| What is BlueSky? |
| BlueSky is a wireless networking solution for connecting
palmtop devices to the wired network. |
|
| How can I set
up a BlueSky network? |
| To set up a BlueSky network you need two components; a wireless
adapter that plugs into the serial port of the device and an access point
that plugs into 10BaseT Ethernet. |
|
| What software
do I need to install on my palmtop? |
| You do not need to install any new software. BlueSky appears
like a phone modem to your handheld device. You only need to set the modem
speed @ 56Kbps and turn hardware flow control on. |
|
| Which devices
are supported? Can I connect my WinCE device using BlueSky? |
| Any device with a serial port connector can be connected
to BlueSky. We have not yet tested BluSky with a WinCE device yet, nevertheless
the combination should work. |
|
| I want to use
BlueSky. When can I get a test unit? |
| Sorry, only three experimental units are available
at the moment. If you want to see this stuff drop by our lab. |
| What is the communication
range of BlueSky? |
| With the current cordless radio, the
range is about 10-15 meters (similar to a cordless phone). |
|
| How long does
the battery last? |
| The answer depends on usage. Typical
life is about 6-8 hours. |
|
| What Applications
can I run over BlueSky network? |
| Everything that runs on serial cable will also run on BlueSky
without any modification at all. Some good examples are: wireless hot sync,
web browsing, telnet. For more networking applications on PalmPilot click
here. |
|
| Can I roam from
one access point to other access point? |
| Yes, roaming between access point will be supported. As
you move from one access point to another, all active network connections
will automatically be handed off to the new access point. |
|
| Can two BlueSky
devices communicate peer-to-peer? |
| Yes devices can communicate peer-to-peer, but
an access point is needed to mediate the connection. |
| Is BlueSky adapter
a wireless modem? |
| BlueSky wireless link can be viewed as a replacement for
a null modem serial cable. Also, using the BlueSky MAC protocol several
serial port devices can simultaneously be connected to the same serial
port. |
|
| How does BlueSky
differ from 802.11 wireless LANs? |
| BlueSky uses a slotted, polling based MAC protocol which
is specifically designed to be power efficient. A wireless cell consists
of one access-point and multiple remote units. The access point arbitrates
access to the medium. |
|
| How can I run
TCP/IP over BlueSky? |
| BlueSky can be viewed as an asynchronous serial link. If
you can run PPP over serial line, you can also run TCP/IP over Bluesky. |
|
| How is roaming
supported? Does BlueSky support Mobile IP? |
| See the cordless networking paper for details. |
|
| What are the radio
technical Specifications? |
| Same as that of any cordless phone radio. |