Wifi is a technology that allows the wireless connection of devices and equipment that are in a network. Wifi- enabled devices can connect to each other or go out to the internet through a wireless network access point.
This connection is possible thanks to the radio frequencies and infrared that the different devices transmit. This means that the Wi-Fi radio is between 5 and 150 meters away, depending on the range of the devices that emit the signal.
The term Wifi is an abbreviation for Wireless Fidelity and actually refers to a trademark promoted by the Wi-Fi Alliance, the company in charge of creating this technology.
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Wifi Standards
There are different types of Wi – Fi , based on the IEEE 802.11 standard:
- The IEEE 802.11b, IEEE 802.11g and IEEE 802.11n standards are the most common worldwide, with speeds of up to 11Mb / s, 54Mb / s, and 300Mb / s, respectively. They operate on the 2.4GHz frequency.
- The IEEE 802.11ac standard, known as Wifi 5 or Wifi 5G, operates at a frequency of 5GHz. Its range is somewhat less than 2.4GHz Wi-Fi, but there is less interference.
Safety And Reliability
Being a wireless connection, Wifi is much more exposed to interference and multiplies depending on the range of the signal. The security in the networks that use Wi-Fi is lower, since access to your information and to the network devices is simpler and more dangerous for the owner. We leave you some tips to improve security on these networks:
- Change access passwords frequently and with different characters.
- Change the default name of the signal.
- Disable DHCP and SSID broadcast.
- Authorize the computers that access through their MAC.
- Use the best encryption, currently WPA2.
Speaking of encryption, there are these 3 different types:
- WEP: Encrypts data so that only its recipient is able to read it. WEP encrypts the data using a key, which it shares with the recipient so that it can do the reverse. It is the least secure.
- WPA – Has some improvements over WEP, but still has similar security issues.
- WPA2: It is the safest security protocol for Wifi currently as they use an encryption algorithm.
Devices On Wifi
The devices that we can find in Wi-Fi networks (Wireless Connection) can be divided into two groups: terminal devices, how are our computers, mobile phones, etc. and distribution or network devices, such as
- Routers: Many routers include a Wi-Fi access point to give computers access to the network, as is often the case in homes.
- Access points: They are devices dedicated to emitting Wifi signals to provide this service and increase the range and coverage of the signal.
- Repeaters: Connect to an existing network to create a stronger signal and increase coverage.
Advantages And Disadvantages
The advantages that we can highlight are:
- When it comes to wireless networks, the convenience is greater and it is easy to implement and scale according to the needs of the owner.
- Once configured, these networks allow access to many devices without spending on a large infrastructure.
- Being a technology used worldwide and the compatibility between devices is total.
The main disadvantages are:
- It is lower speed compared to wired networks, with more interference and signal loss.
- They are much less secure since there are certain programs capable of capturing packets that travel through the network.
- It is not compatible with other wireless connections.
- The signal is also affected by the physical agents that are around.
