How does Wi-Fi work?

We all use this from time to time, and in some cases often. Wi-Fi stands for local area wireless technology. This is just another data transferring method using radio signals. Bluetooth is another example of this type of technology. The only difference is that Wi-Fi is more extensive in area coverage while Bluetooth is designed for use with computer accessories like mice, keyboards, earphones and the like.

Wi-Fi uses 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz radio bands. Nowadays, Wi-Fi has become ubiquitous out there in the world. You can find it in Starbucks, restaurants, libraries, malls, airports, hotels and motels, and in some places entire areas of a city. Many people use Wi-Fi at home for their laptops, pads, and smart phones. Wi-Fi has become the primary way to get to the Internet.

Back in the dark ages people got on the Internet using modems connected to phone lines. They were excruciatingly slow and your computer had to be connected by means of a cable, which means that you could only use it at home or in a motel that allowed you to connect to their phone system using a modem. Then you had to dial up the service provider like AOL, which took time to a make a connection. Many of you don't remember those dark days of really slow Internet. That's why you should appreciate Wi-Fi.

Wi-Fi uses a Frequency-hopping spread spectrum to transmit data. The method rapidly switches a carrier among many frequency channels using a pseudorandom sequence known to both the transmitter and the receiver. It's used by the military for communication (walkie-talkies) and is difficult to jam. Believe it or not but this idea was patented by Hedy Lamarr, the actress (she appeared in many feature films from the 30's to the 50's), in 1942, but wasn't implemented until 1962. She invented many things including a method to prevent radio-controlled torpedoes from going off course.

The first mention of Wi-Fi was in 1999 when the Wi-Fi Alliance was formed. This organization certifies that equipment using Wi-Fi comply with the standards, which are listed with the IEEE (Institute of Electrical and Electronic Engineers). One such IEEE standard is 802.11 as it applies to WLAN (Wireless Local Area Network) installations. Local areas networks are used in businesses and homes as a means to connect everyone.

Most people are familiar with Wi-Fi as a way to connect to the Internet. Usually, a Wi-Fi access station unit is hooked to a cable modem or other device that provides DSL (Digital Subscriber Line) Internet connection.
The range of Wi-Fi varies with the frequency band, the antenna gain and type and the power output of the access point unit. A typical range is 100 meters (330 Ft). There are ways to get a higher range using boosters and larger antennas, but FCC regulations limit the ultimate range.

There are many advantages to using Wi-Fi. One is the fact that you don't need a wire to connect to the Internet. An Internet user can freely walk around with his or her device. This is cool, but there are disadvantages and they mostly have to do with security.

The largest problem with Wi-Fi is that it's not all that secure. At home, one way to prevent casual theft of one's Wi-Fi LAN system is by using a good password. This is not the case in a public Wi-Fi system. In this case, one must be careful because unscrupulous people can listen in to your Wi-Fi connection and could hack your computer or other device. So be careful.

Thanks for reading.