Wireless Internet has become possible through the evolution of portable computers and wireless connections over a mobile telephone network. However the realization of a mobile computing environment requires a communication architecture which is not only compatible with the current architectures but also takes into account the specific features of mobility and wirelessness. In this paper, the main characteristics of Internet communications wireless networks and portable computers will be examined. It will be shown that to obtain a good quality of service on wireless Internet the challenge is to "hide" user mobility. However, in order to improve performance and obtain a reliable point-to-point communication in wireless networks, some modifications are necessary. Both examples of a cellular telephone network and a cordless telephone network will be used to illustrate these concepts. Finally, the future of wireless Internet will be envisioned and, more specifically, its necessary characteristics to obtain a reliable wireless Internet connection.
