Voice over WLANs: The Complete Guide
Author: Michael Finneran
Paperback: 400 pages
Publisher: Newnes (November 2007)
ISBN-10: 075068299X
ISBN-13: 978-0750682992
List Price: $59.95
Reviewed by Ray Horak
The subject of VoWLAN is a tough one to get your mind around as it involves the convergence of two evolving technologies, VoIP and Wireless Local Area Networks (WLANs). VoIP is rapidly replacing circuit-switched voice in the public switched telephone network (PSTN), where most of the kinks have been worked out, and is also making inroads into the premises. While there remain considerable kinks in this domain, LAN-based IPBXs now are gaining serious ground against conventional PBXs, hybrids and key systems, many of which are past retirement age. WLANs have become almost ubiquitous and 802.11n promises much increased bandwidth and range due in considerable measure to MIMO antenna technology. Putting it all together involves converting the most demanding stream-oriented application of all, analog voice, to a digital data format, compressing it, packetizing the resulting data stream using a connectionless network protocol (IP), switching it through an Ethernet LAN that was never intended for such nonsense, and adding the uncertainty of wireless (radio) transmission links just to make it a little more challenging. This is not an endeavor for the uneducated or faint of heart, which is where this book comes in.
It is a thorough treatment of the subject that will guide just about anyone through the background, underlying technologies, planning processes and managerial issues. Finneran begins with an insightful overview on the convergence of WLANs and VoIP. He then builds the necessary technical foundation in radio transmission, WLAN components, media access control protocols, and privacy and security issues. He explans the IP protocol suite and its application in voice routing and QoS management. Drilling deeper into the subject, he guides the reader through network design, traffic engineering, VoWLAN configuration, fixed-mobile convergence (FMC) and network management.
Finneran has a well-deserved reputation as a communicator, both in person and print. He avoids the temptation to impress us with his intellect, preferring to exercise his ability to translate highly-technical subject matter into plain English. The Guide is essential for anyone with a need to know about VoWLANs at a practical level.
