Lakshman Krishnamurthy, Steven Conner, Mark Yarvis, Jasmeet Chhabra, Carl Ellison, Chuck Brabenac, and Ernest Tsui
Intel

In the near future, homes will be equipped with wireless networks that bridge data and consumer electronics networks, interconnecting desktop PCs, mobile laptops and handhelds, HDTVs, DVD players, camcorders, and other multimedia devices. LANs provide the convenience of untethered computing for laptops and handhelds from anywhere in or around a house. This paper introduces the technologies and tradeoffs needed to create a multi-hop wireless home network, identifying benefits and limitations. In particular, we describe usage scenarios and assumptions that drive the requirements. Finally, we provide an outline of the key technology problems that must be solved and recommend the necessary next steps to make this vision a reality.