Facility planners and construction managers just want to reduce costs. The correct answer differs in each situation. All politics aside, the district needs to meet its goals of keeping the students up to date with current technology while spending the taxpayer's money responsibly. A look at wireless and hardwired technologies will show that each has its place in the educational environment. Design documentation states that an area of coverage per antenna is approximately 300 feet indoors and 1,000 feet outdoors at a data rate of 1 Mbps, or 100 feet indoors and 400 feet outdoors at a data rate of 11 Mbps.
Actual distances are substantially less.
Wireless LANs require some cabling to be installed for connection of the antennas to the closet-based LAN hub electronics. The benefit of a wireless connection is that it allows the user to move freely around a room or rooms. He is not tethered to the wall in a specific location. Another good application of the technology is for temporary connections used during class registration or graduation ceremonies. These examples apply the technology with a limited number of users rather than an entire classroom of students.