| Increasingly, people are connecting to the Internet | | | | only ratified recently, and the full list of |
| using wireless connectivity. Commonly known as | | | | enhancements only published in October of 2009. |
| WiFi, (Wireless Fidelity), the technology can be | | | | However, many users have been enjoying the |
| found in many laptops, netbooks, cell phones and | | | | increased speeds and range offered since early |
| a host of other electronic gadgetry. The | | | | 2007. |
| technology, known as the 802.11 standard in | | | | Whilst speeds of 600Mbps have been touted, this |
| industrial circles, works in much the same way as | | | | has yet to be experienced in real time. More |
| cell phone technology, though the range that radio | | | | common, is something around the 100Mbps mark, |
| waves are transmitted is considerably smaller. | | | | though many people see 160Mbps easily |
| 802.11 is applied as the standard by the Institute | | | | achievable. All this is provided on the lower 2.4GHz |
| of Electronic Engineers, (IEEE), where 802 defines | | | | frequency; and thus provides a considerable range |
| the standard itself, and 11 the working group | | | | of data transmission too. The standard is also |
| within the IEEE assigned the workload. After this, | | | | backwards compatible; thus upgrades can be done |
| letters are applied to each release, which relates | | | | progressively to help with costs, and the |
| to a task group working on enhancements. There | | | | technology is said to be future proof. |
| are four main standards. | | | | As advised above, these are the four most |
| Firstly there is the 802.11a standard. Whilst use of | | | | commonly accepted standards, and those which |
| the 5GHz frequency does allow for relatively high | | | | many are familiar with despite not having a |
| communication speeds, it does limit the range of | | | | particularly sound knowledge of all things IT. There |
| transmission. It is a popular choice for larger | | | | are others of course that take up the other |
| organizations, with transfer of data being as high | | | | suffixes not otherwise mentioned. |
| as 54Mbps. | | | | Rather than provide different ways of connecting |
| Secondly there is the 802.11b standard. This uses | | | | and providing higher speeds however, these are |
| the 2.4GHz frequency, which broadcasts over a | | | | more technical modifications to how the WiFi |
| greater range. The compromise to this is with the | | | | network works. |
| speed of communication, which is reduced | | | | All the speeds listed next to each standard is the |
| significantly to 11Mbps. It is very popular with | | | | highest possible speed advertised; though these |
| smaller businesses, individuals and particularly | | | | are very much only to be expected in ideal |
| coffee stores offering free WiFi. | | | | conditions. The time of day that the network |
| Thirdly there is the 802.11g standard which also | | | | used is key to the speed achieved; relying very |
| transmits using the 2.4GHz frequency. However, | | | | much on how many people are online, and what |
| this standard allows speeds of 54Mbps to be | | | | data is being transferred at any one time. |
| reached, having been enhanced using all that is the | | | | 802.11 WiFi standards will continue to grow and |
| best in the standards and improvements going | | | | advance of course, and are there to ensure a |
| before it. | | | | uniformity of WiFi, to help both the industry, and |
| Fourthly there is the 802.11n standard. Amazingly, | | | | the consumer. |
| this has been in discussion for seven years, was | | | | |