Chapter Seven Questions and Answers

Chapter 7

1. Identify common wireless devices and their application to business.
Wireless devices are convenient and productive technologies that enable users to connect and access web-based information and services. Such devices include pagers, cellular telephones, organizers and blackberry’s. These devices are highly applicable to business as they enable users use their time more effectively; for example when travelling via public transportation they can spend time doing work via their mobile.

2. Describe the various types and general characteristics of wireless transmission media/technologies- microwave, satellite inferred and radio waves.
Microwave transmission a wireless system that uses 226 microwaves for high volume, long distance point-to-point communication. Satellite transmission, a wireless transmission system that uses satellites for broadcast communications. Infrared, a type of wireless transmission that uses red light not commonly visible to the human eye. Radio Waves: system that uses radio-wave frequencies to send data directly between transmitters and receivers.

3. What is Bluetooth/how is it used?
Bluetooth chip technology that enables short-range connection between wireless services. It is an industry specification used to create small personal area networks. It is used normally as an application device for wireless handsets such as cell phones and portable music players.
4. What are WLAN’S, Wi-Fi, WWAN’s and WiMax? WLAN
WLAN’s are wireless area networks which are familiar to medium-range wireless networks. Of these medium-range wireless networks; Wi-Fi (Wireless Fidelity) is the most common type. Wi-Fi is generally a wired LAN but without the cables. WWAN’s are Wide-Area Wireless networks which are used to connect users to the Internet over geographically dispersed territory. WiMax is a secure wireless option that provides features such as voice and video. It has a larger access range to that of Wi-Fi and Bluetooth; with also a data transfer rate of up to 75 Mbps.

5. What are the drivers of mobile computing and mobile commerce?
Mobile computing was designed for workers who travel outside the boundaries of their organisations or for anyone traveling outside his or her home. M-commerce can be transacted via the internet, private communication lines, smart cards and other infrastructures.

6. Explain the nature of RFID
Mobile technologies are extremely applicable to creating business solutions. Business problems such as financial services can be solved through wireless electronic payment systems where individuals can pay for bills, products and services online. Furthermore, such mobile technologies can allow individuals to buy and sell products they normally wouldn’t beable to purchase due to the product not being close to their home. Overall, mobile technologies such as the above and mobile phones, laptops and blackberrys have all helped close the communication gap between businesses and their customers and suppliers.

7. Identify the 4 main security treats that arise from the use of mobile technologies?
The four major treats to wireless networks are rouge access points, war driving, eavesdropping and radio frequency jamming. A rouge access point is an unauthorized access point to a wireless network; war driving is the act of locating WLAN’s while driving around a city or elsewhere; and eavesdropping refers to efforts by unauthorized users to access data that are traveling over other wireless networks. Radio frequency jamming occurs when a person or a device intentionally or unintentionally interferes with wireless network transmission.