Introduction ProPhoto Wiki contains a number of resources on all forms of wireless networks and their use in digital photography. This section covers everything from short range wireless networking topics like
WiFi to wide area wireless services like
EVDO. Please read on for more information!
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Short Range Wireless Networks
Standards such as
802.11g allow individuals to set up short-range wireless networks to connect a number of their own devices. These systems typically run on unlicenced radio bands, so users may set them up on their own.
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WiFi:The IEEE 802.11 Standards
By far the most recognized name in short range wireless networks,
WiFi is built around a set of standards governed by the
IEEE. The most relevant standards in that family are covered below:
- Wireless Network Protocols
- IEEE 802.11 - The original standard released in 1997, was quickly supplemented by the faster 802.11b standard.
- IEEE 802.11b - Ratified in 1999, was the first standard in the family to become popularized.
- IEEE 802.11a - Also ratified in 1999, this 5GHz variant of the standard provided higher throughput but wasn't backwards compatible with it's predecessors.
- IEEE 802.11g - A variant of the standard that provides 802.11a speeds but uses the 2.4GHz band and maintains backward compatibility with 802.11b.
- IEEE 802.11n - Still in the ratification process, this next generation protocol incorporates new technology to significantly boost throughput and range.
- Comparison - Detailed comparison of the above standards.
- Other Related Standards
- IEEE 802.11e - Adds quality of service standards to allow networks to prioritize data traveling over them.
- IEEE 802.11i (aka WPA2) - Adds improvements to wireless security protocols to resolve issues with earlier encryption protocols.
- Equipment Vendors - List of mainstream 802.11 equipment vendors.
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Wide Area Wireless Networking
For scenarios where photographers will be moving around large areas, short range wireless systems may not provide the range necessary. In these situations, wide area wireless services allow users to gain internet access regardless of where they are. These services are generally provided by commercial organizations on regulated radio bands.
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Available Standards - GSM 'Global System for Mobile' - A cellular communications standard used in many countries around the world. Dominant in most areas outside of the US.
- GPRS 'General Packet Radio System' - An enhancement for GSM networks adding an efficient method to send data.
- EDGE 'Enhanced Data rates for GSM Evolution' - A significantly faster (~3x) data service that replaces the older GPRS system.
- UMTS 'Universal Mobile Telecommunications System' - Upcoming data standard that promises significant improvements in throughput over existing EDGE systems.
- CDMA 'Code Division Multiple Access' - An alternative cellular communications standard used primarily in North America.
- 1X RTT 'One times Radio Transmission Technology' - A high-speed packet data protocol that runs on top of CDMA cellular networks.
- EVDO 'EVolution Data Optimized' - A successor to the earlier 1X RTT system, EVDO uses a dedicated radio channel for data transmissions to provide significant improvements in throughput.
- EVDV 'EVolution Data/Voice' - A variant of the EVDO system, EVDV adds support for legacy data and voice signals on the same channel.
- IEEE 802.16 (aka WiMax) - A wide area broadband wireless system designed to work independently of cellular voice networks.
- Comparison - Detailed comparison of the above standards.
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Carriers - Canada
- United States
- United Kingdom
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Wireless Triggers
When photographers need to work with cameras or electronic flash in remote locations, wireless triggering technology can be a significant asset. The following articles discuss a number of common technologies used to achieve this goal.
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See Also 
Linear Mode
