How Are Wireless Networks Categorized?

 Wireless Wide Area Networks (WWAN's)

Nokia Concept PhoneEnabled by technologies like 3G (Third-Generation), WWANs allow users to establish wireless connections from just about anywhere, connecting to the Internet through wireless service providers. Wireless service providers maintain these connections over large geographical expanses, like cities or countries, via antenna sites (cellular towers) or even satellite systems. WLAN technologies, such as 802.11b (WiFi), enable users to establish wireless connections within a small geographic area.

 

WLANs utilize local access points, often called "hotspots", which provide users with access to a local network of computers that can be used as stepping stones to the Internet or to access local information. These access points can be contained within private office buildings, or public spaces, such as airports.

WLAN’s, otherwise know as wireless local area networks use a variety of flavors on 802.11 which are usable over distances of hundreds of feet. A WLAN installation uses one or more access points, which are dedicated stand-alone hardware with typically more powerful antennae. The three standard types of WLAN’s are 802.11b, 802.11g and 802.11a. The differences are listed below:


WMAN’s, or wireless metropolitan area networks, or 802.16a, is a high-speed short-range solution. With a range of several miles, this technology will provide an economical last-mile solution, particularly in urban and suburban areas. Eventually, the technology will have a range of up to thirty miles.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Understanding the different types of wireless networks can be quite confusing.  There is much more to be known than what phone number to call, as is the case with the standard dial up modem.  Wi-Fi works in networks.    It is making this change that will be the hard part.  Wi-Fi stands for Wireless Fidelity and it can also be referred to as a Wireless Lan (W-LAN) or an 802.11 standard. The 802.11 standard is a family of specifications organized by the Institute of Electrical and Electronic Engineers (IEEE) The specification most commonly referred to as Wi-Fi is the 802.11b standard. This provides for nearly 11Mbps on the 2.4Ghz Band.

The two basic components of a Wi-Fi network are a computer device outfitted with a low-power radio and another radio-equipped gadget known as an access point, which is wired to the Internet or a local network. The two communicate with each other over a free slice of the radio spectrum reserved for consumer use and inhabited by microwave ovens and cordless phones.

This is a system that provides wireless Internet and intranet access. These are small connection zones created by low-powered radio access points installed in an increasing number of airports, coffee shops, hotels, conference centers, schools, businesses, and homes. For example, Starbucks now has Wi-Fi running in more than 500 shops and recently has announced plans to make it available in up to 70 % of its 3,200 company-owned outlets in North America.Mobile users with Wi-Fi cards in their laptops or handhelds can connect without wires to these access points from up to 300 or 400 feet (sometimes up to a thousand feet) away.

Currently, most Wi-Fi networks use the 802.11b standard system.  This system transfers 11 megabits per second at a 2.4-GHz radio frequency.  There are also new systems on the way that provide faster service.  This network is categorized as a 802.11a network.  This service offers Wi-Fi access at a speed of 54 megabits per second.  While this information sounds great, the 802.11a network is created on a 5-GHz radio frequency.  Because of this, the two systems are not compatible.  It is not possible to simply upgrade to the faster service.  An entirely new system is required (Wade, 2002).   Converting WiFi networks  is not as simply as converting from a dial-up connection to cable or DSL modem.  Where simple wires and access devices are required, upgrading Wi-Fi requires entirely new networks.    As time progresses, the availability and ranges of networks will be discovered and applied.  An area that will require greater and wider networks involves multimedia.  In order to successfully work all applications in one’s home, a great network will be required. 

 

 

WiMax: (Wi-Fi on Steroids)

 

 

WiMax is the next generation of Wi-Fi systems. It is identified within the IEEE as its 802.16 specification. Basically WiMax is Wi-Fi for the masses. Whereas the 802.11 standard allows for high-speed data transfer within a home or office, the 802.16 standard allows for high-speed data access for entire communities from a single access point.

 


The Wi-Fi standard allows for 150-300 feet, but the WiMax standard allows for access within a 3-5 mile radius in metropolitan or uneven terrain. It also has a LOS (Line-of-Sight) range close to 20 miles or more. It also allows various 802.11 networks to pick up the WiMax signal and then relay it within its smaller Wi-Fi network. These ranges are very similar to the footprints of cellular towers and thus helps close the gap between the wireless world and mobility world. If mobile handheld devices can be adapted to work across WiMax networks, then high-bandwidth media would be possible

 

Wireless Personal Area Networks

WPAN technologies enable users to establish impromptu, wireless communications between devices, like laptops, cell phones and PDAs, within a personal operating space (POS), which is a personal space surrounding a user of up to 10 meters.

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The art of connecting things is becoming more and more complex every day.  We sometimes feel as if we need a Ph.D. in electrical engineering just to set up the electronics in our homes. A completely different way to form the connections would be through the use of Bluetooth.  Bluetooth is wireless and automatic, and has a number of interesting features that can simplify our daily lives.  Bluetooth is a standard developed by a group of electronics manufacturers that allows any sort of electronic equipment  from computers and  cell phones to keyboards and headphones to make its own connections, without wires, cables or any direct action from a user.  Bluetooth wireless technology is used by more than 2,490 companies worldwide make this wireless networking system one of the highest volume home-networking applications available today. 

The Bluetooth standard is a very effective system for very short range wireless data transfers. The Bluetooth standard was created to make a very secure, very low-power, alternative to wired devices. Its purpose is to create a wireless link between digital devices that are within a very close proximity of one another. It transfers data at nearly 750Kbps making data transfers very quick, but it uses very low power from small batteries hence making the effective range less than 35 feet.

Today, Bluetooth devices are basically limited to headsets for phones, mp3 players, and ports for printers and other computer peripherals. However, Bluetooth enabled phones could easily become destinations for Bluetooth direct advertising.

For example, if someone where to walk into a store that had a Bluetooth proximity-based ad server, they could recieve an instant ad that would promote a perticular product or service meant only to be seen by those in the store.

One of the best examples of WPAN is Bluetooth, which uses radio waves to transmit data at distances of up to 30 feet, and can be transmitted through walls. Aside from Bluetooth, devices can also be connected at close-range utilizing infrared technology that is beamed from device to device.  In the most basic sense, 3G services combine high-speed mobile access with Internet Protocol (IP)-based services. It's not just about the idea that mobile users will have access to a fast mobile connection to the World Wide Web, however.