Wireless Networking
2. Wireless LAN(WPAN)
A wireless local area network (WLAN) is a computer network that connects two or more computing devices using a wireless distribution method restricted to a limited area such as a home, school, computer laboratory, company or office building.
This facilitates users the ability to move around within the local coverage area and still be connected to the same network. So this will facilitate users to fulfill communication requirements the on the move. IEEE
802.11 standards are the basis for modern WLANS, marketed under the Wi-Fi brand name.
Wireless LANs have become popular compared to former cable based networks, in homes due to ease of installation, and in commercial complexes facilitating wireless access to their customers; often for free. In the sense of maintenance, these WLANS are much comfortable compared to other physical means.
New York City, for the time, has begun a pilot program to provide city employees in all five boroughs of the city with wireless Internet access.
3. Wireless Metropolitan Area networks
We know that metropolitan network is a network which connects several LANs together. Similarly, wireless MAN is a wireless network which interconnect several wireless LANs together.
4. Wireless WAN
Wireless wide area networks are wireless networks that typically cover large areas, such as between neighboring towns, or city and suburb or a whole province. These are sometimes used by enterprises having several branches with is a large area or as a public internet access system.
The wireless connections in-between access points are usually point to point microwave links using convex parabolic dishes on the 2.4 GHz band, rather than omnidirectional(exist in every direction) antennas used with smaller networks. A typical system consists of base station gateways, access points and wireless bridging relays.
There are other configurations of mesh systems where each access point acts as a relay also. When combined with renewable energy systems such as photo-voltaic solar panels or wind systems they can be standalone systems which are self-sufficient.
Read more