ABSTRACT
This chapter summarizes the specifications for wireless networking standards that have emerged to support a broad range of applications: wireless local area networks (WLAN), wireless personal area networks (WPAN), wireless metropolitan area networks (WMAN), and wireless wide area networks. It reviews WPAN devices and Bluetooth and deals with H.264 video transmission over Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) 802.11-based wireless networks, taking into account a robust cross-layer architecture that leverages the inherent H.264 error resilience tools. The chapter addresses primarily the IEEE 802 work in wireless networks, supporting low-cost products serving customers’ needs for WLANs, WPAN, and WMAN. The IEEE Working Group 802.16 on Broadband Wireless Access has developed the WMAN air interface standard to support the development and the deployment of WMAN. IEEE Standard 802.16 was designed to evolve as a set of air interfaces based on a common medium access control protocol, but with physical layer specifications dependent on the spectrum of use and the associated regulations.
