The Center for Wireless Information Network Studies (CWINS) is a renowned compact wireless research laboratory with a successful history of research alliances with other industrial and academic groups. The center has performed research for government agencies and has close ties with the world-leading organizations in the wireless industry. The core competence of the center is in indoor radio channel propagation measurement modeling and in the development of testbeds and tools for design and performance monitoring of wireless indoor networks. For over two decades, by publishing an international periodical journal, organizing several workshops and participating in organizing a yearly international conference, the center has contributed significantly to information exchange among important sectors of the wireless industry.

The research program in wireless information networks at WPI was established by Professor Kaveh Pahlavan in 1985 as the first research program of this sort in the United States. In 1986, the program was awarded the first NSF grant in modern wireless communications to start pioneering work on channel modeling, transmission and multiple access methods for wireless indoor networks. In 1989 and 1990, the center participated in founding the IEEE International Symposium on Personal, Indoor and Mobile Radio Communications (PIMRC) and the IEEE International Symposium on Spread Spectrum Techniques and Applications (ISSSTA) in the UK. In 1991, the center organized the first IEEE Workshop on Wireless LANs, which was held at WPI. In 1992, the center organized the Third IEEE PIMRC in Boston. In 1994, the center initiated the International Journal on Wireless Information Networks, the first journal in this field. In 1995, Prof. Pahlavan and Dr. Levesque published "Wireless Information Networks", John Wiley and Sons, the first graduate level textbook in wireless networks. During 1996-98, the Wireless LAN Research Laboratory was formed under CWINS to serve as an industrial research alliance in answer to the growing interest in wireless LAN technology. In 1996, Prof. Pahlavan was elected Fellow of the IEEE for his contributions in wireless office information networks. In 1997, the center expanded the scope of research to perform pioneering research for indoor and short-range geolocation applications for the Small Unit Operation Situation Awareness System program under DARPA. Also in 1997, the center initiated a long-term active collaboration with the University of Oulu, Nokia, and several other leading wireless companies in Finland. In 1999, Prof. Pahlavan was the first non native of Finland to receive the Nokia fellowship.

In 2000, he was the first scholar to receive the Fulbright Nokia fellowship. In 2002 Prof. Pahlavan and Prof. Krishnamurthy of the University of Pittsburgh (a former PhD graduate of the Center) published, "Principles of Wireless Networks - A Unified Approach", Prentice Hall which is considered by reviewers as the most comprehensive textbook in this field. In 2003 Prof. Pahlavan was co-chair of the International Workshop on Ultra Wideband Systems, Oulu , Finland and in 2004 he served as co-chair of the International Workshop on Wireless Adhoc Networks, Oulu , Finland . In 2005, he is serving as General Chairman of the IEEE International Conference on Mobile Adhoc Sensor Systems, Washington , D.C.

Numerous organizations have cooperated with CWINS in sponsoring research and development projects, educating their staff, and corporate consulting. These organizations include National Science Foundation, DARPA, DEC, NYNEX, Apple, Alta Group of Cadence (formerly COMDISCO software), WINDATA, Motorola, GTE Laboratories, Raytheon Company, BBN, Honeywell, Hewlett-Packard, Nokia Mobile Phone, Aironet, Telxon, Cushcraft, Harris Semiconductors, Persoft, Mercury Computers, Texas Instruments, Sierra Communication, Azimuth Systems, Brix Networks, Draper Laboratory, Innovative Wireless Technologies, Skyhook Wireless.