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Wired Versus Wireless Networks: What's Right For You? (continued)

Here's a rundown of the relative strengths and weaknesses of each:

• Speed  When it comes to speed, there's absolutely no contest: Wired networks are in the winner's circle. This is especially clear when you consider the actual throughput of these networks, says Charles Stanton, president of Manhattan Networks, a boutique network consulting firm based in New York City. Although wired networks can now reach the 1-gigabit-per-second range, the actual throughput is about 1,000 megabits. Wireless networks, on the other hand, have 64 megabits-per-second limits, "with horrible throughput," says Stanton. "We're talking about 25 percent, which gives you only 10 megabits compared to 1,000 megabits. There's no comparison."
• Reliability and robustness Enterprises simply can't afford network downtime. Increasingly, mission-critical, real-time operations -- such as online transactions or factory floor processes -- depend on the network to keep the very business functional. This is in addition to the fact that executives and knowledge workers more than ever require consistent and continuous network access to be productive. Wired networks are the only ones that provide this level of robustness, says Spencer. "Wireline is infinitely more predictable," he says. Furthermore, the further devices are from the access point, the less reliable the service. "Such networks are extremely prone to environmental interference," adds Spencer. "You can have significant problems because of the presence of other devices, or because of walls or other structural barriers." (article continues)

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