Jordan Gloor / How-To Geek
Wi-Fi is a networking technology primarily used to connect to the internet. It uses radio waves to transmit data wirelessly and is supported by various modern electronic devices, including computers and smartphones.
Wi-Fi has become one of the most popular technologies. Most of us use it to access the internet. But what does connecting to Wi-Fi mean, what does Wi-Fi stand for, and how does it work? Here’s everything you need to know.
Defining Wi-Fi
Wi-Fi is a wireless networking technology used by computers, smartphones, and other devices to connect to the internet or other devices. It’s based on a set of wireless communication standards developed by the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE). These standards are also known as IEEE 802.11.
Originally introduced in the late-1990s, Wi-Fi has come a long way. Like any other technology, it has evolved and gotten better. While the first Wi-Fi generation—802.11-1997—offered a maximum link rate of 1-2Mbps, the newest generation—Wi-Fi 6—has a maximum link rate of 574-9608Mbps. The link rate is the top data transfer speed across a wireless link between a router and…
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