What Is Wi-Fi - An Overview

A Quick Explanation Of Wireless Fidelity Internet

by Jon Norwood - October 24th, 2006

Wireless Internet is becoming one of the fastest growing segments in Internet connectivity. Wireless Fidelity, or Wi-Fi, stands for a type of wireless service using the dual band networks 802.11, 802.11b, and 802.11a. This type of access is available in most metropolitan areas across the United States, and the standards used in this technology are in use in many countries around the globe.

The three standards are differentiated by speed, as well as a few specific features. The fastest two network types, 802.11a and 802.11b, allow for download speeds up to 54 MBPS and upload at 11 MBPS. These broadband speeds are impressive by any standard.

The Wi-Fi Alliance, a global, non-profit organization with the goal of driving the adoption of a single worldwide-accepted standard for wireless Internet, believes that this emerging technology will be as common as the telephone within the next 7 years. Even now Wi-Fi service is available in many malls, hotels, and coffee shops around the country.

Wireless Networking

Wi-Fi networking is not much different from traditional Internet connections such as Dial Up or Cable. Data packets are still sent via a modem to the Internet, however instead of a Cat 5 cable or phone line the information is sent wirelessly via radio waves. Connections are made automatically when a Wi-Fi device such as a laptop encounters a Wi-Fi network. If a wirelessly enabled laptop is carried into a coffee shop with a Wi-Fi network, it is on the Internet the moment it is turned on. Of course, if the network is a paid service, then a prompt to enter a credit card or other type of payment will be encountered.

Wi-Fi Security

As with any broadband Internet connection, Wi-Fi has some security issues. Sending data wirelessly in fact has more security holes than a standard connection. WEP keys, or Wired Equivalent Privacy, are a type of encryption that exists within the data link layers of the network and provides a great deal of security. The encrypted data however can still be captured via radio waves however. Then all that is needed is the WEP key to decipher the information. This wouldn't be a problem if corporations frequently changed their WEP keys, but this is not the case.

The most notorious Wi-Fi security issue is called an “Evil Twin Attack”. This is a devious maneuver by an experienced hacker wherein a wireless network signal is hijacked. The hacker configures his or her computer into an access point. These access points, also known as Hot Spots, are easy and fast to set up. Security measures that can be taken to avoid this and other Wi-Fi dangers are:

If you are not using the Internet, disable your computer's Wi-Fi card
Only use wireless connectivity that employs WPA security. WPA is Wi-Fi Protected Access, and is a protocol that removes many of the weaknesses found in WEP.
Use a smart software client on your laptop that encrypts data before it is sent to the Internet.
Only log into wireless networks using Secured Socket Layer (SSL) security.
When setting up a home network, rename it from the factory preset. The default name is just that, and anyone can look for it. A unique name will also insure that you don't accidentally log into the wrong network.
Use WPA or WPA2 on your home service. This will configure security keys at the router, and make sure no unencrypted data is sent wirelessly.

Once set up, all the hacker needs to do is go to an area that is already used as a wireless Internet access point and users will more than likely log in. All traffic would be routed through the hacker's computer, and all information would be made available to him or her.

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Check our main section on Wireless Internet Providers to learn more Wi-Fi networks and how wireless Internet technology compares to other forms of broadband.