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Wi-Fi

Wi-Fi is a wireless local area network technology based on the IEEE 802.11 family of standards, with the Wi-Fi Alliance handling trademark and certification. It lets phones, laptops, and other devices connect through wireless routers and is among the most common ways to access networks at home and in public spaces.

Also known as

WiFi · IEEE 802.11 · 无线局域网

Definition

Wi-Fi is the wireless local area network technology based on the IEEE 802.11 family of standards, with the Wi-Fi Alliance owning the trademark and certification. The signal from a home router is Wi-Fi.

How it works

Devices communicate with an access point over unlicensed bands such as 2.4 GHz, 5 GHz, and (in some regions) 6 GHz, using mechanisms like OFDMA to share the wireless channel among many devices. The 802.11 standards keep evolving, and the Wi-Fi Alliance brands generations (such as Wi-Fi 6) for consumers.

Usage

Home broadband coverage, café and airport hotspots, office wireless, and smart-home devices all ride on Wi-Fi. Being inexpensive and license-free, it is the most widespread wireless access method alongside cellular.

5G is the wide-area cellular counterpart, and the two are complementary: cellular on the go, Wi-Fi indoors. Wi-Fi is also often confused with Bluetooth, which targets short-range peripheral links rather than network access.

Sources