The History of WiFi

WiFi is the technology that many people have been longing for. The dream of accessing the internet quickly, cheaply and easily from any location seemed so close. But has it lived up to expectation?

The technical issues surrounding WiFi are quite important. It all began in October 1999 with the introduction of the IEEE standard 802.11b protocol. This offered a 5 Mbit/s transfer speed and an effective range of 150-300 ft. Although not quite fast enough for everyone, it soon became very popular, offering clear benefits in terms of freedom over wired connections. A new standard was under development and became popular even before it was ratified in June 2003. 802.11g increased the data rate to about 22 Mbit/s, which is not exactly future proof, but more than enough for most people. The new standard was completely backward compatible, so people with the old hardware could use it with the new hardware. This made for a seamless transition.

Unfortunately there are certain limitations inherent in WiFi. For one thing, it is susceptible to interference from various devices that operate on the same frequency (2.4 GHz). Microwave ovens, Bluetooth devices, cordless phones and baby monitors all have the potential to cause a lapse in services - to the annoyance of users. 'Power users' such as on-line gamers prefer to stick to the more reliable wired connections. Technology moves on and the latest derivation of the standard - 802.11n - will soon deliver another significant step forward if you have the correct hardware.

Intertwined with all these standard we have IEEE 802.16 and it's derivatives which are better known as WiMAX. WiMAX is similar to WiFi but it is designed to work over longer distances. As a result it has lower data rates and the transmitter/receiver requires more power. This means it is not useful for portable devices and is designed as an alternative to cable from the exchange to your front door or "last mile".

All that said, there is a great satisfaction to be gained from sitting in a cafe with your laptop communication instantly with people from all around the globe and accessing vital information. When WiFi works, it works very well and can be a real life saver. The best thing about it is being able to use it on the move when you are out and about. However this is not always as simple as it sounds. Various attempts have been made to make WiFi available on a Pay-As-You-Go scheme but these can be overly complicated and always expensive. There have been attempts to provide community network (e.g. Sunnyvale, California is a rare success) and time will tell how widespread they become.

For the time being the best approach seems to be; find an airport, station, cafe, bar or hotel that offers free WiFi. Normally you will just need to get a simple password from the establishment (although instructions should be provided when you connect). This way you do not have to worry about the serious annoyance and inconvenience of setting up a payment account. In fact, why should you set up a payment account? WiFi is not expensive to set up unless you want to have a complicated payment system. Another advantage to using WiFi is that you can use it anywhere in the world. You do not need to phone home when you can send photographs, emails and chat on-line