Wi-Fi, also known as Wireless Fidelity, is a mechanism for wirelessly connecting electronic devices. A device enabled with Wi-Fi, such as a personal computer, video game console, smartphone, or digital audio player, can connect to the Internet via a wireless network access point. An access point (or hotspot) has a range of about 20 meters (65 ft.) indoors and a greater range of about 45 meters (150 ft.) outdoors. Multiple overlapping access points can cover large areas.
Description[]
A Wi-Fi enabled device such as a PC, video game console, mobile phone, MP3 player or PDA can connect to the Internet when within range of a wireless network connected to the Internet. The coverage of one or more interconnected access points — called a hotspot — can comprise an area as small as a single room with wireless-opaque walls or as large as many square miles covered by overlapping access points. "Wi-Fi" is a trademark of the Wi-Fi Alliance and the brand name for products using the IEEE 802.11 family of standards. Wi-Fi is used by over 700 million people. There are over four million hotspots (places with Wi-Fi Internet connectivity) around the world, and about 800 million new Wi-Fi devices are sold every year. Wi-Fi products that complete Wi-Fi Alliance interoperability certification testing successfully may use the "Wi-Fi CERTIFIED" designation and trademark.[1]
History[]
Steve Jobs introduces WiFi to the masses with a hula hoop!
Apple Computer interim CEO Steve Jobs met with executives from Lucent Technologies on April 20, 1998 to discuss their technology tentatively named Wireless LAN. Jobs asked them to design a radio card for US$50 so that Apple could market it as an AirPort card for $99. It was introduced by Jobs on July 21, 1999 at Macworld Expo New York as an option for the iBook G3, which became the world's first Wi-Fi enabled laptop.[2]
References[]
- ↑ Wi-Fi at the Free On-Line Dictionary Of Computing. 2003-09-02.
- ↑ How a 1998 meeting with Steve Jobs gave birth to Wi-Fi by Claus Hetting, Wi-Fi Now. 2018-09-19.
See also[]
- AirPort, Apple's Wi-Fi implementation.
External links[]
- Wi-Fi Alliance official website
- Which Wi-Fi base station are you? at Apple (archived 2008-01-16)
- Connect to Wi-Fi on your iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch at Apple Support (2020-11-19)
- iPad Wi-Fi specification details (2021-10-27)
- iPhone Wi-Fi specification details (2021-10-27)
- Make a call with Wi-Fi Calling (2021-10-12)
- Connect to the internet with your Mac (2020-12-17)
- MacBook Air Wi-Fi specification details (2021-10-27)
- MacBook Pro Wi-Fi specification details (2021-10-27)
- Manage the Wi-Fi connection on your Mac (2016-03-23)
- Recommended settings for Wi-Fi routers and access points (2020-08-06)
- Connect to Wi-Fi on your iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch at Apple Support (2020-11-19)
- Wi-Fi at Wikipedia