use wireless LAN switches and wireless slim access points. The initial costs of these products are higher, but their total cost of ownership will be less than having to manage each wireless access point separately. Long story short, homeowners should stick to Fat access points and businesses should use thin.