Bar News - October 21, 2005
Introduction to Wireless Computing for Lawyers
By: Todd Cheesman
Part 1 of 2 parts
Maybe the hottest trend in computers today is “Wi-Fi,” meaning wireless fidelity, a term for networking equipment that transmits and receives data via radio frequency. Wi-Fi allows computer users to connect to wired networks through wireless access points. Wi-Fi is so popular that wherever you go, whether it be hotels, airports, even coffee houses and many courtrooms, you will likely be able to use your wireless laptop to access your office computer, pull client files, make appointments, do research – essentially whatever you could do from your regular office computer.
If you aren’t envisioning the possibilities for your law office yet, think about it in terms of dollars and cents. Going wireless is about your bottom line. A study conducted on behalf of Cisco Systems showed that moving to a Wireless Local Area Network (WLAN) could increase companies’ productivity by as much as 27%. A study by Intel showed that just 11 minutes of increased productivity per employee per week pays for the cost of an average WLAN system.
Of course, you need to weigh the advantages and disadvantages of switching to a WLAN for your specific situation because when it comes to the value of WLANs for your firm, the decision is much more case-specific than the studies mentioned above may indicate. Common advantages to creating a WLAN are:
- Cost: the cost of installing or adding a WLAN to your existing infrastructure is cheaper than ever before. In fact, basic WLANs are so affordable, they are commonly found in households.
- Increased Efficiency: anyone on a WLAN can perform virtually any office computing function, from sending email to editing documents or creating spreadsheets wherever you are at the moment, at any room in your office or home, and often wherever you are on the road. “Hot Spots” as they are known, are popping up in hotels, coffee houses, and Internet cafes – pretty much wherever a business person may expect to find him or herself.
- Competitive Edge: regardless of where you are, you now have the ability to conduct research, examine documents and exchange data with others at your office.
Manchester is one of a growing number of cities that offers limited free wireless connectivity in the downtown area. Of course that doesn’t mean there haven’t been places where you’ll need a connection and can’t get one. But in general, it’s a flexible way for you to respond nearly instantly to clients and do research on the fly.
A Checklist of Questions To Answer Before Going Wireless
If you are intrigued by the benefits of going wireless, below is a series of questions that may help guide your decision-making process:
- What do you have now to work with? Whether your WLAN will truly meet your expectations will require some research. For instance, the materials used in the construction of your building and your office floor plan might require a special setup so that signals are not blocked. The good news is that wireless access points are inexpensive and you have some choice about how you position them.
- How will you use your WLAN? Will it be used for all office traffic, for periodic convenience or for client access? Will only a few people use it, will they be on the road much of the time or at home? How many people will be using the same system at the same time? Your answers will help you decide whether a WLAN has sufficient value for your firm, the quality of the equipment you will need and how to integrate it within your existing network.
- Where will you use your WLAN? Think of the specific locations around your office where you expect to use the WLAN. Point (also known as “island” or “spot”) coverage is much easier to implement than complete building coverage, because there are fewer problems with channel interference. For out-of-office use, there are still “dead spots” where your connection won’t work. Research with all the available wireless carriers to see who has the best coverage.
- What software will you be using? Different software applications require different bandwidths. While wireless networks are fast, they are not (at least for now) as fast as your existing office network. For Internet connectivity, don’t expect cable-modem speeds.
- How much are you willing to invest? There are one-time and regular monthly fees. Shop around to see who is offering the best plan for your needs. You also need to invest a little time developing a set of best practices for WLAN users.
- What are you being offered in terms of support? Once your WLAN is set up, it shouldn’t require much ongoing support. Still, you want to ensure that when occasional issues do occur, you can get help quickly and be prepared to help home users set up and maintain their wireless networks. Allocate adequate funds for support, and assume support costs will rise.
Security Issues
What is your plan to secure the wireless network? The same technology that makes it convenient for computer users to cut the cord to their office networks also permits others to gain access to the same networks — often without the need to be physically present where the network exists.
In part 2 of this article, Securing Your Wireless Network, we will address the security issues involving Wi-Fi networks.
Todd Cheesman, an attorney in Concord, New Hampshire, is a contributing editor to Bar News. He regularly conducts technology training and can be reached at cheesmanesq@comcast.net.
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