Wireless piconets are very small networks that connect 5 to 10 devices or allow access to each other. Wireless piconets are primarily personal networks that allow accessories such as printers and headsets and other devices to interconnect without the need for wires. These communication systems allow for the connections to be dynamically added and removed between devices.
A particular form of wireless piconet is called Bluetooth. The Bluetooth system is an industry standard wireless data network. Information and the specifications for Bluetooth can be found at www.Bluetooth.com.
Figure 1 shows Bluetooth devices that have created temporary connections. In this diagram, the personal digital assistant (PDA) device is synchronizing (deleting, changing, and adding) addresses with a laptop computer. The laptop computer is also connected to the Internet through a Bluetooth enabled access node. A mobile phone is also synchronizing its phone book listing with the laptop computer. However, because it is out of direct range of communicating with the laptop, it communicates through the access node. The mobile phone is also communicating with a wireless headset.
