Foreword

One of the most popular questions that we get through our Forums, customer service email, Twitter account, and phone system is this: “Where do I start in Wi-Fi?” Great question, indeed. So what's the answer? It depends.

It depends on where you are. If the whole subject of Wi-Fi or WLAN or 802.11 is just plain foreign to you, you should start right here: CWTS. We created the CWTS certification for you and people like you. The audience for the CWTS study materials and exam continues to grow, but the groups that make up the audience remain very constant. There are three main groups of people who are actively seeking their CWTS certification: IT Sales Professionals, IT Project Managers, and brand new IT Professionals. Yes, there are people with other titles that don't fall into these buckets, but 80–90% of the CWTS audience falls into one of these three groups. Why? Another good question.

One of the reasons many people never try anything new is fear of the unknown. Even ten years into its life, Wi-Fi is still basically unknown in the IT world. Yes, everyone knows about Wi-Fi, but very few really know Wi-Fi in all its intricate detail. Do you doubt that? Next time you're in the presence of a CWNE or CCIE-Wireless, ask them this question: “What percentage of network engineers really knows Wi-Fi?” The answer will be somewhere south of 50% and more likely lower. Think about that: after 10+ years on the market, astounding market segment growth every one of those years, and near ubiquity in homes and small businesses, your average mainstream network engineer doesn't know Wi-Fi.

So why is that? From our perspective, it's partly that “fear of the unknown” thing, and also the incredible fallacy that Wi-Fi is easy, plug-n-play, anyone can do it, etc. That fallacy was born from the fact that Wi-Fi got its initial growth and market acceptance in the home. You can still get a really good 802.11n home router for less than $100, and have it set up to connect all your household Wi-Fi devices in a few minutes. That is the perception that most IT folks take into their job, and that's what gets them into a lot of trouble.

So this book, and the CWTS certification, serves as one early stepping stone to overcoming the falsehood that, just because you set up your home Wi-Fi network in less than an hour, you can run a mission-critical enterprise Wi-Fi network with no new training or knowledge. This book will enable you, as a fledgling network engineer, project manager, or sales professional, to “get it,” meaning you will get the basics of Wi-Fi, RF behavior, and why a home Wi-Fi network is ever so much simpler than an enterprise Wi-Fi network.

Armed with this knowledge, you can “talk the talk,” so to speak, when it comes to implementing Wi-Fi. No longer will your Wi-Fi SEs talk over your head or feed you a line of bull just to see if you know what you're talking about. When you understand the fundamentals of Wi-Fi, you are ready to jump with both feet into the amazing world of 802.11 communications. This is your starting point, your first step, your headlong adventure into something new that you need no longer fear.

Wi-Fi is here. Wi-Fi is everywhere. Wi-Fi is no longer a technology we wish we had everywhere all the time. Wi-Fi is everywhere all the time. Unfortunately, sometimes that Wi-Fi service stinks. Why? Why doesn't it work? Why is it so hard to provide Wi-Fi to your customers, guests, employees? Well, you're about to find out that Wi-Fi is not that difficult. It's just that different.

But we must warn you: Wi-Fi is cool. I mean it's way cool. So be careful here. If you're not ready to dive into a technology that may transform your spare time, learning capacity, and maybe even your career, you may not want to read any further.

Never be afraid to try something new. Remember, amateurs built the ark, professionals built the Titanic. — Unknown

—Kevin Sandlin

CWNP Co-Founder & CEO