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Wireless Networks : An Indispensable Tool

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Wireless Networks
Micheal Bennett
Nova Southeastern University

Abstract

Wireless communication has become an indispensable tool in the world today. Most of the world is connected and as a result, we have been able to carry out multiple tasks in a short time leaving us spare time to engage in other activities that demand our attention. Wireless networks have gone through several developmental phases to offer the fast and efficient services that we have presently. In this paper, I discuss the various classifications of wireless networks, going into details about their unique characteristics and why most people and organizations opt for them instead of their wired counterparts.

Wireless Networks

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Kumar et al. , (2008) classify wireless networks into three taxonomical groups, namely: fixed networks, mobile access networks and ad hoc or mesh networks. The mobile access networks are further divided into the circuit multiplexing (e.g. GSM cellular network), centralized statistical multiplexing (e.g. CDMA cellular networks, IS 95, CDMA 2000, WCDMA and IEEE 802.16 WIMAX networks) and distributed statistical multiplexing (IEEE 802.11 WLANs) (Kumar et al. , 2008). Additionally, they classify ad hoc networks into the wireless Internets and sensor networks ( Kumar et al. , 2008).
Wheat, Hiser, Tucker, Neely and McCullough (2011) define fixed wireless networks as a technology which utilizes line-of-sight technology with both the transmitter and receiver at fixed locations (p. 159). The Fresnel zone within which the signals operate must be clear of any form of obstruction in order to avoid absorption and loss of signal strength. Wheat et al. , gives examples of fixed wireless technologies as Wireless Local Loop technologies, Multichannel Multipoint Distribution Service (MMDS), Local Multipoint Distribution Service (LMDS) and Point-to-Point Microwave.
Mobile wireless access networks have evolved from first generation, second generation, third generation, fourth generation and now fifth generation (Umar, 2004). Umar further states that first generation cellular systems used analogue transmission and were

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