What do wireless local area networks (WLAN) use to address network collisions?

What do wireless local area networks (WLAN) use to address network collisions?

• A. Checksums.
• B. Checkpointing.
• C. Carrier sense multiple access collision detection (CSMA/CD).
• D. Carrier sense multiple access collision avoidance (CSMA/CA).

Answer: (D)

Wireless Local Area Networks (WLAN) use Carrier Sense Multiple Access with Collision Avoidance (CSMA/CA) to manage network collisions. This protocol is particularly designed for wireless communication, where the medium can't be simultaneously accessed by multiple devices without some degree of control. CSMA/CA works by ensuring that before a device attempts to send data over the network, it "listens" to the channel to determine if it is free. If the channel is clear, the device sends its data. However, since wireless networks are more prone to collisions due to the nature of radio frequency transmission, CSMA/CA incorporates additional strategies to avoid potential collisions. This may involve waiting for a random backoff time if the channel is busy or using acknowledgments to confirm successful data transmission before attempting to send more data. By using CSMA/CA, WLAN enhances network efficiency and minimizes the chances of collisions significantly compared to wired networks, which can often employ CSMA/CD. In summary, CSMA/CA is essential for WLANs as it allows devices to communicate effectively while reducing the likelihood of data collisions and maintaining overall network integrity.

Wireless Local Area Networks (WLAN) use Carrier Sense Multiple Access with Collision Avoidance (CSMA/CA) to manage network collisions. This protocol is particularly designed for wireless communication, where the medium can't be simultaneously accessed by multiple devices without some degree of control.

CSMA/CA works by ensuring that before a device attempts to send data over the network, it "listens" to the channel to determine if it is free. If the channel is clear, the device sends its data. However, since wireless networks are more prone to collisions due to the nature of radio frequency transmission, CSMA/CA incorporates additional strategies to avoid potential collisions. This may involve waiting for a random backoff time if the channel is busy or using acknowledgments to confirm successful data transmission before attempting to send more data.

By using CSMA/CA, WLAN enhances network efficiency and minimizes the chances of collisions significantly compared to wired networks, which can often employ CSMA/CD. In summary, CSMA/CA is essential for WLANs as it allows devices to communicate effectively while reducing the likelihood of data collisions and maintaining overall network integrity.