Here are the key points to remember from this chapter:
All radio transmissions operate on a spectrum band.
Wi-Fi uses the unlicensed 2.4GHz and 5GHz bands.
802.11 is the engineer's name for a wireless standard that uses a free portion of the broadcast spectrum.
Wi-Fi is the name given to wireless devices that are certified to be compatible and use the 802.11 standard.
802.11g is rapidly becoming the predominate flavor of Wi-Fi today. 802.11g equipment costs about the same as 802.11b, but 802.11g is five times faster.
Because 802.11g is backward compatible with 802.11b, and only a little more expensive, if you are buying a laptop that uses Intel Centrino mobile technology, you should be sure that it runs 802.11g.
Wi-Fi provides data throughput that is fine for most uses.
This book explains how to connect your computer using Intel Centrino mobile technology via Wi-Fi on the road, as well as how to set up a Wi-Fi wireless network at home (or in the office).
Wi-Fi wireless Internet access requires more than just a Wi-Fi access point. To access the Internet, you'll also need an Internet connection and an intermediate layer of hardware equipment.