What is Wi-Fi? How does it Work?
A wireless network including cell phones, televisions and radios, communicates by radio waves. In fact, communicating over a wireless network is similar to two-way radio communication.
A computer’s wireless adapter converts data into a radio signal & sends it via an antenna.
The wireless router receives and decodes the signal. The router transfers data to the internet via a physical connected ethernet connection.
The method also works in reverse with the router receiving data from the internet, turning it into a radio signal and transferring it to the computer’s wireless adapter.
WiFi radios are quite similar to those utilized for walkie-talkies, cell phones and other devices. They can send & receive radio waves as well as convert 1s and 0s to and from radio waves. However, WiFi radios have a few noticeable differences from traditional radios:
They transmit at either 2.4 GHz (or) 5 GHz. This frequency is far higher than that used by cell phones, walkie-talkies, and televisions. The increased frequency allows the transmission to convey more information.
2.4 GHz connections are currently regarded relatively archaic due to their lower data rates than 5 GHz.
However, the 2.4 band is still used since the lower frequency may travel hundreds of feet.
In ideal conditions, the 5 GHz band has a maximum range of around 200 feet (61 meters), but in reality, it is far more susceptible to interference from walls, doors, and other objects.
The 2.4 band may be faster for a person connected to a router many rooms away, but 5 GHz will undoubtedly be faster for a close connection.
How does Wi-Fi Work?
Here is the step-by-step procedure
Data to Signals
Your phone or laptop contains a Wi-Fi chip (network card). This chip transforms digital data (the 0s and 1s on your device) into radio waves that may move through the air.
Transmission & Reception
The Wi-Fi chip communicates with an antenna within your smartphone. The antenna’s job is to transmit radio signals into the air & receive them back from your network.
Router
The router serves as your network’s “brain”. It receives radio signals from your device, turns them back to digital data, and then sends them to the internet via fiber/DSL lines.
The 2-Way Process
When an internet server responds, the router transforms the data into radio waves, which are then sent back to your device and decoded by your Wi-Fi chip into text, graphics (or) video on your screen.
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