Q&A
How do Wi-Fi networks benefit organizations?
By allowing network and online access to happen anywhere, a Wi-Fi network increases productivity and provides convenience. And it has the power to redefine organizational goals and how they're achieved, not just in offices but also in factories, healthcare facilities, schools—anywhere computing is performed.
What is the 802.11 standard?
In 1997, the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) created 802.11b, the first version of the standard that became Wi-Fi.
All Wi-Fi versions have 802.11 designations, each with its own suffix. The three most recent versions are also known by simple names: Wi-Fi 4 (802.11n, released in 2009), Wi-Fi 5 (802.11ac, released in 2014), and Wi-Fi 6 (802.11ax, released in 2019).
How does Wi-Fi differ from 5G?
Wi-Fi is a wireless networking technology that has become standard for users who wirelessly connect to the internet in places such as offices or homes. 5G is a cellular wireless standard originally designed for the voice calls of mobile users who may access networks over large geographic areas.
Over time, cellular networks were improved to support not only voice but video and other data-intensive applications.
How does Wi-Fi work?
Like broadcast media, Wi-Fi transmits information over radio waves. Data is sent in packets that contain layers with labels and instructions. Those instructions, along with the unique Media Access Control (MAC) addresses assigned to endpoints, enable the packets to be routed to their intended locations.
The Wi-Fi standard is continuously evolving, but each successive upgrade is designed to be backward-compatible with previous versions.
How are Wi-Fi networks set up?
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. See the "Wi-Fi network architecture components" section below for more details on Wi-Fi network architecture.
Are Wi-Fi networks secure?
A Wi-Fi network is inherently more vulnerable to hacking and other security breaches than a wired network.
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.
The most basic method of securing Wi-Fi is to use MAC addresses to disallow unauthorized stations. But determined adversaries may be able to join networks by spoofing authorized addresses.
The most common method of securing Wi-Fi is encryption. Several methods of encryption have been introduced, including those used in Wired Equivalent Privacy (WEP) and Wi-Fi Protected Access (WPA).
In terms of authentication, currently WPA2 is the standard authentication method. It provides acceptable security as long as strong passwords are used.
VPNs (virtual private networks) can be used to improve security for users connecting through Wi-Fi networks, especially public ones.
How does roaming work with Wi-Fi networks?
For any sized network, additional access points can extend the area of access.
Wi-Fi standards are designed to allow a nonstationary user's connection to jump from one access point to another, though some users and applications may experience brief dropouts. Even with disjointed (nonoverlapping) access points, a user's connection is simply paused until connection with the next access point.
Additional access points can be wired or wireless. When access points overlap, they can be configured to help optimize the network by sharing and managing traffic loads. This process is an important part of the Wi-Fi 6 standard.
What is a mesh network?
A mesh network extends a Wi-Fi network's reach and performance, through the use of numerous access points that connect with each other wirelessly. A mesh network provides multiple possible transmission paths and, with intelligent routing algorithms, can manage routing to optimize performance.
Mesh networks help solve the challenge of providing Wi-Fi in large public areas such as libraries, convention halls, stadiums, and campuses.