The IrDA protocol, created by the Infrared Data Association, specifies how two devices can communicate using a line-of-sight, infrared connection over short distances. Many laptops include an IrDA-capable hardware transceiver in their factory configurations. IrDA transceivers are typically located in the front edge of the laptop. You can configure the infrared (IR) port on your laptop so that it becomes capable of wireless communication with cellular phones, PDAs and other mobile devices.