EIA. Ongoing developments are being conducted by the CEBus Industry Council (www. cebus.org), a nonprofit organization made up of representatives of many national and international electronics firms, such as Microsoft (www.microsoft.com), IBM (www.ibm.com), Honeywell (www.honeywell.com), Panasonic (www.panasonic. com), and Sony (www.sony.com). Wireless HANs Figure 12.13 shows an example of a wireless HAN. Wireless HANs have advantages as well as disadvantages. The main advantage of a wireless HAN is that it provides an untethered solution for devices that need mobility in communications. I adore my wireless LAN, specifically for that reason. I can take my work where I want it, within my grounds, and not worry about being near a phone jack, although a power connection is a consideration. One disadvantage is that a multitude of standards address wireless HANs, including the following: 802.11-IEEE 802.11, Wi-Fi, originally supported 1Mbps to 2Mbps, in the 2.4GHz range. The IEEE has since published three supplements to the 802.11 standard: 802.11a (55Mbps in the 5GHz band, with actual through- put closer to 27Mbps), 802.11b (11Mbps in the 2.4GHz band, with actual Controller (Digital Voice Network Interface Data Switch) Device Wireless Network for Voice and Data No wires No fixed jacks Up to 1,500 ft. operating range Figure 12.13 A wireless HAN Chapter 12 Broadband Access Alternatives throughput closer to 5.5Mbps), and 802.11g (55Mbps in the 5GHz band, with actual throughput closer to 27Mbps). The greatest advantage of Wi-Fi is its simplicity. You can connect computers anywhere in the home or office without the need for wires. The 802.11 and other short-range wireless tech- nologies are discussed in detail in Chapter 15. Bluetooth-The Bluetooth Consortium (www.bluetooth.com) deals with networks that operate over very short ranges (about 100 feet [30 m]), but more and more devices are being created to work in these ranges. Approxi- mately 2,500 manufacturers have signed up to incorporate Bluetooth into their products, 