described herein thus switch 102 may comprise one or more processors accompanied by storage units displays input output devices an operating system database management software networking software and the like such systems are well known in the art and need not be described in detail switch 102 may be configured as a general purpose computer a network switch or any other such network host in a preferred embodiment controller or switch 102 is modeled on a network switch architecture but includes rf network controller software or u201c module u201d whose capabilities include among other things the ability to allow configure and monitor readers 108 and antennas 106 rf switch 110 may include a cell controller cc and an rfid network controller rnc not shown the rnc includes hardware and software configured to handle rfid data communication and administration of the rfid network components while the cc includes hardware and software configured to handle wireless data e g in accordance with ieee 802 11 from the mobile units and access ports within wireless cells in one embodiment rf switch 110 includes a single unit with an enclosure containing the various hardware and software components necessary to perform the various functions of the cc and rnc as well as suitable input output hardware interfaces to networks 101 and 160 referring to the example conceptual view shown in fig2 three access ports 120 ap 1 ap 2 and ap 3 or other rf devices are provided within an environment which may be indoors and or outdoors it will be appreciated that a typical real world environment may have many more such aps three aps are.