A personal area network (PAN) is a small network that links the devices you carry or wear. Your phone, smart watch, wireless earbuds and laptop can be linked in the same PAN, letting them share data without any cables between them.
Devices in a PAN usually communicate using Bluetooth or Wi-Fi. Bluetooth is the common choice for a PAN because it is designed for short distances and uses very little power, so it suits gadgets that are worn or carried.
Before two devices can swap anything, they must be paired. Pairing proves that you own both devices: one device shows a code, such as a PIN, which you type into the other, or both devices show the same code for you to confirm. Only then can the devices exchange files, images and documents directly. For example, you could pair your phone with a friend's tablet and send across a video clip you filmed on a school trip.
A PAN has a limited range, so the devices must stay near one another. Bluetooth normally reaches about 10 metres, and the link can break if you walk into the next room. That short range is part of what makes a PAN personal: only the devices within a few steps of you take part.
When a PAN is created with Bluetooth, it is sometimes called a piconet.
Pearson BTEC Digital Information Technology · Communication technologies