If you’re trying to get a handle on wireless networking, you might be interested in a new publication from O’Reilly & Associates called 802.11 Wireless Networks: The Definitive Guide. Penned by Matthew S. Gast, the book offers detailed information about how businesses, homes and organizations can benefit from, deploy and maintain wireless networking.
The new book is written for the serious system or network administrator who’s responsible for deploying a wireless network, according to the publisher. Topics discussed include an analysis of how 802.11 protocols work, as well as extensive information about security, including problems noted with the Wired Equivalent Privacy (WEP) standard. Information is also given on how to use a Linux system and open source software to create a wireless packet sniffer — an otherwise scarce and expensive proposition, according to the publisher.
Information is provided about wireless networking on Linux, Windows and Mac OS X systems. Gast also discusses architectural issues associated with designing wireless networks themselves, and talks about the emerging high-speed 802.11z and 802.11g networking standards.
For more details, or a sample of the book (Chapter 15, “802.11 Network Deployment”), visit O’Reilly’s Web site.