Other Networks

Wireless Communication - IEEE 802.11 / WiFi
Another name for this type of network is wireless fidelity. It is used to provide another method of connection to a LAN network router without the need for wires or any other means of physical connection
Another more technical name for this type of network connection is 802.11. 802.11a this was the first wireless connection that was developed which would transmit data at a maximum speed of 11Mbps. Then the next wireless was called 802.11g within this network the data could be sent at speeds of up to 54Mbps. The latest wireless connection is WiFi which is also called 802.11b this allows data to be sent at speeds up to 125Mbps.

Wireless connection is all about connection a computer with a wireless network card to a LAN, a WAN or the internet directly through a wireless connection. To connect, simply connect the wireless network card and you will be able to connect, some connection need a IP for you to connect successfully.

This is mainly used when cables are not an option or cables and wires could get in the way or cause problems. It is used a lot by business men that carry laptops as they are able to connect at the nearest point where they can get a connection.

IrDA – Infrared
IrDA stands for Infrared Data Association. This type of data transmission uses light waves to transfer data. It is mainly used for connecting the computer to other external devises including printers and now most computers and other external devices now come with IrDA ports. This enables you to transfer data from one device to another without any cables. For example, if both your laptop computer and printer have IrDA ports, you can simply put your computer in front of the printer and output a document, without needing to connect the two with a cable.
The only limitation of using infrared to transfer data is that to use are that the two devices must be within a few feet of each other and there must be a clear line of sight between them.

Bluetooth
Another type of wireless connection is Bluetooth it is also known as IEEE 802.15.1. This is used within personal area networks (PANs), these are mostly used to transmit data from mobile phones to send things such as images, videos and mp3s. this can be done from one mobile phone to another or from the computer to the mobile phone.

LAN
This is also known as a Local Area Network (LAN). This type of network is where there are more than two computers connected in the same building. Although most LAN is connected in the same building, they can be connected to other buildings by using telephone lines and radio waves. When this happens, it is called a WAN (Wide Area Network)

A LAN is made up of personal computers; these are known as nodes in the network. These computers are connected to a server so that whichever computer you are logged onto, you are able to access the data that is on that server. With networks, you are able to share many hardware devices such as printers and internet connections, this saves money.

Access Point
This is sometimes known as a transceiver, it is a station that transmits and receives data. They are able to connect to its users that are on the network and they can also serve as the point of interconnection between the wireless local area network and a fixed wire network. Each access point can provide more than one user within a distinct network area for example, when people move past the range of one access point, they are passed over to the next one.

LASER
This is also known as light amplification by the stimulated emission of radiation. This is a device that makes a light that is on constantly, it not like a normal light bulb though. If it is placed in the same place for a certain amount of time, it is a pure beam which can also be focused to be a single wavelength.

Narrow band radio
A narrow band radio is a small bandwidth which can reach speeds of up to 3 kHz. This is out exceptional to one channel and it can provide a transmission wave for an analogue signal. The analogue signal can be presented from a digital signal where the signal is contained within a voice channel.

Spread spectrum radio
This is where a signal is allowed to be passed over from frequencies to electromagnetic signals; this is done by the spread spectrum radio. Examples of this are wireless internet connection, mobile phones and radios; basically it is anything that uses radio waves.

Point to point and extended LANs with wireless bridges
This is a device that is used to connect more than two networks that are placed differently in different buildings. An example of this is the Cisco Aironet 350 which allows connections of transmission speeds of up to 11mbps, however this does seem slow but it is sending data over distances of 25miles. Now the wireless LAN’s make use of technology known as IEEE 802.11. There are two main kinds of wireless connection; these are 802.11g and 802.11b. 802.11b was the first type of wireless connection; this is however a lot slower than 802.11g. 802.11g is faster as it can reach speeds of up to 54mbps and also includes WI-FI protected access (WPA). The most recent type of wireless connection is called 802.11n; this can reach speeds of up to 100mbits. Most LAN networks are used schools hospitals and any type of business with more than two computers.

Wireless local area networks have wireless bridges; these have ports on them which can connect to more than one local area network. The bridges that are used, what they do is they collect packets that are sent over the network. Until the bridge receives the complete packet, it will not send another one if it has to. Bridges are able to transmit data simultaneously.

Increased availability of mobile computing
Mobile computing is getting more used as technology is developing. Some of the latest mobile technology is wireless internet connection and mobile computing. Mobile computing is not too expensive and is at a reasonable price to purchase, e.g. PDA’s.