Week 10: Chapter 7

1. Identify common wireless devices and their application to business

PDA’s, GPS, SmartPhone (3g), Laptops.


2. Describe the various types and general characteristics of wireless transmission media/technologies - microwave, satellite, infrared and radio waves.

Microwave, satellite and infrared are line of sight methods while radio signals travel through the air can pass through walls.

3. What is bluetooth/how is it used?

Bluetooth: Chip technology that enables short range connection (data and voice) between wireless devices.

4. What are WLAN's, Wi-Fi, WWAN's, WiMax?

Wireless Local Area Network (WLAN): A computer network in a limited georgraphical area that uses wireless transmission for communication.

Wireless Fidelity (WI-FI): A set of standards for wireless local area networks based on the IEEE 802.11 standard. Wi-Fi has a range of about 300 feet and a data transfer rate up to 54 Mbps. The major benefits of Wi-Fi are its lower cost and its ability to provide simple Internet access.

Wireless Wide Area Network (WWAN): based on cellular networks, Wi-Fi is reducing the need for wireless wide are networks based on cellular technology.

Wi-Max: has a wireless access range of up to 31 miles and a data transfer rate of up to 75 Mbps. It offers features such as voice and video.


5. What are the drivers of mobile computing and mobile commerce

The drivers for mobile computing include:

• real‐time, wireless connections between mobile devices and other computing/IT environments, such as the Internet
• electronic transactions conducted in a wireless environment (via wireless technologies).

The drivers for mobile commerce include:

• Widespread availability of mobile devices
• No need for a PC
• The “mobile phone culture”
• Declining prices
• Bandwidth improvement

6. Explain how mobile technologies can be applied to business solutions

7. Explain the nature of RFID

Radio- Frequency identification technology: A wireless technology that allows manufacturers to attach tags with antennas and computer chips on goods and then track their movement through radio signals.

8. Identify the 4 main security threats that arise from the use of mobile technologies

Rogue access point: is an unauthorized access point to a wireless network.
War driving: is the act of locating WLANs while driving around a city or elsewhere.
Eavesdropping: refers to efforts by unauthorised users to try to access data travelling over wireless networks.
Radio Frequency jamming: is when a person or a device intentionally or unintentionally interferes with your wireless network transmissions.