| Wireless networks use radio waves instead
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| | Wireless networks also use a technique
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| of wires to transmit data between
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| | called "frequency hopping." They use
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| computers. Here's how:
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| | dozens of frequencies, and constantly
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| The Binary Code: 1s and 0s
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| | switch among them. This makes wireless
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| It's well known that computers transmit
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| | networks more immune to interference from
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| information digitally, using binary code:
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| | other radio signals than if they
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| ones and zeros. This translates well to
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| | transmitted on a single frequency.
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| radio waves, since those 1s and 0s can be
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| | Internet Access Points
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| represented by different kinds of beeps.
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| | The final step for a wireless network is
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| These beeps are so fast that they're
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| | to provide internet access for every
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| outside the hearing range of humans.
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| | computer on the network. This is done by
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| Morse Code: Dots And Dashes
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| | a special piece of wireless equipment
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| It works like Morse code, which is a way
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| | called an access point. An access point
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| to transmit the alphabet over radio waves
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| | is more expensive than a wireless card
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| using dots (short beeps) and dashes (long
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| | for 1 computer, because it contains
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| beeps). Morse code was used manually for
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| | radios capable of communicating with
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| years via telegraph to get information
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| | around 100 computers, sharing internet
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| from 1 place to another very quickly.
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| | access among them. Dedicated access
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| More importantly for this example,
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| | points are necessary only for larger
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| though, it is a binary system, just as a
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| | networks. With only a few computers, it
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| computer system is.
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| | is possible to use 1 of them as the
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| Wireless networking, then, can be thought
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| | access point, or to use a wireless
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| of as a Morse code for computers. You
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| | router.
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| plug in a combined radio receiver and
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| | Industry Standards
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| transmitter, and the computer is able to
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| | Wireless equipment from different
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| send out its equivalent of dots and
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| | manufacturers can work together to handle
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| dashes (bits, in computer-speak) to get
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| | these complex communications because
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| your data from here to there.
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| | there are standards which guide the
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| Wavelengths And Frequencies
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| | production of all wireless devices. These
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| You might wonder how the computer can
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| | standards are technically called the
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| send and receive data at high speed
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| | 802.11. Because of industry compliance
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| without becoming garbled nonsense. The
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| | with these standards, wireless networking
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| key to wireless networking is how it gets
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| | is both easy to use and affordable today.
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| around this problem.
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| | Wireless Is Simple To Use
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| First, wireless transmissions are sent at
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| | If all this talk of frequencies has you
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| very high frequencies, which allows more
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| | worried -- relax. Wireless networking
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| data to be sent per second. Most wireless
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| | hardware and software handle all of this
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| connections use a frequency of 2.4
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| | automatically, without need for user
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| gigahertz (2.4 billion cycles per second)
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| | intervention. Wireless networking, for
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| -- a frequency similar to mobile phones
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| | all its complicated ability, is far
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| and microwave ovens. However, this high
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| | simpler to use than you might expect.
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| frequency produces a wavelength that is
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| | Ron King is a full-time researcher,
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| very short, which is why wireless
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| | writer, and web developer. Visit for
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| networking is effective only over short
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| | more info.
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| distances.
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|
