He Wi-Fi Alliance defines Wi-Fi as any "wireless local area network"(WLAN) product based on the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers’(IEEE) 802.11 standards.[1] However, the term "Wi-Fi" is used in general English as a synonym for "WLAN" since most modern WLANs are based on these standards. "Wi-Fi" is a trademark of the Wi-Fi Alliance. The "Wi-Fi Certified" trademark can only be used by Wi-Fi products that successfully complete Wi-Fi Alliance interoperability certification testing.
Many devices can use Wi-Fi, e.g. personal computers, video-game consoles, smartphones, digital cameras, tablet computers and digital audio players. These can connect to a network resource such as the Internet via a wireless network access point. Such an access point(or hotspot) has a range of about 20 meters(66 feet) indoors and a greater range outdoors. Hotspot coverage can be as small as a single room with walls that block radio waves, or as large as many square kilometres achieved by using multiple overlapping access points.
Depiction of a device sending information wirelessly to another device, both connected to the local network, in order to print a document.
Wi-Fi can be less secure than wired connections, such as Ethernet, precisely because an intruder does not need a physical connection. Web pages that use TLS are secure, but unencrypted internet access can easily be detected by intruders. Because of this, Wi-Fi has adopted various encryption technologies. The early encryption WEP proved easy to break. Higher quality protocols(WPA, WPA2) were added later. An optional feature added in 2007, called Wi-Fi Protected Setup(WPS), had a serious flaw that allowed an attacker to recover the router’s password.[2] The Wi-Fi Alliance has since updated its test plan and certification program to ensure all newly certified devices resist attacks.
History
Main article: IEEE 802.11 § History
In 1971, ALOHAnet connected the Hawaiian Islands with a UHF wireless packet network. ALOHAnet and the ALOHA protocol were early forerunners to Ethernet, and later the IEEE 802.11 protocols, respectively.
A 1985 ruling by the U.S. Federal Communications Commission released the ISM band for unlicensed use.[3] These frequency bands are the same ones used by equipment such as microwave ovens and are subject to interference.
In 1991, NCR Corporation with AT&T Corporation invented the precursor to 802.11, intended for use in cashier systems. The first wireless products were under the name