Based on the IEEE 802.11 family of standards, Wi-Fi belongs to the family of wireless technologies used for networking. It is most commonly used in Internet access as well as in local area networking of devices. Devices that utilize Wi-Fi are laptops, desktops, digital cameras, drones, smart TVs, tablets, smartphones, digital audio players, etc.
Wi-Fi utilizes several parts which come under the IEEE 802 protocol family. It is intended to flawlessly interwork with its wired kin, Ethernet. Devices that are compatible can get connected with one other using a wireless access point. Not only this, but they can easily connect with other wired devices as well as with the Internet. There are different versions of Wi-Fi available as declared by IEEE 802.11 protocol standards. They are categorized on the basis of radio bands, also the Max. Ranges, and speeds that might be accomplished. Generally, Wi-Fi uses 5 gigahertz (60mm) SHF ISM and 2.4 gigahertz (120mm) UHF radio bands. These bands are further divided into several channels. A network can share these channels but at any point in time, only 1 transmitter can transmit locally on a particular channel.
There is a relatively high absorption rate by Wi-Fi’s wavebands and it is seen that it works very well in line-of-sight use. Obstructions like pillars, walls, home appliances, etc. immensely decrease the range, but at the same time in a crowded area, it helps in reducing interference among several networks. A hotspot (access point) offers an indoor range of about twenty meters (sixty-six feet) while the new ones brag to provide an outdoor range of one hundred and fifty meters ( four hundred and ninety feet). The coverage area of a hotspot can be as small as a solitary room having walls that block the radio signals, or as wide as several square kilometers with overlapping access points. Along with the time, the productivity and speed of Wi-Fi have expanded. Presently there are several versions of Wi-Fi that can reach the speed of 1Gbit per second and above when attached with compatible hardware at close range.
To get a system connected with a Wi-Fi network, a user should have the name of the network which is known as SSID (Service Set Identifier) and a password. There is a much higher chance for a Wi-Fi to get attacked than the network that is wired. The reason behind this is because anyone present within the range of a particular network with a wireless network interface controller can get access. Thus for the safety and security of a network, we have WPA or Wi-Fi Protected Access. The WPA includes technologies that are made to ensure data moving crosswise over Wi-Fi networks and incorporates solutions for the enterprise as well as personal networks. WPA utilizes the password verification technique to encode Wi-Fi packets to block hackers. With the advent of time, the security landscape has changed and the WPAs are getting stronger and smarter for protecting the data.
Hope you liked this article on Wi-Fi. Brands that make them are Redpine, Microchip, and Digi International. Make sure to refer them using the links as provided. Thanks for reading.
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