PERSONAL AREA NETWORKS (PAN)

INTRODUCTION

• A computer network is a system for communicating between two or more

computers and associated devices

• A popular example of a computer network is the internet, which allows

millions of users to share information

• Computer networks can be classified according to their size:

– Personal area network (PAN)

– Local area network (LAN)

– Metropolitan area network (MAN)

– Wide area network (WAN)

• A PAN is a network that is used for communicating among computers and

computer devices (including telephones) in close proximity of around a few

meters within a room.

PERSONAL AREA NETWORKS

• A personal area network (PAN) could be thought of as the

interconnection of devices within the range of an individual person

and nowadays typically uses wireless technology (WPAN).

• It can be used for communicating between the devices themselves,

or for connecting to a larger network such as the internet, Devices

are normally within 1-10m

• PAN’s CAN BE TWO TYPES-

• WIRED

• WIRELESS

WIRED PAN

WIRELESS PAN

• INFRARED

• HomeRF (home radio frequency)

• BLUETOOTH

INFRARED

• Infrared technology is probably the best known and

most mature WPAN technology.

• Communication takes place between two devices that are in line of

site of each other.

• This means that if an object obstructs the infrared path between the

two devices, the network link will fail.

• Thus, infrared technology is unsuitable

for WPAN use unless both devices can be placed close together and

kept relatively static

INFRARED

• Though Infrared technology has drawbacks, it does have several

advantages:

• A relatively high data rate when compared to other WPAN

technologies ( ~ 4Mbps)

• Being free from interference from radio technologies

• Being cheap to install in devices

• A lack of complicated addressing issues between devices

• Infrared technology can be found in a range of devices including

PDAs, mobile phones, laptops and remote controls.

HOMERF (HOME RADIO FREQUENCY)

• HomeRF technology can still be found in such devices as

keyboards, future development work on HomeRF products has now

stopped and thus it is unlikely that devices with will feature strongly

in future WPANs.

BLUETOOTH

• Bluetooth is a short range wireless technology endorsed by major

technology companies and has now been accepted as the IEEE

802.15.1 standard.

• Bluetooth utilizes the 2.45GHz radio band and supports data rates of

up to 780Kbps.

BLUETOOTH

• This technology was originally designed for short range wireless

connectivity between two devices replacing traditional wired

solutions and unlike infrared there doesn't have to be a clear line of

sight between Bluetooth devices.

• Options include using Bluetooth in the same way as WLANs are

used over a distance of up to 100 meters (although data rates of

Bluetooth are significantly lower (~780Kbps)).

• All Bluetooth devices have a minimum set of functionality that will

allow them to locate another Bluetooth device

HOW EASY IS IT TO ESTABLISH A PAN NETWORK?

• Infrared

• In the case of infrared, sending data from one device to the next usually requires the user to

set the device to allow incoming infrared beam requests.

• Once another device comes in range of a network and attempts to send data a network is

established.

• Bluetooth

• In the case of Bluetooth, a device is set so that it actively tries to discover other Bluetooth

devices or is set to a mode that allows itself to be discovered by all other Bluetooth devices

or chosen devices (this depends on the manufacturer of the device though).

• A network is established when a device that is seeking another device locates another

Bluetooth device.

In both WPAN technologies, once a network is established, a receiving device

normally has to wait for the user to actively accept incoming data before it can be

viewed or stored.

USING WPAN TO CONNECT A DEVICE TO THE INTERNET

• This is another common use for WPAN especially amongst those

people who spend time away from their fixed network connection

point. A connection to the internet is made by a WPAN device

(normally a mobile phone) via GSM/GPRS.

• A WPAN is then formed from this device to another Bluetooth

enabled device such as a laptop. In this way the user can use the

laptop to wirelessly gain access to the internet.

STANDARDS RELATING TO WPANS

• One of the main standards bodies for WPAN technologies is the

IEEE (Institute of Electrical and Electronic Engineers). This is the

same body that governs the 802.11 (Wi-Fi) standards. WPAN

technology standards governed by the IEEE come under the 802.15

umbrella.

• IEEE 802.15.1 (Bluetooth)

• IEEE 802.15.2 (Coexistence) Operating with surrounding WPANs. Hibernation.

• IEEE 802.15.3 (High-rate 11 to 55 Mbit/s WPANs)

• IEEE 802.15.3c (Millimeter-wave WPAN allows very high data rate, short range

(10 m) for applications including high speed internet access)

• IEEE 802.15.4 (Low Rate WPAN deals with low data rate but very long battery

life months or even years ) Example: Zigbee

DIFFERENCES BETWEEN WPANS AND WLANS

• The goal for WPANs is to replace wires between objects that are close to

each other and have a short range.

• Wireless Local Area Networks (WLANs) are used as wireless

replacements for traditional Ethernet type networks and currently have a

greater data rate and range than most WPANs.

• WLANs are often associated with portable devices such as laptops. This

type of network is often not considered to be as portable as WPANs.

• Ideally, WPANs should complement WLANs but there is inevitably some

overlap in the technologies.

• For example, Bluetooth devices can be purchased that can form a WPAN

with other devices that are located within a few meters or connected to a

WLAN from distances up to 100m.

ADVANTAGES

• WPANs have a number of key advantages when used in an

educational environment:

• Dynamic network setup

• Usually quick and relatively simple to set up.

• WPAN enabled devices are usually portable.

• Typically need less technical skills to deploy than LANs or WLANs.

DISADVANTAGES

• Typically have a limited range.

• Currently limited to relatively slow data rates when compared with

WLAN technologies.

• Compatibility and interoperability issues; WPAN technologies are

not usually compatible with each other. Some WPAN technologies

such as Bluetooth are known to have had interoperability issues

between devices from different manufacturers

• Devices with inbuilt WPAN technologies can be considerably more

expensive than devices without WPAN technologies.

APPLICATIONS

• In Medical & Hospitals

• In railways and Airports station

• In Organization and Companies

• In Schools and College Education

• In Defense And Military

• In Home, Office & Small Industries

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