What is wi fi and how to use it

Understanding Wi-Fi and How It Works

Former Lifewire writer Melanie Uy has 5+ years’ experience writing about consumer-oriented technology and is an expert telecommuter.

Chris Selph is a CompTIA-certified technology and vocational IT teacher. He also serves as network & server administrator and performs computer maintenance and repair for numerous clients.

In This Article

Wi-Fi is a wireless networking protocol that devices use to communicate without direct cable connections. It’s an industry term that represents a type of wireless local area network (LAN) protocol based on the 802.11 IEEE network standard.

From the user’s perspective, Wi-Fi is internet access from a wireless-capable device like a phone, tablet, or laptop. Most modern devices support Wi-Fi so that the devices can join a network to gain internet access and share network resources.

Wi-Fi is the most frequently used means of communicating data wirelessly in a fixed location. It’s a trademark of the ​Wi-Fi Alliance, an international association of companies involved with wireless LAN technologies and products.​

How Wi-Fi Works

The easiest way to understand Wi-Fi is to consider an average home or business. The main requirement for Wi-Fi is a device that receives and transmits a wireless signal, usually a router, but sometimes a phone or computer.

In a typical home or small business, a router receives and then transmits an internet connection coming from an internet service provider outside the network. It delivers that service to nearby devices that can reach the wireless signal. Most homes have one router and multiple devices, including smartphones, desktop and laptop computers, tablets, and smart TVs, that receive their internet connection via Wi-Fi from that router.

In some cases, a user without a router can set up a phone or computer as a Wi-Fi hotspot so it can share the device’s wireless or wired internet connection with other devices, similar to the way a router works.

No matter how Wi-Fi is used or its source of connection, the result is always the same: a wireless signal that lets other devices connect to the main transmitter for communication, entertainment, file transfers, voice messages, or other data transmission.

Is Wi-Fi Free?

There are tons of places to get free Wi-Fi access, such as in restaurants and hotels, but Wi-Fi isn’t free in all cases. That’s because for Wi-Fi to work, the router or other device transmitting the signal must have an internet connection, which isn’t free.

For example, if you have internet service at your house, you pay a monthly fee to keep it coming. If you use Wi-Fi to connect your iPad and smart TV to the internet, you don’t pay for the internet for those devices individually. The incoming line to the home router costs whether or not you use Wi-Fi.

Many home internet connections don’t have data caps, which is why it’s not a problem to download hundreds of gigabytes of data each month. However, phones often have data caps. Phone users look for free Wi-Fi signals and use Wi-Fi hotspots whenever they can to keep down their cellular data usage volume.

It has become increasingly easy to access free hotspots, particularly in large cities. The trick is to find one near where you want to use it.

Wi-Fi Hotspots

If your phone has a data cap and you allow other devices to connect to your phone as a hotspot to access the internet, your data cap applies to any data moving through the main phone. This activity can quickly push a cellular data plan over its limit and accrue extra fees.

You can also share your internet connection with other devices to create a wireless hotspot from your computer. You can do the same with apps, such as with the Wifi Hotspot Portable app.

Set Up Wi-Fi Access

To set up Wi-Fi at home, you need a wireless router and access to the router’s admin management pages to configure the correct settings such as the Wi-Fi channel, password, and network name. Some of this information is provided by your internet service provider.

It’s usually straightforward to configure a wireless device to connect to a Wi-Fi network. The steps include ensuring that the Wi-Fi connection is enabled and then searching for a nearby network to provide the proper SSID and password to make the connection.

Some devices, such as older laptops, don’t have a built-in wireless adapter, in which case, you can buy a Wi-Fi USB adapter.

Advantages of Using Wi-Fi

Most computers and mobile devices sold in the U.S. are equipped with wireless capabilities, including Wi-Fi. The benefits of using Wi-Fi over a wired connection include:

• Convenience: Wi-Fi makes it possible for devices to connect to the internet wherever they can locate a Wi-Fi signal. Those locations are increasing all the time.
• Productivity: Wi-Fi can keep workers in near-constant contact with the office and each other.
• Expandability: Buy another tablet? No problem. Enable Wi-Fi in its settings, and it’s good to go.
• Mobility: Users aren’t tied to the office or home for their communication needs.

Disadvantages of Using Wi-Fi

The advantages of using Wi-Fi outweigh the disadvantages, but there are some disadvantages.

• Range: A Wi-Fi signal reaches a limited range, which may not cover your entire home or office.
• Security: Because wireless signals travel through the air, they can be intercepted. Using encryption technology minimizes the danger.
• Disruption: Large metal objects, such as a refrigerator, can block a Wi-Fi signal in your home. A microwave oven can disrupt the signal.

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What is Wi-Fi and How Does Wi-Fi Work

Most of you have a Wi-Fi connection, either in your own home or in your workplace. Have you ever thought, what is Wi-Fi, and how does Wi-Fi work? If yes, we are here to answer your questions. Wi-Fi makes use of the radio signals to provide internet access to the connected devices as well as allowing them to transfer data even in the absence of an internet connection. An average Wi-Fi connection is more than 200 times faster than Bluetooth technology and covers much wider distance.

So, it is essential to make use of the Wi-Fi network connection in order to access the internet as well as to fulfill different file transfer needs. For this, understanding the Wi-Fi technology is very important. So, we have incorporated all the details you need in this article. Without further explanation, let’s look into what Wi-Fi is and how does it work.

What is Wi-Fi?

Wi-Fi is a technology that utilizes radio waves to provide network connectivity to the devices. A Wi-Fi router will create a Wi-Fi Hotspot, and the devices with the Wi-Fi support can find and connect to those hotspots. Then the internet connection will start flowing from the router to the device, making it possible to browse the internet or transfer data. The wireless router will emit radio waves between the frequencies 2.4GHz and 5GHz based on the configurations and built-in hardware, which also can be selected by the user.

There are different kinds of Wi-Fi modems available which provide different frequencies and signal strength. Based on the coverage of the router, you will be able to receive strong signals even at a larger distance. The number of simultaneous connection also sometimes depends on the router build.

Did you know? The term “Wi-Fi” was initially called “IEEE 802.11b Direct Sequence Spread Spectrum“.

The Wi-Fi connection can be protected by a password in order to prevent unauthorized users from accessing your internet or network data. You should always make sure to use one of the best Wi-Fi passwords to protect your connections. You can find your current Wi-Fi password and check if it is secure enough. If not, be sure to change it.

How Does Wi-Fi Work?

Wi-Fi works by transmitting radio signals from the router which is received by a Wi-Fi enabled device. But that’s not an apt sentence to describe the whole working of the Wi-Fi system. So, if you need a deeper explanation of how Wi-Fi works, have a look at the following paragraphs.

Wi-Fi works by emitting radio signals of frequencies between 2.4GHz and 5GHz. Like any other radio emitting devices, it needs a receiver to receive the Wi-Fi signals in this range and use it as a tunnel for the internet data to flow. So, our computers, smartphones or other Wi-Fi enabled devices has this built-in function to receive Wi-Fi signals. The reason why a basic desktop PC doesn’t support Wi-Fi is the lack of a Wi-Fi receiver. By installing one, you will be able to detect the Wi-Fi from your router.

In some situations, the Microwave oven in your house (if you have one), interprets with the Wi-Fi signals because the frequency ranges of that device and the Wi-Fi are almost similar. Many people reported that they face problems in the Wi-Fi connectivity while their Microwave oven is working.

Is Wi-Fi Dangerous? Does Wi-Fi have radiation?

There were lots of misconceptions about the Wi-Fi signals. Someone said that it would cause headaches resulting in a lack of concentration, and some others even said that it causes cancer. But, the recent reports from the trusted sources say that the Wi-Fi signals are not causing such mental or physical illnesses. It is absolutely normal to use your Wi-Fi whenever you need to stream hours of videos or to always stay connected on your smartphones. The reason is Wi-Fi signals are non-ionizing radiation which can’t cause such health issues in most of the cases.

Advantages and Disadvantages of Wi-Fi

Like any other product or service, Wi-Fi or the Wireless connections, in general, has some advantages as well as disadvantages. For your knowledge, we are going to break down the most noticeable advantages and disadvantages of the Wi-Fi.

Advantages of Wi-Fi

• Wi-Fi is extremely easy to use: Like we already know, it is extremely simple to set up and start using the Wi-Fi connections. All you have to do is buying a router, modem, and supporting devices, taking an internet connection, and connecting to your network. No hassles and complicated installation procedures. The ISPs itself may set up the initial configurations for you.
• Very fast data transfer: When compared to previous technologies such as Bluetooth, the transfer speed in Wi-Fi is exceptional. With the most modern technologies, it can even transfer Gigabytes of data within a matter of seconds. The Wi-Fi system even being used in high-level business offices and tech industries to make sure of the fast data transfer speeds without the need for wires.
• Reliability: Except the fact that the disconnection occurs once the power is out and router problems, the Wi-Fi is very reliable and stable. Within the range of the signal reach, you will be able to enjoy an almost same transfer speed without any interruptions.
• Mobility: Wi-Fi can be installed and configured almost anywhere. There are no space limitations, or it doesn’t require a certain area to work. That’s why we are able to connect to Wi-Fi hotspots in train stations, airports, and even restaurants.
• Expandability: Wi-Fi is highly expandable based on the equipment we have. Using the Wifi extenders, we will be even able to expand the coverage area of the Wi-Fi signals.
• Low cost: There are no jaw-dropping costs to buy a Wi-Fi modem and install it to enjoy the unlimited Wi-Fi access. There are internet plans starting from few dollars a month. So, it will not cost you much to set up and make use of the Wi-Fi in your home or office.

Disadvantages of Wifi

• Wi-Fi security matters: It is always important to change your Wi-Fi password frequently. Even with the most secure encryption methods, people’s Wi-Fi still getting hacked. As the security level lowers, the chances of being hacked are very high. These days, there are even some Android Wi-Fi apps which can directly hack into your Wi-Fi passwords (If you have the lightest encryption method.)
• The signal strength is still an issue: Even if we can improve the signal strength using the Wi-Fi boosters and range extenders, there is still a limitation to the range that we can get. The signal strength will also reduce considerably as far as we go from the Wi-Fi router.

Does a Wi-Fi router need a SIM card?

A typical Wi-Fi router doesn’t need a SIM card to operate. Usually, you connect it to a wired internet connection using the appropriate ports. Based on the type of internet connection you have, the type of Wi-Fi routers you need will vary. Be sure to choose one of the best Wi-Fi routers in order to ensure that you are getting the maximum speed and reliability.

However, you can also get routers that operate using mobile data technologies such as 4G or 5G. Based on your requirements, you can insert a SIM card and start using the data by connecting to your router Wi-Fi.

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