Sample Topologies
Campus topologies

The purpose of a campus WLAN is to serve as an access system that incorporates complete mobility. WLANs allow users to access information from unwired places outdoors, in dining halls or informal study spaces, from classroom seats and, even, the athletic fields. However, campus WLANs should not be viewed as a replacement for a wired environment, but rather as a way to add more functionality to the existing network.

A campus-wide wireless overlay easily provides networking in hard to reach or temporary locations. These are places that might have otherwise been left out altogether. Cisco Aironet 1100 and 1200 access points and Aironet 350 bridges integrate well with Cisco Ethernet switches, which are typically used in a campus environment. Many of the elements of such a campus-wide deployment are pictured in Figure . Several switches, including the Catalyst 3500 and 6500 series, provide in-line power. This eliminates the need for additional power sources for connected APs.

One of the biggest benefits of a campus WLAN is the ability for people to sit in common areas and work together, and still easily get network access. In the case of many education institutions, where resources are limited, this could mean that there are fewer users competing for the handful of hard-wired computers. Wireless is quickly becoming a viable and important tool in a variety of business and educational environments.