Wireless and Mobile Computing

Wireless communication is basically a data communication without the use of landlines.

Mobile computing means that the computing device is not continuously connected to the base or central network.

Wireless vs. Mobile Computing

As you know that wireless refers to the method of transferring the information between a computing device without any physical connection.

And you also know that now all the wireless communications technologies are mobile.

Mobile simply describes a computing device that is not restricted to a desktop. A mobile device may be a PDA (Personal Data Assistant), a Smart cell phone, a laptop computer, or any one of numerous other devices that allows the users to complete computing tasks without being tethered or connected to a network.

Mobile computing does not necessarily require wireless communication. In fact, it may not require communication between the devices at all.

As already told that wireless communication is a data communication without any use of landlines. This may involve cellular telephone, two-way radio, fixed wireless, laser, or satellite communications. Here the computing device is continuously connected to the base network.

Mobile or untethered computing means that the computing device is not continuously connected to the base or central network.

Mobile devices includes PDAs, laptop computers, and many of today's cell phones also called as smart phones. These products may communicate with a base location with or without a wireless connection.

Here is a table that gives you an idea about different computing devices, which can be either wireless or mobile or both:

Example	Wireless	Mobile
Stationary computer	No	No
Notebook in a hotel	No	Yes
Wireless LANs in historic buildings	Yes	No
PDA	Yes	Yes
Smart phones, pagers	Yes	Yes

Wireless/Mobile Computing Technologies

Here are the list of some important technologies and interfaces used for wireless and mobile computing that you will learn in separate tutorials:

Networking Online Test

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