The 802.11 family of standards is quickly emerging as the wireless LAN technology of choice, and knowing how these standards fit in the technical and business hierarchy has suddenly become "must know" - and very lucrative - information. In "802.11 Demystified", industry insider James LaRocca provides the technical information necessary to understand the standards and also examines them from a real world product trends and regulations viewpoint. Indispensable for decision makers, such as network planners, IT executives, technology product managers, application designers, technical sales and marketing representatives, and anyone else who requires a firm grasp of 802.11 wireless LAN technology and the wireless industry, this guide: explains how to make informed decisions about the implementation of 802.11-based products and services; provides an understanding of the strengths and weaknesses of 802.11 and all of its flavors (802.11a, 802.11b, 802.11g, etc.); details how 802.11 is deployed to reduce LAN access costs while providing more applications for the end user; addresses 802.1 1's underlying technology, including RF implementations, network topologies, mobility management, and data security; discusses the relationship of 802.11 to Bluetooth, broadband, and 3G wireless networks; and covers bottom-line costs, competitors, prospects, compatibility, security, administration, and interoperability.