Keep in mind the following caveats before you begin the wireless LAN suitability test:

• This Rule of Thumb calculator is not meant to be precise. Consider the answer to be a back-of-the-envelope guess.
• While the following seven questions reflect the main issues that will determine the appropriateness of wireless LANs for your organization, other unspecified challenges may tilt the equation in one direction or another. For example, the following factors may play a large role in determining the suitability for a wireless LAN:
  • the size, complexity and architectural design of your applications. If you've adopted a thin-client, fat-server architecture, LAN traffic may be too heavy to accommodate wireless;
  • the industry your company serves;
  • the size of your organization; and
  • the physical environment.
• The values in the Rule of Thumb are based on current technologies. Since the new high-speed wireless LAN standard was just ratified as this Rule of Thumb was being built, it is likely that, within a few years, a new generation of equipment will significantly improve bandwidth. Furthermore, the introduction of a standard will reduce the unit cost of wireless LAN hardware components.
• Legal disclaimer: Microsoft Corp. provides this Rule of Thumb solely for self-evaluation. The calculator is offered "as is."