Personal area = network -=20 Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

This article may contain orig= inal=20 research. Please improve=20 it by verifying=20 the claims made and adding references= .=20 Statements consisting only of original research may be removed. = More=20 details may be available on the talk=20 page. (September = 2007)

Computer=20 network types by geographical scope
Near=20 field (NFC) Body=20 (BAN) Personal (PAN) Near-me=20 (NAN) Local=20 (LAN) Home=20 (HAN) Storage=20 (SAN) Campus=20 (CAN) Backbone Metropoli= tan=20 (MAN) Wide=20 (WAN) Internet Interplanet= ary=20 Internet
This=20 box: view talk edit

A personal area network (PAN) is a computer = network used=20 for communication = among computerized=20 devices, including telephones=20 and personal= =20 digital assistants. PANs can be used for communication among the = personal=20 devices themselves (intrapersonal communication), or for connecting to a = higher=20 level network and the Internet=20 (an uplink).=20 A wireless personal area network (WPAN) is a PAN carried = over wireless = network=20 technologies such as IrDA,= =20 Bluetooth, Wireless USB, Z-Wave, ZigBee,=20 or even Body=20 Area Network. The reach of a WPAN varies from a few centimeters to a = few=20 meters. A PAN may also be carried over wired computer buses = such as USB=20 and FireWire.

[edit]=20 Wireless Personal=20 Area Network

A wireless personal area network (WPAN) is a personal area network - = a=20 network for interconnecting devices centered around an individual = person's=20 workspace - in which the connections are wireless. Wireless PAN is based = on the=20 standard IEEE 802.15. The = three kinds=20 of wireless technologies used for WPAN are Bluetooth,=20 Infrared = Data Association, and Wi-Fi.

A WPAN could serve to interconnect all the ordinary computing and=20 communicating devices that many people have on their desk or carry with = them=20 today - or it could serve a more specialized purpose such as allowing = the=20 surgeon and other team members to communicate during an operation.

A key concept in WPAN technology is known as "plugging in". In the = ideal=20 scenario, when any two WPAN-equipped devices come into close proximity = (within=20 several meters of each other) or within a few kilometers of a central = server,=20 they can communicate as if connected by a cable. Another important = feature is=20 the ability of each device to lock out other devices selectively, = preventing=20 needless interference or unauthorized access to information.

The technology for WPANs is in its infancy and is undergoing rapid=20 development. Proposed operating frequencies are around 2.4 GHz in = digital=20 modes. The objective is to facilitate seamless operation among home or = business=20 devices and systems. Every device in a WPAN will be able to plug in to = any other=20 device in the same WPAN, provided they are within physical range of one = another.=20 In addition, WPANs worldwide will be interconnected. Thus, for example, = an=20 archeologist on site in Greece might use a PDA to directly access = databases at=20 the University = of Minnesota in Minneapolis, and to transmit findings to that = database.

[edit]=20 Bluetooth

Bluetooth uses = short-range=20 radio waves over distances up to approximately 10 metres. For example, = Bluetooth=20 devices such as a keyboards, pointing devices, audio head sets, printers = may=20 connect to Personal= =20 digital assistants (PDAs), cell=20 phones, or computers wirelessly.

A Bluetooth PAN is = also called a=20 piconet = (combination of the=20 prefix "pico," meaning very small or one trillionth, and network), and = is=20 composed of up to 8 active devices in a master-slave relationship (a = very large=20 number of devices can be connected in "parked" mode). The first = Bluetooth device=20 in the piconet is the master, and all other devices are slaves that = communicate=20 with the master. A piconet typically has a range of 10 metres = (33 ft),=20 although ranges of up to 100 metres (330 ft) can be reached under = ideal=20 circumstances.

Recent innovations in Bluetooth antennas have allowed these devices = to=20 greatly exceed the range for which they were originally designed. At DEF=20 CON 12, a group of hackers known as "Flexilis" successfully = connected two=20 Bluetooth devices more than half a mile (800 m) away. They used an = antenna=20 with a scope and Yagi=20 antenna, all attached to a rifle stock. A cable attached the antenna = to a=20 Bluetooth card in a computer. They later named the antenna "The = BlueSniper."[citation=20 needed]

[edit]=20 Infrared = Data=20 Association

Infrared Data Association uses infrared light, which has a frequency = below=20 the human eye's sensitivity. It is used in cell phones and TV remote ps3 = controllers controls. Typical WPAN devices that use IrDA include = printers,=20 keyboards, and other serial data interfaces.^<=
SPAN>[1]

[edit]=20 WiFi

WiFi uses radio waves for connection over distances up to around 91 = metres,=20 usually in a local=20 area network (LAN) environment. Wifi can be used to connect local = area=20 networks, to connect cellphones to the Internet to download music and = other=20 multimedia, to allow PC multimedia content to be stream to the TV (Wireless=20 Multimedia Adapter), and to connect video game consoles to their = networks=20 (Nintendo=20 WiFi Connection).

[edit]=20 Body Area = Network

Main article: Body Area=20 Network

The neu= trality=20 of this section is disputed= .=20 Please see the discussion on the talk=20 page. Please do not remove this message until the dispute=20 is resolved. (December = 2011)

This article's factual accuracy is disputed= .=20 Please help to ensure that disputed facts are reliably = sourced. See=20 the relevant discussion on the talk=20 page. (December = 2011)

Body=20 Area Networks is the IEEE=20 802.15.6 standard based on transmission via the capacitive near field = of human=20 skin allowing Near=20 field communication of devices worn by and near the wearer.^<=
SPAN>[2]=20 Skinplex implementation can detect and communicate = up to 1=20 metre (3 ft 3 in) from a human body. It is already used = for=20 access control for door locks and jamming protection in convertible car=20 roofs.

[edit]=20 See also

Ambient=20 networks
Bluetooth
Body=20 Area Network
DASH7
IEEE 802.15
Internalnet
Ultra-wideband=20 and FM-UWB=20 networks
Z-Wave
ZigBee
6lowpan
RuBee

[edit]=20 References

^<= /A>=20 Charles D. Knutson with Jeffrey M. Brown, IrDA Principles and = Protocols, 2004,=20 ISBN= =20 0-9753892-0-3
^<= /A>=20 "IEEE 802.15 WPAN Task Group 6 (TG6) Body Area = Networks".=20 IEEE Standards Association. 09-Jun-2011. http://ieee802.org/15/pub/TG6.html.=20 Retrieved 09-dec-2011.

[edit]=20 External = links

Intrabody Signalling by Tom=20 Zimmerman and Neil=20 Gershenfeld
- Archived version with working = downloads
ASPAN - Next Generation Personal Area = Networks

Telecommunication= s=20 (general)

Histor= y

Beacons
Broadcastin= g
Computer=20 networks
Drums
Electr= ical=20 telegraphy
Fax
Heliography<= /LI>
Hydraulic=20 telegraphs
Internet

Mass=20 media
Mobile=20 phones
Optical=20 telegraphy
Photophone
Radio
Radiotelephone
Sa= tellite=20 communications
Telegraphy
Telephones=
Telephone=20 patent controversies
Television

Undersea=20 telegraph lines
Videop= hones

Pioneers

Alexander=20 Graham Bell
Alfred=20 Vail
Alexand= er=20 Popov
Charles=20 Wheatstone
Claude=20 Chappe
Edwin=20 Armstrong
Elisha=20 Gray
Guglielmo=20 Marconi
Jagadish=20 Bose
Johann=20 Philipp Reis
John=20 Logie Baird
Lee=20 De Forest
Nikola=20 Tesla
Philo=20 Farnsworth
Reginald=20 Fessenden
Tim=20 Berners-Lee
Vint=20 Cerf
Vladimir=20 Zworykin

Media

Coaxial=20 cable
Fr= ee-space=20 optical
Landlines
Optical=20 fiber
Radio = waves
Terrestrial= =20 microwave

Networks=

Advanced = Research=20 Projects Agency
BITNET
Ethernet
FidoNet
ISDN
Internet
Local=20 area
Mobile/Cellular

NGN
Packet=20 switched
P= ublic=20 Switched Telephone
Radio
Television
Telex
Wide=20 area
World=20 Wide Web
Wireless

Geographic

v d e Teleco= mmunications=20 in Europe

Sovereign states	Alban= ia Andor= ra Armen= ia Austr= ia Az= erbaijan Belar= us Belgi= um Bosnia=20 and Herzegovina Bulg= aria Croat= ia Cyprus= Czech=20 Republic Denma= rk Eston= ia Finla= nd France= Georgia Germa= ny Greece= Hunga= ry Icela= nd Ireland Italy Ka= zakhstan Latvia= Liechtenstein Lit= huania Lu= xembourg Macedonia Malta Moldo= va Monaco= Mo= ntenegro Netherlands Norway= Poland= Port= ugal Roman= ia Russia= Sa= n=20 Marino Serbia= Slov= akia Slov= enia Spain Sweden= S= witzerland Turkey= Ukrai= ne United=20 Kingdom England Northern=20 Ireland Scotland Wales

States=20 with limited recognition	Abkhazia Kosovo= Nagorno-Kar= abakh Northern=20 Cyprus South=20 Ossetia = Transnistria

Dependencies and other territories	=C3=85land Faroe=20 Islands Gib= raltar Guernsey Jersey= Isle=20 of Man Svalbard

Other entities	European=20 Union

v <= SPAN=20 style=3D"border: currentColor;"=20 title=3D"Discuss this template">d e Telecommunications=20 in North America

Sovereign states	Antigua=20 and Barbuda B= ahamas Barb= ados Belize= Canada= Co= sta=20 Rica Cuba= Domi= nica Dominican=20 Republic E= l=20 Salvador Grena= da Gua= temala Haiti Hond= uras Jamai= ca Mexico= Nic= aragua Panama= Saint=20 Kitts and Nevis S= aint=20 Lucia Saint=20 Vincent and the Grenadines Trinidad=20 and Tobago United=20 States

Dependencies and other territories	Angu= illa Aruba Bermu= da Bonaire British=20 Virgin Islands Cayman=20 Islands = Cura=C3=A7ao Gre= enland Gu= adeloupe Ma= rtinique Mo= ntserrat Navassa=20 Island P= uerto=20 Rico Saint=20 Barth=C3=A9lemy Sain= t=20 Martin Saint=20 Pierre and Miquelon Saba Sint=20 Eustatius Sint=20 Maarten Turks=20 and Caicos Islands United=20 States Virgin = Islands

v <= SPAN=20 style=3D"border: currentColor;"=20 title=3D"Discuss this template">d e Telecommunications=20 in South America

Sovereign = states	Arg= entina Boliv= ia Brazil= Chile Colo= mbia Ecuad= or Guyana= Panama= Para= guay Peru= Suri= name Trinidad=20 and Tobago Urugu= ay Ven= ezuela

Dependencies=20 and other territories	Aruba Bonaire = Cura=C3=A7ao Falkland=20 Islands French=20 Guiana South Georgia and the = South=20 Sandwich = Islands

v d e Telec= ommunications=20 in Oceania

Sovereign=20 states	Aus= tralia Cook=20 Islands Ea= st=20 Timor (Timor-Leste) Fiji= Ind= onesia Kiri= bati Marshall=20 Islands Federated=20 States of Micronesia Nauru N= ew=20 Zealand Palau Papua=20 New Guinea Samoa Solomon=20 Islands Tonga Tuvalu= Vanua= tu

Dependencies=20 and other territories	American=20 Samoa Christmas=20 Island Cocos=20 (Keeling) Islands Easter=20 Island French=20 Polynesia Guam= Hawaii New=20 Caledonia Niue= Norfolk=20 Island Northern= =20 Mariana Islands Pitcairn=20 Islands Tokelau Wallis=20 and = Futuna

v d e Teleco= mmunications=20 in Africa

Sovereign states	Alger= ia Angola= Benin Bots= wana = Burkina=20 Faso Burun= di Came= roon Ca= pe=20 Verde Central=20 African Republic Chad= Comor= os Democratic=20 Republic of the Congo Republic=20 of the Congo C=C3=B4te=20 d'Ivoire (Ivory Coast) Djib= outi Egypt Equatorial=20 Guinea Eritr= ea Ethi= opia Gabon Th= e=20 Gambia Ghana Guinea= Guinea-Bissau Kenya Lesot= ho Liber= ia Libya Ma= dagascar Malawi= Mali= Ma= uritania Mau= ritius Moroc= co Mo= zambique Namib= ia Niger Niger= ia Rwanda= S=C3=A3o=20 Tom=C3=A9 and Pr=C3=ADncipe Seneg= al Se= ychelles = Sierra=20 Leone Somal= ia = South=20 Africa South=20 Sudan Sudan Swa= ziland Tanz= ania Togo= Tunis= ia Uganda= Zambia= Zimb= abwe

States=20 with limited recognition	= Sahrawi=20 Arab Democratic Republic So= maliland

Dependencies=20 and other territories=	Canary=20 Islands / Ceuta /=20 Melil= la /=20 Plazas=20 de soberan=C3=ADa (Spain) Madei= ra=20 (Portugal) Mayot= te /=20 = R=C3=A9union=20 (France) = Saint=20 Helena / Ascension=20 Island / Tristan=20 da Cunha (United Kingdom) Western=20 Sahara

v d e Telecomm= unications=20 in Asia

Sovereign<= BR> states	A= fghanistan Armen= ia Az= erbaijan Bahra= in Ba= ngladesh Bhutan= Brunei= Burma=20 (Myanmar) Camb= odia People's=20 Republic of China Cyprus= Ea= st=20 Timor (Timor-Leste) Egypt Georgia India Ind= onesia Iran= Iraq= Israel= Japan Jordan= Ka= zakhstan N= orth=20 Korea S= outh=20 Korea Kuwait= Ky= rgyzstan Laos= Leban= on Mala= ysia = Maldives Mong= olia Nepal Oman= Paki= stan Philippines Qatar Russia= = Saudi=20 Arabia Sin= gapore Sri= =20 Lanka Syria Ta= jikistan Thai= land Turkey= = Turkmenistan United=20 Arab Emirates Uz= bekistan Vietn= am Yemen

States=20 with limited recognition	Abkhazia Nagorno-Karabakh= Northern=20 Cyprus Pal= estine Republic=20 of China (Taiwan) South=20 Ossetia

Dependencies=20 and other ter= ritories	Christmas=20 Island Cocos=20 (Keeling) Islands Hon= g=20 Kong Macau =

Personal area = network

Contents

[edit]=20 Wireless Personal=20 Area Network

[edit]=20 Bluetooth

[edit]=20 Infrared = Data=20 Association

[edit]=20 WiFi

[edit]=20 Body Area = Network

[edit]=20 See also

[edit]=20 References

[edit]=20 External = links

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