A wireless local area network (WLAN) technology that conforms to the IEEE 802.11 standard. Wi-Fi is the wireless counterpart to the wired Ethernet network, which is the ubiquitous local area network (LAN) technology used in companies and homes worldwide. A Wi-Fi logo from the Wi-Fi Alliance certifies that network devices comply with the IEEE 802.11 standards.
In the early 2000s, 802.11b became widely used, followed by 11a and 11g. The latest version is 11n (see 802.11n). Within a short time, all laptops and many handhelds came with Wi-Fi built in. Earlier laptops can be Wi-Fi enabled by plugging in an adapter via an earlier PC Card or the USB port. Although desktop computers may not be Wi-Fi equipped from the factory, a Wi-Fi USB adapter or Wi-Fi PCI card plugged into a desktop machine makes it wireless as well (a "PCI card" plugs into a slot on the motherboard inside a desktop computer; a "PC Card" plugs into an external slot on earlier laptops).
Learn More About Wi-Fi
To know how Wi-Fi fits into a home or office network, see wireless LAN and Wi-Fi hotspot. For details about the transmission technology, see 802.11.
What's in a Name?
Wi-Fi sounds like "hi-fi" and is thus mistaken to stand for "wireless fidelity." Although the term was obviously inspired by "high-fidelity," Wi-Fi is officially just a catchy name. See Wi-Fi Direct, WiMAX, Wi-Fi Multimedia, Muni Wi-Fi, wireless mesh network and cellular vs. Wi-Fi.
Today, virtually anything can be Wi-Fi enabled. Every hour, the Remote Vision module in this Miele washing machine transmits its current status to the company via the customer's Wi-Fi network and Internet connection. In case of a problem, the operations center notifies the dealer and sends it the failed part for repair.
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