Fast wireless is usually talked about in conjunction with sending photos, videos and music from cell phones. But what about wireless networks in hospital IT infrastructure?
Across the country, hospitals -- despite financial scares -- have been piloting or deploying wireless VoIP handsets, PDAs, phones and even badges to improve communication. The problem is that the more wireless devices, the more chances of dropped calls and choppy sound, something that iPhone users have been experiencing because of its popularity.
The newest standard in wireless is the 802.11n. Its proponents claim it has real world throughput that's about seven times faster (at 160 Mbps) than the older 802.11g networks, and even at 300 feet and 70 Mbps, it's 70 times faster.
The reason for this fast speed is multiple input/multiple output (MIMO), which requires multiple antennas to send and receive data in simultaneous radio streams.
This is all in theory. In reality, the 802.11 network sometimes operates at just 130Mbps or below. In order for the network to run at full force, you need Wireless N routers and network adapters linked and running in a channel bonding mode, which uses two adjacent WiFi channels simultaneously.
Nothing is perfect. With channel bonding, there is a risk of interference with nearby WiFi networks. By running in traditional single channel mode, the risk is kept low. The network needs to include only 802.11n users, not b or g, or the entire network's performance may suffer, depending on the router. The bottom line is that technology is always changing. The issue is where to prioritize.
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