Introduction
It was not very long back when we needed to plug a cable every time we wanted to use the Internet. However, with the emergence of wireless networking or Wireless Fidelity (Wi-Fi), we can create an Internet connection without a cable, as per our convenience. With the use of this wireless technology, we can access the Internet on various devices, such as mobile phones and tablets, with great ease.
The best thing about Wi-Fi is that it helps you access Internet from anywhere and everywhere. Be it a coffee shop, a hotel room, an airport or any other place, you can get connected to the Internet within seconds. Your office work or a personal emergency does not need to wait any more.
In this report, we will look at the working concepts of Wi-Fi and its advantages and disadvantages.
How It Works
Wi-Fi belongs to the 802.11 family. The most common specifications in this family include 802.11, 802.11a, 802.11b and 802.11g.
The three most important items that are required to run Wi-Fi in a computer system are:
- Radio Signals: Wi-Fi connections would not have been possible without radio signals. These signals are transmitted from Wi-Fi antennas and received by computers, mobiles or any other device having Wi-Fi cards. These cards read the radio signals and establish a connection between the user and the Internet without using a cord.
- Wi-Fi Card: Wi-Fi card is another important component to establish a Wi-Fi Connection. There are two types of Wi-Fi cards, external and internal. Internal cards come in-built with devices. However, if you do not have an internal card, you can purchase an external card and get it attached to your computer.
- Hotspots: These are created by installing an access point to an Internet connection. When a Wi-Fi-enabled device, such as a cellular phone, comes across a hotspot, it gets connected to the Internet.
Advantages
Wi-Fi has several advantages over traditional wired LAN systems. The first and foremost advantage is its ease of access because it works without cables. Wi-Fi products are easily available in the market. Today, be it a laptop, a cellular phone or a personal data assistant (PDA), everything comes with an in-built Wi-Fi interface.
Because of the increasing competition amongst different manufacturers, the prices of products are considerably low.
Wi-Fi spots are typically present everywhere today. So, we do not have to wait to go to an office or our homes to get connected to the Internet, if ever something important turns up. With a Wi-Fi device and a Wi-Fi hotspot, getting connected to the Internet is a matter of seconds. Wi-Fi networks are very useful in places where it is not possible to do wiring, for example, conference halls and international exhibitions.
Disadvantages
Nothing comes perfect, nor does Wi-Fi. One major issue with Wi-Fi is security. Data transmitted over Wi-Fi networks can be a very easy target for hackers. Wired equivalent privacy (WEP), which is the name of the current security technology, has not proved to be very successful in this regard.
Another common problem with Wi-Fi is lack of compatibility amongst different Wi-Fi devices due to lack of standardization in product manufacturing. Different products in the market have different operating frequencies because of which they are not able to work with one another. For example 802.11a products are not compatible with 802.11b products, due to the different operating frequencies, and 802.11a hotspots would not help a 802.11b client (Tutorialspoint.com, 2013).
Different Wi-Fi points, when used at the same location, may interfere with one another and they cause problem in connectivity. This is a major issue in apartments where many people live, each having their own Wi-Fi connection Wi-Fi has a limited radius of action and it is suitable for home networking, which is more dependent on the environment (Digitalwalt.com, 2012).
Conclusion
Wi-Fi is a revolutionary technology that has brought the world even closer by spreading the area of network coverage with the ease of access. Wi-Fi enables connecting to the Internet without the use of cables or cords. It gives us the freedom of accessing the Internet from typically anywhere we can think of.
Wi-Fi works with radio signals, Wi-Fi cards and hotspots. Radio signals are transmitted from Wi-Fi antennas and received by Wi-Fi-enabled devices. Wi-Fi cards read these signals and establish a connection between the user and the Internet.
Wi-Fi products are readily available in the market. The cost of these products is going considerably down because of the growing competition amongst different vendors.
In spite of the several advantages, Wi-Fi has some disadvantages as well. Data security is one major issue that IT experts are looking at right now. Non-compatibility amongst different Wi-Fi devices is another issue that needs to be taken care of.
References
Tutorialspoint.com (2013). Wi-Fi Major Issues. Retrieved from http://www.tutorialspoint.com/wi-fi/wifi_major_issues.htm
Digitalwalt.com (2012). Wi-Fi – Advantages and Disadvantages of Wi-Fi. Retrieved from
http://digitalwalt.com/wi-fi-advantages-disadvantages/
