| A laser beam is used to transmit the data between | | | | portable computer suitably equipped, and if your school |
| two different sites. The distance between the buildings | | | | ran radio based network, then you could use your |
| can be up to a maximum of 20km, but it is usually | | | | portable compute from anywhere on the school site, |
| considerably less than this as the quality of data | | | | provided that it was in range of the radio receiver. |
| communications can be adversely affected by the | | | | Imagine taking you portable from one classroom to |
| weather. Infrared links are also used to link machines | | | | another, or using it in the middle of the school playing |
| together inside the same building. This saved having to | | | | fields, with access to all the benefits that you would |
| have cables underneath the floor or round the walls | | | | have from a conventional permanent network |
| etc. it's rather like using the remote control with TV. | | | | connection. This is probably the way that some |
| One unit controls the data sent to the others is similar | | | | institutions will go when the price of such systems |
| ways. The same idea has also caught on for printing | | | | becomes affordable. Indeed, direct satellite links like this |
| from portables. In this case both the portable computer | | | | might be the way in which whole planet may go when |
| and the printer would need infrared ports – simply | | | | millions of people wish to connect to the internet |
| point the portable towards the printer, and you are able | | | | wherever they happen to be. Make the computer |
| to print without a cable connection between the | | | | pocket sized, and you are getting very near to |
| portable and printer – magic! | | | | permanent connection from anywhere in the world, |
| Radio networks are also becoming popular and this | | | | with all the implications that such a service might bring |
| has huge implications for both business and for | | | | – the future does look very exciting indeed. |
| educational institutions. For example, if you had a | | | | |