The Wireless Architecture
Although wireless users want to access the internet, they cannot simply dial a phone number and expect to browse web sites. This is because wireless devices use protocols based on WAP, rather than traditional web-based protocols such as HTTP. Figure 10-1 shows how a typical web server fits into the wireless architecture.
Figure 10-1. WAP gateways
As shown, a new type of server called a WAP gateway is introduced into the equation. This is a server that converts HTTP traffic into WAP traffic, using protocols appropriate to the given wireless service. The details of this are well beyond the scope of this chapter and are generally unimportant to most developers. This is because cell phone companies and other wireless portals provide these gateways, allowing their customers to access the entire Internet via their wireless devices. Typical web application developers can deploy servlets and WML content onto normal web servers, and the content will be available to wireless users automatically.
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