WIFI
What does Wi-Fi stand for?
Wi-Fi stands for “Wireless Fidelity” just as Hi-Fi stands for “high fidelity”.
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.
Wi-Fi originated in Hawaii in 1971, where a wireless UHF packet network called ALOHAnet was used to connect the islands. Later protocols developed in 1991 by NCR and AT&T called WaveLAN became the precursor to the IEEE 802.11 standards.
How does Wi-Fi work?
Wi-Fi networks have no physical wired connection between sender and receiver. Instead, they function by using radio frequency (RF) technology a frequency within the electromagnetic spectrum associated with radio wave propagation. When an RF current is supplied to an antenna, an electromagnetic field is created that then is able to propagate through space.
The cornerstone of any wireless network is an access point (AP). The primary job of an access point is to broadcast a wireless signal that computers can detect and use to establish a connection to the network. In order to connect to an access point and join a wireless network, computers and devices must be equipped with wireless network adapters.
Hotspot
A hotspot is a physical location where people can access the Internet, typically using Wi-Fi, via a wireless local area network (WLAN) with a router connected to an Internet service provider. Most people refer to these locations as “Wi-Fi hotspots” or “Wi-Fi connections.” Simply put, hotspots are the physical places where users can wirelessly connect their mobile devices, such as smartphones and tablets, to the Internet.
A hotspot can be in a private location or a public one, such as in a coffee shop, a hotel, an airport, or even an airplane. While many public hotspots offer free wireless access on an open network, others require payment. Later in the article you’ll learn how to connect a mobile device to a Wi-Fi hotspot.
Mobile hotspot
A mobile hotspot (sometimes called a portable hotspot) is a hotspot that’s just that—mobile! While a “regular” Wi-Fi hotspot is tied to a physical location, you can create a mobile hotspot by using your smartphone’s data connection to connect your laptop to the Internet. This process is called “tethering.” More on this process later.
You should also know these terms when you’re talking about Wi-Fi hotspots.
Access point (wireless access point)
A wireless access point (WAP) is a networking device that allows a Wi-Fi compliant device to connect to a wired network. The WAP can either be physically connected to a router or be integrated into the router itself. A WAP is not a hotspot, which is the physical location where Wi-Fi access to a WLAN is available.
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