Mobile Computing Networks

Using mobile computers when in transit impliesparticular city or metropolitan area. Devices such
mobile computing. This is effectuated by usingas mobile phones and car computers can be
wireless technologies such as LAN, WAN, Wi-Fi,hooked up onto MAN to keep them
GPRS, etc.LAN refers to Local Area Networking.interconnected. MAN provides speeds of 128 kbps
This is not a very mobile technology, as itor 256 kbps. Cities such as New York, Philadelphia,
restricts the area of its reach. LAN refers to theMinnesota, Atlanta, Baltimore, Dallas and about 15
connectivity of two or more fixed or mobilemajor airports in America are currently connected
computing devices within a particular area. Thisby MAN.Cell phones are currently the most
connection can be done physically by cables (incommonly used mobile computing devices on the
which case it would not be an example of mobileplanet. They use wireless technologies such as
computing) or other connections such as infraredGSM, CDMA, WLL, GPRS, EDGE, 3G etc. for their
rays and wireless connections. LAN enablesconnectivity. Currently, GPRS or General Packet
computers within its reach to share and computeRadio Service is considered a fast-growing
data. It is primarily an intranet network.WAN istechnology. GPRS networks coupled with EDGE or
Wide Area Networking. It is wider in its outreach.Enhanced Data Rates for Global Evolution provide
WAN refers to the connection of two locations.fast Internet connection on cell phones. They can
These locations may be connected internallyprovide data transfer speeds of about 384 kbps,
through LAN networks. WAN essentially useswhich are much higher than GSM and CDMA
wireless connections between its locations.MAN istechnologies.Besides these popular services, there
another kind of network used in mobile computing.are also some lesser-known networks that have
It stands for Metropolitan Area Networking and itbeen introduced lately. One such network, the
connects mobile computing devices within aMetricom, was available in 12 cities and 15 airports.