3. Rule #2: It never goes as far as they say it does

Perhaps the biggest frustration that new wireless networkers encounter is finding that the range of their wireless network is nowhere near what they thought it would be. Part of the problem is the same "bigger numbers are better" approach that is used for throughput specs. But where no manufacturer would dare quote a number higher than 11Mbps for 802.11b throughput (since that number is set by the 802.11b specification itself), there is no "standard range" number for 802.11b (or any other) equipment, and manufacturers have much more leeway in the numbers they advertise.

As a result, the range numbers you'll see quoted from various manufacturers vary widely... so widely, in fact, that I have another rule for using them:

Rule 2A: Don't buy wireless equipment based on a manufacturer's range specifications.

I've come to the above conclusion after testing 802.11b products from all the major manufacturers and finding little correlation between the advertised and actual range. Unfortunately, the only effective way to know how a piece of wireless networking gear will perform is to try it in your environment and to have a basic knowledge of the way that high frequency radio waves work. (See Wireless Network TuneUp).