Introduction to Wireless Networking

What is Wireless Networking?

Wireless networking, also known as RF (Radio Frequency), utilizes radio waves and/or microwaves to access the Internet from any wireless or mobile device. A user can do everything they could from a normal computer such as networking computers, sharing files, e-mail, access printers, and other tasks without having to be connected by burdensome cables. The absence of cables also significantly reduces the cost of installation, so wireless networks are excellent in forming temporary offices, as well as expanding on a previously connected network.

Wireless technology is constantly changing, and by the time this material is published, new material may have come out on the market to make this report outdated. Yet the technology is growing so fast that soon there will come a day when a computer requires no cables on a desktop. The monitor, printer, disk drive, mouse, and the internet will all be separate entities that work together without any wires, and anyone will be able to access anything from the Internet from anywhere.

Key terms

When discussing standards of wireless networking adapters, it is important to understand some chief concepts. Wireless networks, like any radio signal, transmit in units called Hertz. A normal walkie-talkie transmits at 49 MHz (Megahertz), while wireless cards transmit at 2.5 or 5 GHz (Gigahertz). The higher frequency designates the size of the wave, which will determine the ability of the transmission to pass through solid objects, such as walls and people. The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) has specifically targeted this 2.5 Ghz frequency range as the ISM (Industrial, Scientific, and Medical) It has been conveniently adopted by wireless networking.