Wi-Fi

Wi-Fi

A logo from the Wi-Fi Alliance that certifies network devices comply with the IEEE 802.11 wireless Ethernet standards. In the early 2000s, Wi-Fi/802.11 became widely used (initially 802.11b, then 802.11g), and within a short time, all laptops and other handheld devices came with Wi-Fi built in. Earlier laptops can be Wi-Fi enabled by plugging in a Wi-Fi adapter via the USB port or PC Card. For details about how Wi-Fi fits into a home or office network, see wireless LAN.

What's in a Name?
Wi-Fi sounds a lot like "hi-fi," thus it is mistaken to stand for "wireless fidelity." Although the term may have been inspired by "high-fidelity," Wi-Fi is officially just a catchy name, not "wireless fidelity." For details about the transmission technology, see 802.11. See Wi-Fi Alliance, WiMAX, Wi-Fi Multimedia, Wi-Fi camera, Muni Wi-Fi, wireless mesh network, hotspot and cellular vs. Wi-Fi.

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Wi-Fi

Computing a system of accessing the internet from remote machines such as laptop computers that have wireless connections

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(networking)

wi-fi - Either of two different incompatible radio-based LAN protocols, namely 802.11b (which speaks DSSS at 2.4GHz) and 802.11a (which speaks OFDM at 5GHz). The term was invented by the marketing departments of wi-fi equipment manufacturers. It is, notionally, short for "wireless fidelity", on the analogy of hi-fi for "high fidelity" audio.