loud or headquarters Figure 7-14 Wi-Fi connections to the wired LAN in an enterprise's wiring closet. www.TechnicalPDF.com Wi-Fi in Homes In a similar manner to enterprises, Wi-Fi access points connect to LANs within homes. However, LANs within homes are less complex and the access points are generally less robust, with fewer features and for the most part less complex security. In homes, Wi-Fi- equipped gear such as printers, laptops, and smartphones have internal Wi-Fi computer chips. The Wi-Fi router is directly cabled to cable modems or equipment associated with the fiber-optic cabling in the outside network. Mesh Networks-Every Device to Every Device: Controller-Less Architecture The main difference between centralized and mesh architecture is that in mesh networks traffic does not go through a controller. Rather, each access point has the intelligence to directly connect traffic to other access points. The software essentially establishes a point-to- point connection for the duration of the data session. It eliminates congestion at a central point while at the same time avoiding a single point of failure. If an access point fails, data is routed around the failure to another access point. The ability to route traffic around failures and coverage gaps and interference from thick walls or walls that contain wire, and large homes with three stories make them suitable for these environments and also for outdoor areas. Moreover, access points in mesh networks filter out traffic from untrusted sources such as rogue access points. A rogue access point is an unauthorized access point installed by an employee. Figure 7-15 presents an overview of a Wi-Fi mesh network. In homes, people use a software app on their smartphone that is provided by their Wi-Fi vendor to set up the mesh network. The user selects a centralized location for the first access point and plugs it into power. The app then uses its intelligence to recommend locations for the other access points. www.TechnicalPDF.com If an Access Point Fails, Traffi