What Is a Wireless Network? Types of Wireless Network

A VPN protects your Wi-Fi network by encrypting your data, making it unreadable to prospective eavesdroppers on public Wi-Fi networks. Look for VPNs that use industry-standard AES-256 encryption and double the security by employing dependable open-source protocols for further protection. Many VPN apps have additional privacy features like ad blocking, split tunneling, and double VPN capability, which improve total network security and privacy. From the user’s perspective, Wi-Fi is internet access from a wireless-capable device like a phone, tablet, or laptop.

For example, in the 2.4 GHz band, there are 14 channels, each with a bandwidth of 22 MHz and a center frequency that is 5 MHz apart from the adjacent channels. The first channel has a center frequency of 2.412 GHz, the second channel has a center frequency of 2.417 GHz, and so on. Compared to cell phones and similar technology, Wi-Fi transmitters are low-power devices. In general, the maximum amount of power that a Wi-Fi device can transmit is limited by local regulations, such as FCC Part 15 in the US. Equivalent isotropically radiated power (EIRP) in the European Union is limited to 20 dBm (100 mW).

The process begins with the wireless network’s encryption methods like WPA2 or WPA3 being activated to scramble data transfers. With this step, the data is unreadable to unauthorized parties, even if intercepted. To set up Wi-Fi at home, you need a wireless router and access The Wireless Network to the router’s admin management pages to configure the correct settings such as the Wi-Fi channel, network security key, and network name. Wi-Fi and Ethernet are two mediums for getting Internet access to your device or forming a local area network. Unlike Wi-Fi, which is wireless and uses radio waves to transmit information, Ethernet is wired and uses physical cables for data transmission. The access point is the base station that serves as a hub to which other stations connect.

Bottom Line: Improve Your Wireless Networks Security Now

We’ll also provide some expert Wi-Fi security tips from Technologist Tyrone Showers. Portable devices like phones and tablets feature built-in wireless radios. Wireless networking, or WiFi, is a very popular wireless networking technology today. In this chapter, we will explore the basics of wireless networking, including the different types of wireless networks, how they work, and the standards that govern them. It allows these devices–and many more–to exchange information with one another, creating a network.

Basic Service Set (BSS)

Wi-Fi is a networking technology primarily used to connect to the internet. It uses radio waves to transmit data wirelessly and is supported by various modern electronic devices, including computers and smartphones. A portable Wi-Fi hotspot is a mobile hotspot obtained through a cell phone carrier. It’s a small device that uses cellular towers that broadcast high-speed 3G or 4G broadband signals.

CTIA, the Wireless Association, for example, is comprised of wireless carriers, such as Verizon, AT&T, T-Mobile, and Sprint, and cellphone manufacturers like LG and Samsung. Different wireless protocols and phone standards include CDMA, GSM, EV-DO, 3G, 4G, and 5G. First of all, the new routers allow an even higher data flow rate, up to 9.2 Gbps (gigabits per second). WiFi 6 also lets manufacturers install many more antennas on one router, accepting multiple connections at once without any worry of interference and slowdown. Some new devices also connect on a higher 6 GHz band, which is about 20 percent faster than 5GHz in ideal conditions. The term “Wi-Fi hotspot” usually refers to wireless networks placed in public areas, like coffee shops, to allow people to connect to the internet without having to have special credentials.

Wireless Network Security & Compliance Tools

Also, the propagation characteristics of the signals can have a big impact. When you access Wi-Fi, you are connecting to a wireless router that allows your Wi-Fi-compatible devices to interface with the Internet. In a typical Wi-Fi network, the AP (Access Point) will advertise the specific network that it offers connectivity to. This is called a Service Set Identifier (SSID) and it is what users see when they look at the list of available networks on their phone or laptops. The beacon can be thought of as an announcement saying “Hello, I have a network here, if it’s the network you’re looking for, you can join”.

As of 2010, most newer laptop computers come equipped with built-in internal adapters. Also, spaces where cables cannot be run, such as outdoor areas and historical buildings, can host wireless LANs. However, building walls of certain materials, such as stone with high metal content, can block Wi-Fi signals. Wi-Fi also allows communications directly from one computer to another without an access point intermediary.

You can get from 300 or 600Mbit, and it can operate on the 2.4 and 5GHz frequency bands. When access points overlap, they can be configured to help optimize the network by sharing and managing traffic loads. With a wired network, an adversary must either gain physical access to an internal network or break in through an external firewall. To access Wi-Fi, one must merely be within range of the network and get through security checkpoints. Creating a Wi-Fi network can be as simple as acquiring a wireless router, performing setup steps, and connecting a compatible endpoint, such as a laptop.

An estimated 20,000 elementary, middle and high school students, or 26.9%, are considered “underconnected” and do not have broadband or satellite internet. According to David, Telefónica has reduced its energy consumption by about 9% over the past 10 years, even as its traffic has increased nine-fold. It has done this through multiple initiatives, including the deployment of 5G, which is about 85-90% more efficient than 4G on a basis of energy use per traffic unit. Using centralized and cloud-based architectures can also enable far more efficient network deployment and management, Adeyemi said.

Encrypt your Wi-Fi network using WPA2 or WPA3 standards to protect your data. Update to the most recent encryption protocols for maximum network security and defense against potential threats and data breaches. If your phone has a data cap and you allow other devices to connect to your phone as a hotspot to access the internet, your data cap applies to any data moving through the main phone. This activity can quickly push a cellular data plan over its limit and accrue extra fees. In some cases, a user without a router can set up a phone or computer as a Wi-Fi hotspot so it can share the device’s wireless or wired internet connection with other devices, similar to the way a router works.

With a hotspot turned on, the user can share their internet connection with someone else, providing them with a password for more secure access. Piggybacking on Wi-Fi networks involves getting unwanted access to the internet by exploiting unencrypted signals. This activity, also known as Wi-Fi squatting, jeopardizes network security and can slow down internet connections.