Wireless infrastructures vary in size and can include personal area networks (PANs), local area networks (LANs), wide area networks (WANs), and metropolitan area networks (MANs). PANs use Bluetooth or infrared devices, while LANs may rely on hardware infrastructure or ad-hoc connections. WANs and MANs typically involve cellular technology and can cover large areas.
There are several wireless infrastructures that can provide connectivity to varying degrees. The wireless personal area network (PAN) is the smallest of these systems and typically involves infrared or Bluetooth® devices. Wireless local area networks (LANs) can provide connectivity in a building or other small area using infrastructure components such as base stations, repeaters and bridges, or ad-hoc connections between computers. Much larger examples of wireless infrastructure include wide area networks (WANs) and metropolitan area networks (MANs) that offer connectivity across entire cities.
The smallest example of a wireless infrastructure is a wireless PAN. This type of network can involve a variety of interconnected Bluetooth® or short-range infrared devices. Other examples of PANs use Wi-Fi® to connect local devices to the Internet. There is usually no permanent infrastructure involved in creating a PAN, as an individual can carry all the components on his or her person.
Some of the most commonly used wireless infrastructure is found in home and business networks. These networks usually take the form of wireless LANs and may make extensive use of hardware infrastructure or rely on ad-hoc connections. The simplest wireless LAN consists of a wireless router that typically also acts as a bridge. This type of LAN can allow computers and other devices to interconnect in a highly localized area. Larger infrastructures may include multiple base stations and repeaters to extend the reach of the network.
In some cases, a wireless LAN will include the infrastructure needed to connect physically distant components to each other. If it is necessary to connect two different locations to the same network, a wireless infrastructure that uses point-to-point transmissions is sometimes used. This is referred to as a fixed wireless connection and may use a radio link, although a laser bridge or microwave transmitter is sometimes used. These types of point-to-point wireless infrastructure are often used if it would be expensive or impossible to create a wired connection.
Wireless WANs and MANs typically involve an even greater amount of infrastructure. These wireless networks can span a large open area or even cover an entire city. The wireless infrastructure used for these networks is typically cellular in nature, so these services are often provided by telecommunications companies. A large area or metro network can operate using any long distance technology, although WiMAX is commonly used to provide high speed access.
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