Since its recent introduction, the ZigBee protocol has created an enormous amount of buzz in venues from magazine covers to trade show floors to water coolers. Its promise of providing a simpler, cheaper, more power-efficient WPAN (Wireless Personal Area Network) alternative to WiFi and Bluetooth has opened up new data collection possibilities in application areas from industrial controls to medical devices to intruder alarms. Yet, despite this widespread interest, there is still little information available that goes beyond detailing the spec itself. Missing from the current ZigBee lexicon is practical, application-oriented guidance from an expert, specifically geared to aid engineers in implementing this new technology. Enter respected designer and popular columnist Fred Eady! With his new book, he provides the only comprehensive how-to ZigBee guide available.
-The ONLY one-stop Zigbee resource available- from basics to sniffers to specs
-7 easy-to-assemble ZigBee projects allow the reader to follow along...hands-on!
-Working hardware and software examples included in every chapter

Wireless networking is poised to have a massive impact on communications, and the 802.11 standard is to wireless networking what Ethernet is to wired networking. There are already over 50 million devices using the dominant IEEE 802.11 (essentially wireless Ethernet) standard, with astronomical growth predicted over the next 10 years. New applications are emerging every day, with wireless capability being embedded in everything from electric meters to hospital patient tracking systems to security devices.
This practical reference guides readers through the wireless technology forest, giving them the knowledge, the hardware and the software necessary to design a wireless embedded device rapidly, inexpensively, and effectively. Using off-the-shelf microcontrollers from Microchip and Atmel, the author provides step-by-step instructions for designing the hardware and firmware for a fully operational wireless networking device. The book gives a thorough introduction to 802.11 technology and puts it into perspective against the other wireless standard options. Just enough theory and mathematics is provided to give the depth of understanding needed for practical design work.
The book thoroughly covers:
* Laptop wireless Ethernet card introduction and theory
*Introduction to CompactFlash-to-microcontroller interfacing
* Implementing the laptop wireless Ethernet card in an embedded environment
In addition, the book includes access to a companion website containing all of the code, schematics and programs necessary to implement embedded 802.11 wireless networking.
* Covers the hottest new embedded market area- wireless networking
* Shows designers how to save money and time by using microcontrollers in their embedded wireless designs instead of expensive, complex prefab boards
* Companion website accompanying book contains all the code, schematics and programs necessary to get started now