Understanding How Wireless Networking Works

Wireless networking is what its name impliesnetworking without wires. Instead of communicating through physical connections (such as cables or phone lines), a wireless network uses radio signals (much like walkie-talkies, only much more sophisticated).

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You might also hear wireless networking referred to as WiFi or IEEE 802.11 (The Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers) networking. The latter is the technical name of the standard set by IEEE.

The radios used in a wireless network can convert 1s and 0s (computer data) into radio waves. The receiving component can then convert the radio waves back into 1s and 0s (much like a telephone modem works to convert 1s and 0s to analog signals for transmission through telephone wires).

The radios also can change frequencies (called frequency hopping) so that multiple components can talk to each other at the same time without interference. This means that you can print a document (which involves communicating to your printer) and also connect to the Internet (which involves communicating with your online Internet connection).

Wireless networking offers many advantages. It is relatively simple, fast, and cost-effective. It's perfect for connecting laptops (as well as desktop computers) or for setting up a network where physical connections would be cumbersome. The next section discusses the components you need to set up a wireless network.