Wireless Fidelity

Wireless Fidelity or WiFi is the underlying technology of wireless local area networks (WLAN) based on the IEEE 802.11 specifications. This 802.11 specification is a wireless standard that defines the over-the-air interface between a wireless client and a base station or between two wireless clients.

The 802.11-enabled notebook computers and handheld devices talk to each other and to the rest of the network without wires through devices called "access points." These access points are connected to enterprise networks and the Internet through a cable or DSL line. Various radio frequencies are also available, identified as "a," "b," "g" and soon, “n”. For instance, 802.11b is the standard for wireless LANs operating in the 2.4 GHz spectrum with a maximum bit rate of 11 Mbps. This is the standard currently used in most Wi-Fi hot spots, while 802.11a operates in the 5 GHz frequency range with a maximum bit rate of 54 Mbps -- much faster than the "b" standard. Another standard is 802.11g which is commonly used in offices. Devices based on this standard operate on the 2.4 GHz band and deliver bit rates of up to 54 Mbps. All 802.11g devices are backward compatible with the 802.11b standard.