Wireless Relay Stations

Wireless relay stations are at the core of wireless local area networks (WLANs). These enable users to link up with one another and transmit information via e-mail, hypertext, radio, and a host of wired media. Essentially, any data that may be conveyed over the wires may also be beamed about wirelessly--with a few restrictions.

One of the biggest limitations on wireless relay stations is bandwidth. You may not, for instance, be able to transmit data-rich files such as high-resolution graphics or animation over a wireless network with as much ease as you'd like. Bandwidth is finite, and as such it commands a premium in the wireless market.

Other Restrictions on Wireless Relay Stations

Wireless relay stations still require access to an ISP or Internet Service Provider. That means that even if your particular ISP could handle your data-intensive files, it may not be willing to foot the bill for it. Some ISPs do offer premium services to their subscribers including larger data allowances, which is ideal for those in the broadcasting (or webcasting) field.

Wireless relay stations are increasingly finding their way into the field of telephony as well. Since any analog signal can be converted into digital form, it's easy for human voices to be encoded and transmitted as discrete packets of information. Once it's been packaged in that form, it may be sent between machines including servers, clients (computers), wireless devices, and any other gadgets that can read data as zeros and ones.