Question Of The Week
What is Wi-Fi?
1. Wi-Fi is not related to 2G, 3G, 4G or Bluetooth. It is a unique Wireless Local Area Network (W-LAN) protocol against LAN of wired connections via Ethernet cable. A WiFi hotspot is simply an area with an accessible wireless network. The term is most often used to refer to wireless networks in public areas like airports and coffee shops. Some are free and some require fees for use.
2. Wi-Fi coverage has a range varying from 30 to 100 metres. Wi-Fi Connection Speed Varies With Distance. Wi-Fi signal may fail to reach even half that distance if heavy obstructions like walls exist on the radio signals' path.
3. Multiple overlapping Access Points (Hotspots) can cover an area of many square kilometers as large as a city. Mysore became India's first city enabled with Wi-Fi in 2004.
4. Wi-Fi is being used in Tablets, Laptops and many other devices which connect to internet via Wireless Access Point, usually a Network interface controller. Wireless DSL Broadband Routers and cable modems can act as Wi-Fi Access Points and connect Desktop PCs. Smart phones act as Wi-Fi Wireless Access Points themselves and reach nearby Wi-Fi station through 2G, 3G or 4G networks.
5. Wi-Fi is less secure than LAN of wired broadband. To keep your network private, you can use one or both of the following methods; 1.Advanced Encryption Standard (AES) of WiFi Protected Access version 2 (WPA2) involves signing on with a password. Use caution when connecting Public hotspots 2. Media Access Control (MAC) address filtering; Each device has its own unique MAC address. MAC address filtering allows only machines with specific MAC addresses to access the network. You must specify which addresses are allowed when you set up your router.
6. You can also set a limit to the number of devices that can connect to your router and even disable remote administration so that only computers plugged directly into your router can change your network settings. You should also change the Service Set Identifier (SSID), which is your network name, to something other than the default
7. Dutch engineer VIC HAYES is known as Father of Wi-Fi. The name Wi-Fi was derived from the term "Hi-Fi" which stands for High Fidelity in audio devices. Wi-Fi networking standard is labelled as IEEE (Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers) ranging from 802.11a (oldest), 802.11b, 802.11g to 802.11n (newest). IEEE does not test devices for compliance with their standards. In 1999, a Wi-Fi Alliance was formed as a trade association to enforce the Wi-Fi standard and to hold the Wi-Fi trademark and Logo.
8. Among the types of Wi-Fi, 802.11n, 802.11g and 802.11b equipments can all network together, but 802.11a standard does not support cross-compatibility with any of the others.
9. Wi-Fi communcation from one particular device to another particular device only is known as Ad-Hoc Wi-Fi. It is used in portable video game consoles, digital cameras etc.,
10. Using Wi-Fi for a year results in exposure of radiation equal to that of 20 minutes of mobile phone call !!
