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Wireless Networking Handbook
(Publisher: Macmillan Computer Publishing)
Author(s): Jim Geier
ISBN: 156205631x
Publication Date: 09/01/96

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APPENDIX B
Wireless Networking Products and Services

As part of a wireless network implementation, you will certainly need to decide which products to use. This appendix contains a high-level description of wireless networking products and services to aid you in making a decision. A separate section is devoted to each of the following:

  Wireless LAN products
  Wireless MAN products
  Wireless WAN products and services

The sections contain tables identifying specific products and comparing their attributes. Based on your network’s requirements, scan the product lists and identify potential products; then obtain more detailed product information from the applicable vendors. Each of the tables identifies the products’ vendor. Contact information for these vendors can be found in Appendix A, “Wireless Networking Vendors and Service Companies.”

Wireless LAN Products

Table B.1 contains descriptions of radio and infrared-based wireless LAN network interface cards and access points. These products provide connectivity among clients and servers and access to wired ethernet networks within a local area, such as a room, warehouse, or building. All given ranges are approximate for semi-open areas, such as offices with partitions and walls. Longer ranges are possible in open areas, such as warehouses and auditoriums. In addition, most of these products offer access points that extend the range by forming a multiple cell configuration with wired ethernet or token ring networks as a backbone.

Table B.1 Wireless LAN Products.

Product
Name
Company Interface
Protocol
Wireless
Technology
Data
Rate
Range Comments

AIRLAN Solectek ISA, PCMCIA II, Parallel port Spread spectrum radio (ISM Band) 2
Mbps
200 feet AIRLAN uses WaveLAN technology.
Altair Motorola IEEE 802.3 Ethernet 18 Ghz narrowband radio 5.7
Mbps
100 feet Requires FCC licensing; uses a centralized wireless hub.
ARLAN Aironet ISA, PCMCIA Spread spectrum radio (ISM Band) 2
Mbps
200 feet Radios use direct sequence spread spectrum; Aironet’s ARLAN 630 and ARLAN 631 access points provide multiple cell configuration via ethernet and token ring respectively.
Aviator Wireless Network Nova Counter-
Electronics
Parallel port Spread spectrum radio (ISM Band) 150
Kbps
60
feet
BreezeNET BreezeCOM ISA, PCMCIA II Spread spectrum radio (ISM Band) 3
Mbps
200 feet Radios use frequency hopping spread spectrum; Access Point AP-10 provides multiple cell configuration.
Collaborative Photonics ISA, PCMCIA II, parallel port Diffused infrared 1
Mbps
25
feet
Photonic’s Collaborative Access Point provides multiple cell configuration via ethernet.
Cooperative Photonics Apple LocalTalk Diffused infrared 230.4
Kbps
25
feet
Photonic’s Cooperative Access Point provides multiple cell configuration via ethernet.
CruiseLAN Zenith Data Systems ISA, PCMCIA II Spread spectrum radio (ISM Band) 1.6
Mbps
200 feet Zenith’s CruiseLAN/Access Point provides multiple cell configuration via ethernet; features software encryption.
FreePort Windata, Inc. IEEE 802.3 Ethernet Spread spectrum radio (ISM Band) 5.7
Mbps
200 feet Uses a centralized wireless hub.
GoPrint AeroComm Centronics parallel port Spread spectrum radio (ISM Band) 1
Mbps
200 feet
Grouper Digital Ocean Apple Spread spectrum radio (ISM Band) 2
Mbps
Supports Apple product line; Apple Newton PDA; uses WaveLAN technology.
InfraLAN InfraLAN Technologies IEEE 802.5 Token Ring Point-to-point infrared 4 or 16
Mbps
80
feet
Infrared Wireless Adapter IBM ISA, PCMCIA II Diffused infrared 1
Mbps
30
feet
Netwave Xircom PCMCIA II Spread spectrum radio (ISM Band) 1
Mbps
200 feet Radios use frequency hopping spread spectrum; Antenna is integrated within the PCMCIA adapter; Netwave Access Point for Ethernet provides multiple cell configuration; incorporates authentication and data scrambling features.
Novell Embedded Systems Technology (NEST) Novell, Inc. (Unknown) Carrier currents over electrical power lines 2
Mbps
Length of power line circuit This product is projected for release in 1997.
RangeLAN Proxim ISA, PCMCIA II Spread spectrum radio (ISM Band) 1.6
Mbps
200 feet Proxim’s access point provides multiple cell configuration via ethernet.
SpextrixLite Spectrix PCMCIA II, RS-232, TTL, RS-485/422 Diffused infrared 4
Mbps
50
feet
SpectrixLite’s Wireless LAN Base Station provides multiple cell configuration.
WaveLAN Lucent ISA, PCMCIA II Spread spectrum radio (ISM Band) 2
Mbps
200 feet Radios use direct sequence spread spectrum; Lucent’s Netwave Access Point for Ethernet provides multiple cell configuration via ethernet; a data encryption chip is an available option for added security.
Wireless LAN IBM ISA, PCMCIA II Spread spectrum radio (ISM Band) 1
Mbps
200 feet Radios use frequency hopping spread spectrum; IBM’s access point provides multiple cell configuration via ethernet and token ring; continuous data encryption.

Wireless MAN Products

Table B.2 contains descriptions of radio and infrared-based wireless MAN products. These products offer outdoor point-to-point connectivity between buildings and other structures. The ranges given in the table are approximate—the true ranges depend on weather and the presence of physical obstructions and interference.

Table B.2 Wireless MAN Products.

Product
Name
Company Interface
Protocol
Wireless
Technology
Data
Rate
Range Comments

AIRLAN/Bridge Plus Solectek IEEE 802.3 Ethernet Spread spectrum radio (ISM Band) 2
Mbps
3
miles
AirLink Cylink IEEE 802.3 Ethernet Spread spectrum radio (ISM Band) 1872
64-byte
pps
15
miles
Radios use direct sequence spread spectrum.
AirPort Windata, Inc. IEEE 802.3 Ethernet Spread spectrum radio (ISM Band) 5.7
Mbps
1
mile
Radios use direct sequence spread spectrum.
Altair VistaPoint Motorola IEEE 802.3 Ethernet 18 GHz narrowband radio 5.3
Mbps
4,000
feet
ARLAN Aironet IEEE 802.3 Ethernet Spread spectrum radio (ISM Band) 2
Mbps
3
miles
Radios use direct sequence spread spectrum.
BreezeLINK BreezeCOM T1, E1, V.35, RS-530, X.21 Spread spectrum radio (ISM Band) 56–2048
Kbps
20
miles
Radios use frequency hopping spread spectrum.
EthAirBridge LANAIR IEEE 802.3 Ethernet Spread spectrum radio (ISM Band) 300
Kbps
15
miles
Radios use frequency hopping spread spectrum.
FASTWAVE 850 Southwest Microwave IEEE 802.3 Ethernet 23 GHz narrowband radio 10
Mbps
3
miles
Supports full-duplex
(20 Mbps) ethernet.
FASTWAVE 950 Southwest Microwave Fractional T1, T1, 4T1, or IEEE
802.3 Ethernet
23 GHz narrowband radio 10
Mbps
10
miles
Supports full duplex
(20 Mbps) ethernet.
Intersect Remote Bridge Persoft IEEE 802.3 Ethernet or IEEE 802.5 Token Ring Spread spectrum radio (ISM Band) 2
Mbps
3
miles
OmniBeam 2000 Laser Communications IEEE 802.3 Ethernet, IEEE 802.5 Token Ring, T1, E1, V.35 laser (820 nm) Line Speed 3,940 feet
OmniBeam 4000 Laser Communications E3, T3, SONET-1, SONET-3, ATM-52, 100BaseT, FDDI laser (820 nm) 34–155
Mbps
Depends on data rate Features an optical fiber interface.
RAN 128/900 Multipoint Networks V.35 820–960 MHz narrowband radio 128
Kbps
30
miles
Other RAN products are available that operate at lower data rates.
RangeLINK Proxim IEEE 802.3 Ethernet Spread spectrum radio (ISM Band) 1.6
Mbps
3
miles
Wireless Link SpreadNet IEEE 802.3 Ethernet Spread spectrum radio (ISM Band) 2
Mbps
25
miles

Wireless WAN Products and Services

Table B.3 contains descriptions of various wireless WAN products. These products offer wide area (with the United States and worldwide) connectivity between portable computers and the Internet, corporate networks, and wireless WAN service provider networks.

Table B.3 Wireless WAN Products.

Product
Name
Company Interface
Protocol
Wireless
Technology
Data
Rate
Range Comments

MCC-550C Remote Station Meteor Communications Corporation RS-232, Parallel Meteor burst communications (40–50 MHz) 9,600
bps
1000
miles
Interfaces with the MCC-520B Meteor Burst Master Station.
MobileSat LYNXX Transportable Inmarsat-B Earth Station California Microwave RS-232, RS-422/449, V.35 Satellite 64
Kbps
Worldwide
Personal Messenger 100C Wireless Modem Card Motorola PCMCIA, RS-232 CDPD 19.2
Kbps
Depends on the coverage area of the selected CDPD service provider Interfaces with CDPD network service.
Personal Messenger 100D Wireless Modem Card Motorola PCMCIA Packet radio (ARDIS) 20
Kbps
Depends on ARDIS coverage area Interfaces with the ARDIS packet radio network service.
Ricochet Metricom RS-232 Packet radio (Ricochet) 28.8
Kbps
Depends on coverage of Metricom’s Ricochet service
Wireless Modem for ARDIS IBM PCMCIA Packet radio (ARDIS) 19.2
Kbps
Depends on the coverage area of the selected CDPD service provider Interfaces with the ARDIS packet radio network service.
Wireless Modem for Cellular/CDPD IBM PCMCIA CDPD 19.2
Kbps
Depends on the coverage area of the selected CDPD service provider Interfaces with CDPD network service.
Wireless Modem for Mobitex (RAM Mobile Data) IBM PCMCIA Packet radio (Mobitex) 8
Kbps
Depends on the RAM Mobile Data coverage area Interfaces with the RAM Mobile Data packet radio network service.

Wireless WAN Services

Table B.4 contains descriptions of wireless WAN services, which require the use of a wireless WAN interface as described in Table B.3. Wireless WAN services offer wide area wireless public data networking for mobile users.

Table B.4 Wireless WAN Services.

Service
Name
Company Wireless
Technology
Data
Rate
Range Comments

ARDIS ARDIS Packet radio 20
Kbps
Most of the United States Requires a wireless modem.
AT&T Wireless Packet Data Service AT&T Wireless Services CDPD 19.2
Kbps
Worldwide Requires a CDPD modem.
RAM Mobile Data RAM Mobile Data Packet radio 20
Kbps
Most of the United States Requires a wireless modem.
Ricochet Metricom Packet radio 28.8
Kbps
Selected areas of the United States Requires a wireless modem.


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