The infrastructure allows devices to share data, applications, and resources such as printers, mass storage, and computation power. Defining a radio standard is a tractable problem as demonstrated by the solutions presented in this paper. Designing a network infrastructure is much more complex. The second half of the paper describes several research projects that try to address components of the networking infrastructure. Finally there are the questions that go beyond the scope of this paper, yet will have the greatest effect on the direction, capabilities, and future of this paradigm.
Communication demands compatibility, which is challenging in a heterogeneous marketplace.
Yet by establishing and implementing compatible systems, manufacturers can offer more powerful and useful devices to their customers. Since these are, after all, digital devices living in a programmed digital world, compatibility and interoperation are possible. Wireless communication Personal area networks connect mobile devices carried by users to other mobile and stationary devices. Wireless PAN communication can occur over optical, magnetic, electric, and electromagnetic channels. Table 1 presents these methods, including typical performance values.