Network+
Chapter 4 Wireless Technology
171
Wireless Personal
Area Networks
(WPAN)
a small Ethernet
network consisting
of personal wire-
less devices such as
a cell phone, laptop,
palmtop, wireless
printer, Wireless
Access Point, iPod,
Xbox 360, and similar
items.
Network+ Note
Questions concerning the IEEE standards can be tricky on the Network+
Certifi cation exam because the standards are constantly changing. Before
taking the certifi cation exam, you should check the CompTIA Web site to
see if any changes are refl ected in the exam objectives.
802.15
The 802.15 Working Group for Wireless Personal Area Networks is better
known as Personal Area Networks (PAN) or Wireless Personal Area Networks
(WPAN). A Wireless Personal Area Networks (WPAN) is typically a small
Ethernet network consisting of personal wireless devices such as a cell phone,
laptop, palmtop, wireless printer, Wireless Access Point, iPod, Xbox 360, and
similar items. Many of the standards developed here coexist with standards
already developed and adopted by 802.11 wireless LANs. One of the concerns
of 802.15 is the compatibility of Bluetooth standards with other mobile
communications devices such as telephones, portable computers, and personal
digital assistants.
The 802.15 standard breaks down into additional separate specifi cations.
These are listed and defi ned in the following table. A complete copy of the IEEE
802.15 standard is located at http://standards.ieee.org/getieee802/802.15.html.
802.15 Standard Description
802.15.1 Low-speed PAN based on the Bluetooth standard.
802.15.2 Allows 802.11 and 802.15 devices to coexist in the
2.4-GHz band.
802.15.3 High-speed PAN with a data rate of 10 Mbps–55
Mbps at a range of 10 meters or less.
802.15.4 Low-speed PAN with a data rate of 2 kbps–200 kbps
using DSSS for 2.4 and 915 MHz.
ZigBee is a standard developed by a consortium of electronic manufacturers
for mainly residential applications of wireless devices as related to appliances
and security and such. It is based on the 802.15.4 standard. What appears to be
confusing is that the standard is represented by the name “ZigBee” rather than a
number. The term ZigBee is used similar to the way the term Wi-Fi is used.
Keep in mind that the IEEE standards will constantly change and be
amended as manufacturers try to improve the network wireless technologies.
802.16
The IEEE 802.16 Working Group on Broadband Wireless Access Standards
is better known as Broadband Wireless Access (BWA) or Wireless Metropolitan Area
Networks (WMAN). This project is concerned with connecting LANs to each other
using wireless technologies. The working group is hoping to design data rates as
high as 70 Mbps over distances of 30 miles or more. The working group is also
attempting to expand the radio frequencies assigned by the FCC and the radio
frequencies dedicated to only wireless mesh-type networks, such as wireless
MANs. At the present time, private companies can achieve high data rates over