- A facility allowing computers, smartphones, or other devices to connect to the Internet or communicate with one another wirelessly within a particular area.
- A radio signal frequency that travel from signaling station such as WAP or Wireless Access Points, Satellite Towers, & Wireless Routers to provide connection on a corresponding device to communicate with other devices from different place to another without using any cable wires.
According to an article in webopedia.com, Wi-Fi is the name of a popular wireless networking technology that uses radio waves to provide wireless high-speed Internet and network connections. A common misconception is that the term Wi-Fi is short for "wireless fidelity," however this is not the case. Wi-Fi is simply a trademarked phrase that means IEEE˚ 802.11x.
- IEEE - Institute of Electrical and Electronic of Engineers
In short, the word WiFi was introduced sometime around in the late 90s. It was then used literally as how its being called, “Wireless Local Area Network” and its popularity is still widely used everywhere for its known purpose to serve almost 98% of the people all over the World. “To Stay Connected” together with a simple help with our newly profound and high-end class of devices that has the ability to talk with other devices through a electromanegtic spectrum or what is known for and commonly used of people that transmit signal wirelessly – RF – Radio Frequency.
Devices that can use Wi-Fi technology include personal computers, video-game consoles, smartphones, digital cameras, tablet computers, digital audio players and modern printers. Wi-Fi compatible devices can connect to the Internet via a WLAN network and a wireless access point. Such an access point (or hotspot) has a range of about 20 meters (66 feet) indoors and a greater range outdoors. Hotspot coverage can be as small as a single room with walls that block radio waves, or as large as many square kilometres achieved by using multiple overlapping access points. Wi-Fi most commonly uses the 2.4 gigahertz (12 cm) UHF and 5 gigahertz (6 cm) SHF ISM radio bands. Having no physical connections, it is more vulnerable to attack than wired connections, such as Ethernet.
But before on going to any further details about WiFi, don't you think that it will be easier to correlate and understand it if we know some of its roots (history)? For the most of us, we all know the functionality and the importance of a WiFi to our daily lives. But what does WiFi stands for? As I mentioned briefly in the first paragraph that "wireless fidelity" is not the official meaning of the word WiFi. In fact, rather than being called "IEEE 802.11x Direct Sequence", Interbrand (brand-consulting firm) was hired to come up with the name "WiFi" which has been said to be more catchier phrase as well. Interbrand was the one who invented the logo for it based from the Yin-Yang image as well the meaning of the word "interoperable". Although, before the word WiFi had been trademarked to it, the actual protocol (IEEE 802.11x Direct Sequence) were found and developed by a group of Pioneering Computer System Engineers who from a system called ALOHAnet or ALOHA System at the University of Hawaii.
Then it became the hottest trend in technology and very controversial in regards to its Patent infringement at that time as well as the ramification that brought it to people . Even for those top ranking multi-millionaire companies were very much intrigue about it and affected to its development. When the complication spreads out across the globe with the same outbreak and causing severe contingencies that concerns about the WiFi provision for testing the equipment compliance standard, all those major companies that were involve in the same matter suggested to make an independent non-profit organization by which all of those companies (the key sponsors) shares equal rights for its so called "interoperability" to become useful and achievable. This independent & non-profit organization were initially acknowledged and endorsed as "Wireless Ethernet Compatibility Alliance or WECA" in 1999 from a new higher speed variant pioneers around that time. Then soon after the organization reach its highest extreme development, more and more top-ranking companies joined the compliance and with all that being said, WECA renamed itself in 2002 as "WiFi Alliance". Throughout the years, more producers endorsed and became members of the alliance and in 2012 the WiFi Alliance had more than 550 member companies Worldwide.
Even if the alliance were known to be an independent organization and does not have a legal claim proprietor to secure its Patent from infringement, all those companies (the endorsers) established and authorized an allotment called "WiFi Certification" standards and principles. This certification has three basic principles that needs to be established and enforced to a new WiFi device or equipment to meet its standard qualifications and compliance and become legally acclaimed with " FCC or Federal Communication Commision" rules. These three principles are to be; interoperable, has a backward compatibility options, and promotes wireless local area network technologies.
Basically, the Wi-Fi Alliance enforces the use of the Wi-Fi brand to technologies based on the IEEE 802.11 standards from the IEEE. This includes wireless local area network (WLAN) connections, device to device connectivity (such as Wi-Fi Peer to Peer aka Wi-Fi Direct), Personal area network (PAN), local area network (LAN) and even some limited wide area network (WAN) connections. Manufacturers with membership in the Wi-Fi Alliance, whose products pass the certification process, gain the right to mark those products with the Wi-Fi logo.
Specifically, the certification process requires conformance to the IEEE 802.11 radio standards, the WPA and WPA2 security standards, and the EAP authentication standard. Certification may optionally include tests of IEEE 802.11 draft standards, interaction with cellular-phone technology in converged devices, and features relating to security set-up, multimedia, and power-saving.
The Purpose of a WiFi is to give such devices (e.g., smartphones, notebooks, gaming consoles, & anything that have a WLAN connection onto device) an access and communication without any cable wires (ex. Ethernet cables/RJ45) attached to it and be able to send, transmit, receive data files (ex. Internet access, stream media files, send email) as long as the device is synchronized with a network device. To connect to a Wi-Fi LAN, a computer has to be equipped with a wireless network interface controller. The combination of computer and interface controller is called a station. For all stations that share a single radio frequency communication channel, transmissions on this channel are received by all stations within range. From the time being, there are several types of WiFi signal coverage that came out in the market varying from its speed, range, and latency. These are Wireless A, B, G, N, & AC. Lastly as technology rises, more and more tech companies have their own ways of inventing different upgrades as for how WiFi becomes more effective not just its connection speed and range wise but the use of it as to monitor and operate things from one place to another (e.g., Home Automation & IP Cameras).
WIRELESS ETHERNET COMMON STANDARDS
[CURIOUS]
| |||||
Bandwidth
|
Frequency
|
Range
|
Interoperability
|
Released Date
| |
802.11a
[Wireless-A]
|
Up To
54 Mbps
|
5 Ghz
|
100 ft.
[30 m.]
|
N/A
|
1999
|
802.11b
[Wireless-B]
|
Up To
11 Mbps
|
2.4 Ghz
|
100 ft.
[30 m.]
|
802.11g
|
1999
|
802.11g
[Wireless-G]
|
Up To
54 Mbps
|
2.4 Ghz
|
100 ft.
[30 m.]
|
802.11b
|
2003
|
802.11n
[Wireless-N]
|
Up To
540 Mbps
|
2.4 Ghz
|
164 ft.
[50 m.]
|
802.11b/g
|
2009
|
802.11ac
[Wireless-AC]
|
Up To
1.3 Gbps
|
5 Ghz
|
3000 ft.
[915 m.]
|
802.11a/n
|
2013
|
Bandwidth – noun; electronics
is a technical term used to describe the load or measurement of data that are being transferred from a band of frequencies or wavelengths to one network medium to another; It is also referred to the volume of information per unit of time that a transmission device can handle (e.g., internet connection, etc.).
Frequency – noun; electronic
(Frequency Band) provides a division or interval on all different kinds of frequency bands for all spectrums or any device that is capable of transferring frequency and wavelength. It separates the frequencies from intercepting or emitting from one another.
Range – noun
(in computer terminology) is a term used to describe the extent of a covered or limited area of any given transmission device.
Interoperability – noun; electronics
It is a technical term used to describe two or multiple set of devices having the capability of interacting, communicating, and exchanging information with one another; Compatible devices.
One of the greatest and remarkable breakthrough that were made by our fellow pioneers and profound skillful inventors is the WiFi Technology. This set of technical knowledge truly made a difference in our daily lifestyle and social interaction all over the world by means of having an easy way of communicating with one another. And as day goes by and the world of technology grows even more and making improvements and new advance inventions at haste, same thing goes to the Wireless Communication Industries or WiFi Technology as it brings forth ingenious set of upgrades and improvements on wireless equipment goes expeditiously in no time. Though, bringing back my case point on this article. We all know that the WiFi Technology made a huge impact or sudden change to almost all of us but not all of us knows the true science of it, the foundation on how it was made, the process on how it benefit each and one of us, and most of all, what it can really do for us as we face the future. This article that I posted is just the partial basic on what it really means, the standardize common equipment we've seen and where it was invented. In such no time, as I do much more research not only about WiFi but every new and innovative technology I come across, I will post and blog it here. So stay put and thank you for your time.
REFERENCE:
HTTP://www.wikipedia.com || HTTP://www.webopedia.com || HTTP://www.ieee802.org || HTTP://www.pcworld.com || HTTP://searchnetworking.techtarget.com || HTTP://purple.ai/history-wifi || HTTP://www.google.com
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- Common Mistake About WiFi Connections
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