This document discusses wireless LANs (WLANs) and how they differ from traditional LANs. WLANs use radio waves instead of wires for transmission and thus can experience issues like coverage problems and interference that are not seen on wired networks. While WLANs and LANs both use CSMA to manage access to the shared medium, WLANs use CSMA/CA instead of CSMA/CD. The IEEE defines various 802.11 wireless standards that specify radio bands and frequencies used. The Wi-Fi Alliance certifies products to ensure interoperability between devices supporting different 802.11 standards.