What is Wi-Fi?

The term Wi-Fi suggests 'Wireless Fidelity' and is the term that is used for describing the connection of electronic devices through invisible signals. Wi-Fi is now a branded standard and a trademark of the Wi-Fi Alliance. It connects devices such as Internet hubs to provide wireless Internet to multiple computer devices, video game consoles and mobile phones.

The Wi-Fi alliance

The Wi- Fi Alliance is a trade association that promotes wireless LAN technology and certifies products if they perform to appropriate standards. All certified wireless technology products carry the Wi-Fi logo. Just because a product does not carry a logo does not mean that it is not compliant for computer devices, it might just mean that it has not been certified yet. The Wi-Fi Alliance as previously renamed WECA in 2002 is based in Austin Texas. In 2010, the Wi-Fi alliance, a new spec was called Wi-Fi Direct. This new device enables Wi-Fi products to communicate directly with each other without going through a wireless access point such as an internet hub.

How it works

In order to connect to Wi-Fi, a computer has to be equipped with a wireless network interface controller. The combination of computer and interface controller is called a station. All of these stations share a single radio frequency communication channel. Transmissions on this channel are received by all stations within range. A carrier wave is used to transmit the data in packets, referred to as ethernet frames, which had previously been sent through an ethernet cable before the wireless technology was invented. Each station is constantly tuned in on the channel, so each transmission is noticed. In order to determine whether the channel is free, the carrier wave can be sensed by the hardware. If not present, the channel is free for transmission.

Which device use it

The Wi-Fi technology is used all over the world by a variety of people on a variety of devices. In developed countries, it is commonly used in the home for multiple people to connect to the internet in their own homes via Wi-Fi enabled laptops or desktop computers. It is also used for games consoles to connect to the Internet in the home as well as some Wi-Fi enabled mobile phones. Most commonly, it is used in business in big buildings so that workers can connect to the Internet from their computers. This enables all of the workers to be linked up and enables companies to function. These days, it is hard to see how multi- national corporations could do without it.