Wireless Network Simulation Using OPNET IT Guru Academic Edition. Part 2 2. Wireless Infrastructure:

2. Wireless Infrastructure:

2.1. Wireless network refers to any type of computer network that is wireless, and is commonly associated with a telecommunications network whose interconnections between nodes is implemented without the use of wires. Wireless telecommunications networks are generally implemented with some type of remote information transmission system that uses electromagnetic waves, such as radio waves, for the carrier and this implementation usually takes place at the physical level or "layer" of the network.

2.1.1. Wireless Personal Area Network (WPAN) is a type of wireless network that interconnects devices within a relatively small area, generally within reach of a person. For example, Bluetooth provides a WPAN for interconnecting a headset to a laptop. ZigBee also supports WPAN applications.

2.1.2. Wireless Local Area Network (WLAN) is a wireless alternative to a computer Local Area Network (LAN) that uses radio instead of wires to transmit data back and forth between computers in a small area such as a home, office, or school. Wireless LANs are standardized under the IEEE 802.11 series.

2.1.3. Wireless Metropolitan area networks (WMAN) are a type of wireless network that connects several Wireless LANs. WiMAX is the term used to refer to wireless MANs and is covered in IEEE 802.16d/802.16e.