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n this article I’ll help you understand the answer to a couple of computer terminology questions I find a lot of people asking: “How does wireless Internet work?” and “How does WiFi work?”.

Before I can answer this question, I have to mention that there are two basic types of wireless Internet: a wireless Internet connection through a device called a router (this type of wireless Internet is called WiFi), and then there is wireless Internet access through the cell phone network.

Wireless routers are very common in homes, offices, and “wireless hotspots” like you find at coffee shops, airports, and elsewhere. These are basically just small electronic “boxes” that hook up to your Internet connection so you can share the connection between several computers, or simply to give you the freedom to place your computer wherever you want, and not just next to the cable or phone outlet.

The cell phone data network (wireless Internet through the cell phone network in other words) of course is very widespread — pretty much everywhere where you can get a cell signal — and can be used not only with a cell phone but also with a growing number of computers.

Now if you want to get really technical, these two types of wireless Internet work differently. But in a general sense, if you simplify things and explain them in a basic way that will make sense to the average person, they both work along the same general lines.

So how does wireless Internet work? One way to think of it is by comparing it to a portable phone…

This entry was posted on Tuesday, March 11th, 2008 at 11:45 pm and is filed under Computers, Educational, Helpful Info, Internet, Technology .