This paper presents an empirical analysis of the IEEE 802.11 MAC layer handoff process. The handoff process is critical for wireless networks, as it allows mobile nodes to transition from one access point (AP) to another. The study focuses on the latency involved in this process, breaking it down into various components. The results show that the probe phase is the primary contributor to handoff latency. The study also finds significant variation in handoff latency depending on the AP and STA used, as well as the specific vendor. The authors conducted experiments using two co-existing wireless networks with APs from two popular vendors and three wireless NICs from different vendors. They analyzed the handoff process by breaking it into phases and found that the probe delay is the dominant component of the overall handoff latency. The study also shows that the sequence of messages during the handoff process can vary depending on the STA used. The results indicate that the probe-wait time is a significant factor in the variation of handoff latency. The authors conclude that the handoff latency is high and varies significantly, which can affect the quality of service for many applications. They suggest that future handoff schemes should aim to reduce this latency. The study also highlights the need for a robust authentication mechanism in WLAN handoffs to ensure acceptable performance for VoIP applications.This paper presents an empirical analysis of the IEEE 802.11 MAC layer handoff process. The handoff process is critical for wireless networks, as it allows mobile nodes to transition from one access point (AP) to another. The study focuses on the latency involved in this process, breaking it down into various components. The results show that the probe phase is the primary contributor to handoff latency. The study also finds significant variation in handoff latency depending on the AP and STA used, as well as the specific vendor. The authors conducted experiments using two co-existing wireless networks with APs from two popular vendors and three wireless NICs from different vendors. They analyzed the handoff process by breaking it into phases and found that the probe delay is the dominant component of the overall handoff latency. The study also shows that the sequence of messages during the handoff process can vary depending on the STA used. The results indicate that the probe-wait time is a significant factor in the variation of handoff latency. The authors conclude that the handoff latency is high and varies significantly, which can affect the quality of service for many applications. They suggest that future handoff schemes should aim to reduce this latency. The study also highlights the need for a robust authentication mechanism in WLAN handoffs to ensure acceptable performance for VoIP applications.