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Wireless communication is the transfer of information or power between two or more points that are not connected by an electrical conductor. The most common wireless technologies use radio waves.
This page references various wireless communication technologies that can be used in Debian:
Wi-Fi - Wireless Local Area Network (WLAN) technology standardized as IEEE 802.11 b/g/a/n. Its primary usage is to connect computers within the same house/enterprise. Note that it is often used to connect to the Internet through a DSL or cable router.
Bluetooth - Personal Area Network (PAN) technology standardized as IEEE 801.15.1. It was designed to handle short-range "low bandwith" personal communications. Typically between your mobile phone, head-set, computer, printer...
Modem/3G - Using a dedicated 3G modem card/mobile phone as a modem (connected through Bluetooth, USB..)
IrDA is a very short range (<1m) infrared optical data exchange protocol. Typical uses include exchanging files between two laptops, sending files between mobile phones and/or computers, etc. Maximum speed is 115kbps or 4mbps (see TLDP Howto,lirc)
WiMax is a Wireless MAN standardized as IEEE 802.16. It is meant to provide wireless broadband access in metropolitan areas.
Satellite Internet - Internet access provided through communications satellites, typically provided to individual users through geostationary satellites that can offer relatively high data speeds. See this Sat-HOWTO
Free Space Optics (FSO) is a telecommunication technology that uses light propagating in free space to transmit data between two points. The optical links usually use infrared laser light, although low-data-rate communication over short distances is possible using LEDs.
- Wireless keyboard/mouse: newer wireless keyboards and mice (sometimes named "cordless") tend to use Bluetooth to connect to the computer, older ones may use proprietary radio frequency protocols - These devices come with a base or dongle and behave like a regular PS2/USB keyboard/mouse from the operating system point of view)