Wi-Fi (short for Wireless Fidelity) is a wireless technology used to increase the compatibility of wireless networks. Common uses of Wi-Fi include Internet, gaming, Voice over IP, and network connectivity. Common Wi-Fi devices include the personal computer, iPod, PSP, Nintendo DS, home video game consoles, and several brands of PDA. Since its inception in 1997, Wi-Fi has grown in popularity and is quickly becoming the standard for wireless networking.
Benefits
There are several advantages of having a Wi-Fi connection. The most common use is the ability to connect to the Internet wirelessly. With Wi-Fi, you can also connect other electronic devices outside of a personal computer. You can connect digital cameras, DVDs, and video game consoles using a Wi-Fi connection.
Features
Wi-Fi uses high frequency radio signals to transmit and receive data over a few hundred feet. Wi-Fi uses Ethernet protocol, which is the most common local area network technology. The wireless network uses either an infrared or radio frequency to link several mobile computers to its network. Wi-Fi uses a specific radio technology called IEEE 802.11b or 802.11a to provide a reliable wireless network connection. IEEE stands for Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers, which is an organization consisting of scientists and engineers in New York. Wi-Fi uses a frequency of 2.4 to 2.4835 gigahertz, which is also common microwaves and cordless telephones.
How Wi-Fi Works
A Wi-Fi connection works through a transmitting antenna, which is usually connected to a DSL or cable Internet connection. The antenna on the router will then beam radio signals through a specific range. Another antenna, which is on the laptop or personal computer, receives the signal.
The wireless signal typically has a range of 300 feet. The connection speeds gets slower as the distance between the computer and the router increases. A wireless access point connects a group of wireless devices to a wired Local Area Network, or LAN connection.
The wireless access point then relays data between the connected devices. Before a device can connect to a Wi-Fi network, a wireless adapter will need to be present. Wireless adapter can connect to devices using PCI or miniPCI, USB, Cardbus, ExpressCard, and PC card.
Once the device has a wireless adapter, you will need a wireless router to relay the signal to your adapter. The wireless router is connected to the high-speed modem with an Ethernet cable. Once the wireless router is connected, you should be able to receive a wireless signal as long as there is a wireless adapter on the device you wish to connect.
Router Encryption Standards
Everywhere you turn today there is a Wi-Fi connection to jump on. This can also be the case for home networks using Wi-Fi technology. For those of you that have a wireless router in your home, you need to check what encryption method is being used. Most up-to-date routers offer the average homeowner an option of WEP encryption or WPA/WPA2 encryption.
With all of this talk of WEP and WPA, it could make the average person’s head spin. So how do you determine what your router is using and why does it really make a difference? No matter what type of computer you are using or what Operating System you have, if you are using a wireless connection you should be able to view the available wireless networks that are in range. By doing this you can see your wireless network, as well as if it is actually secured and by what means. With most systems the list of wireless networks should show a pad lock if it is secured as well as tell you the encryption method that is being used. If you see the pad lock but no WPA or WEP then you are probably using WEP.
If your wireless network is not showing as secured or “locked” then that is your first major problem. If your network shows it is locked but you are using WEP, then you still have a problem. WEP may be good for some PDA’s to use since they are still mostly stuck on 802.11b, but regular systems should be using higher encryption methods, such as WPA or WPA2.
So why is WPA and WPA2 more secure than WEP? WEP was introduced back in 1999, and it was the first encryption standard for 802.11. WEP has a limited amount of numbers and letters you can use for the password, making them 64-bit to 128-bit. This is one of the reasons why it is so easy for an attacker to break a WEP encryption with a simple security tool. Recently a 104-bit WEP key was cracked in less than 60-seconds. On the other hand, WPA can use a 256-bit key, which also gives you full use of all letters, numbers, and even symbols. With a 256-bit key you can have up to 63 ASCII characters, which means more security against brute force attacks; in the end making your network more secure from potential intruders.
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