Installation in Difficult-to-Wire Areas

The implementation of wireless networks offers many tangible cost savings when performing installations in difficult-to-wire areas. If rivers, freeways, or other obstacles separate buildings you want to connect (see Figure below), a wireless solution may be much more economical than installing physical cable or leasing communications circuits, such as T1 service or 56Kbps lines. Some organizations spend thousands or even millions of dollars to install physical links with nearby facilities.

If you are facing this type of installation, consider wireless networking as an alternative. The deployment of wireless networking in these situations costs thousands of dollars, but it will result in a definite cost savings in the long run.

The asbestos found in older facilities is another problem that many organizations encounter. The inhalation of asbestos particles is extremely hazardous to your health; therefore, you must take great care when installing network cabling within these areas. When taking necessary precautions, the resulting cost of cable installations in these facilities can be prohibitive.

Some organizations, for example, remove the asbestos, making it safe to install cabling. This process is very expensive because you must protect the building's occupants from breathing the asbestos particles agitated during removal. The cost of removing asbestos covering just a few flights of stairs can be tens of thousands of dollars. Obviously, the advantage of wireless networking in asbestos-contaminated buildings is that you can avoid the asbestos removal process, resulting in tremendous cost savings.

In some cases, it might be impossible to install cabling. Some municipalities, for example, may restrict you from permanently modifying older facilities with historical value. This could limit the drilling of holes in walls during the installation of network cabling and outlets. In that situation, a wireless network might be the only solution. Right-of-way restrictions within cities and counties may also block the digging of trenches in the ground to lay optical fiber for networked sites. Again, in this situation, a wireless network might be the best alternative.