Neighborhood Area Network (NAN)

NAN providers are usually individuals or a group that join to share an Internet broadband connection. If a user with a broadband connection, either DSL or cable modem, plans to share it, an NAN makes it possible to share this with anyone within range. In order for the receiver (usually neighbors within reach) to connect wirelessly to the shared Internet, they need to have a PDA or Wi-Fi enabled laptop. This concept differs from the wireless deployment for hotspots. Hotspots are usually commercial Internet access points with a reach of only 300 feet. They are used to attract tech-savvy customers to a coffee shop, airport or restaurant. NANs, on the other hand, offer a much wider radius of Internet connection. Therefore, commercialization of NANs is an effective way to speed up the extension of neighborhood Wi-Fi networks. NANs allow users reduce their Internet expenditure by sharing a connection with neighbors. The downside is that this strategy reduces the bandwidth speed and sometimes leads to the violation of the Internet service provider's agreement. Some service providers do not allow individual broadband users to share their connection, making NANs a violation of that agreement.