The most obvious, and perhaps most valuable, advantage wireless network connections offer is mobility. Any device (laptop, tablet, smartphone, wearable device, etc.) with wireless capability can connect to multiple available networks in most areas of the world. In medium to larger cities, it isn’t unusual to be in range of multiple Wi-Fi and cellular networks at any time. Coffee shops have long offered free Wi-Fi to customers, and working at a local coffee shop (or other establishment that offers Wi-Fi for its customers) is becoming ordinary. In many places where Wi-Fi isn’t available, cellular coverage is a good alternate plan. Although not as fast as most Wi-Fi connections, cellular networks are getting faster and are decent alternatives to stay connected.

This ability to move around and still stay connected has transformed the way work gets carried out. Mobility makes it easier to keep working regardless of the location. Business interruptions that impact a concentrated area result in fewer situations that impact operations because a mobile workforce doesn’t require a single place of work. If a weather disaster, fire, or another issue causes physical damage that makes it unsafe to work in the traditional office, many job functions can be carried out at remote locations. During the COVID-19 pandemic, worker mobility made it possible for an untold number of businesses to continue operating by conducting activities remotely. Without wireless mobility, social distancing requirements would have resulted in business interruptions that may have been irrecoverable.

Another advantage wireless has over wired connections is cost. Wired connections require cabling to be run between all connection points. Most organizations, and even homes that are wired for networks, use a star topology near the endpoints. Cables are run from each connection wall plate to a wiring closet. In all but the smallest offices, multiple wiring closets are connected to either each other or a larger bus. Regardless of the topology used, it costs money to purchase cabling and hardware (including terminators, wall plates, wiring closets, and devices) to provide the connections for wired networking devices.

Wireless networks aren’t free but can cost substantially less than wired networks. Instead of running cabling to every desk, organizations can purchase several wireless access points (APs) to provide mobility within a building or campus area. Access points are devices that connect to the LAN using a physical connection, but then allow multiple users to connect wirelessly. A collection of APs is less expensive than the cabling, terminators, and devices required to provide connections to wired computers. Virtually every device with any computing ability now comes with wireless capability. Connecting to a wireless network is a core function of devices of all types and is getting easier all the time.

The number of computers and devices any network can support is theoretically limited. At some point the network’s bandwidth will be insufficient to support the demand. Before that limit is reached, the network will begin to slow down and provide an opportunity for network administrators to fix the problem. When a network approaches saturation, one remedy is to partition the network users into separate subnetworks and reduce the number of users on each subnetwork. In a wired (physical) network, this means installing physical devices to segment the network. (There are other means, but physical separation is the cleanest way to reclaim bandwidth.) Even before a network reaches saturation, it is likely that the number of users connecting to the network has grown from some point in the past. A growing number of users means more cabling and more physical connection points. Adding these physical components takes time and money, making network growth expensive.

A wireless network handles scalability in a different way. When a subnetwork approaches saturation, the organization can simply add another AP (or several APs). New APs would connect to different subnetworks, which would isolate new users from those connecting to the original AP. New APs can be added on demand to serve growing demand. Another advantage to using several APs is the ability to configure them differently for different uses. For example, many organizations have at least two APs—one for internal personnel and another for guests. The guest AP provides little more than Internet access whereas the internal personnel AP also connects to the internal network. Wireless networks support scaling any organization’s network in a cost-effective way.