In the last few years a number of wireless technologies that facilitating connections among devices have emerged. Thanks to these technologies, there is no need to connect devices with cables, which increases freedom of space for consumers. It is possible to divide wireless technologies into two subgroups: optical and radio wave wireless technologies. The main difference between them is that two devices having an optical wireless connection feature (like Infrared), have to see each other, that is, there should be no concrete barriers between them.
However, no such constraints exit for radio wave wireless technologies, and therefore these technologies are more promising for the future, and offer a wider range of solutions. That's why companies are investing more on radio wave technologies like Bluetooth and WLAN.
Bluetooth is an alliance between mobile communications and mobile computing companies to develop a short-range communications standard allowing wireless data communications at ranges of about 10 meters. Bluetooth is generally used for low bandwidth purposes that do not require high-speed connections. Mobile phones and peripheral products are areas where Bluetooth is widely used. In addition, many notebook PCs and some consumer electronics devices like camcorders or PDAs have Bluetooth features.
WLAN stands for Wireless Local Area Network and is a standard developed by the industrial group called IEEE. The standard's code is 802.11. The most widely used standard is the current 802.11b, which is also used at Bilkent University and offers speeds up to 11Mbps. However a higher speed standard has been initiated: the 802.11g. That standard supports a data rate up of to 54Mbps. Thanks to this technology, it is possible to establish high speed connections, including internet connection, from anywhere the access point permits. There are some devices supporting WLAN in development, which will permit connections between any type of consumer electronics devices. With this technology, it would be possible to connect a DVD player's video output to the TV, and audio output to a hi-fi set or audio receiver. Such devices are expected in a few years.

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