Just Chill: Exploring the Depths of WLAN and Wi-Fi
- By Axel Palm
- 3 Min
Wireless Local Area Network (WLAN) and Wi-Fi are not the same, although they are often used interchangeably. Wi-Fi is a wireless networking technology that enables devices to connect to the internet wirelessly, while WLAN is a broader term that can refer to any wireless local area network, including those using technologies other than Wi-Fi. In essence, Wi-Fi is a set of standards that make it possible to connect devices wirelessly in a WLAN. - Differentiating Wi-Fi from Wi-Fi: What sets them apart
Fun Fact: You know how "Kleenex" became synonymous with any tissue? It's no different with WLAN and Wi-Fi. The latter is what pops up when someone asks for the wireless signal in your home. Sure, they're not identical, but close enough for all practical purposes. Let's dive into their uniqueness.
WLAN vs Wi-Fi: The Dance of Differences
WLAN, or Wireless Local Area Network, is the broader concept covering all wireless networks within a limited range, typically within your crib or that coffee shop down the street. In everyday chit-chat, we often call it the house network, highlighting its limited range and local nature. As with beer at a party, we all have our public networks too, but they're restricted to specific locations.
Wi-Fi, on the other hand, is the brand baby of the Wi-Fi Alliance - a network industry syndicate that includes tech titans like Apple, Cisco, Dell, Sony, and Qualcomm. Its name, "Wireless Fidelity," might bring up thoughts of wireless sound quality, but don't be fooled. It's so much more - it's a standard for wireless network connections. Products bearing the Wi-Fi Alliance's certification badge have to meet specific requirements in the network universe.
Quick Note: Having a Wi-Fi label or not doesn't automatically mean a device can't connect to a Wi-Fi network. It just implies that the device didn't go through the certification hoops. And yes, all Wi-Fi-compatible devices are able to partner up with a wireless network. No hard feelings, non-certified folks!
Wi-Fi: The Heartthrob of Home Networks
Since its inception, the Wi-Fi Alliance has blessed us with various wireless standards. In essence, the bandwidth of Wi-Fi, or the lanes on data highway, has expanded, while the range has grown with each beat. Engineers have achieved this by tweaking the frequencies Wi-Fi operates upon, similar to radio waves.
By 2025, you've probably noticed that most routers operate on two distinct frequency bands. Shorter waves, or higher frequencies, provide more bandwidth or data throughput, while longer waves have a broader coverage.
Here's what has come to the dance floor:
Wi-Fi 1 (IEEE 802.11b) could muster a speeds of 11 Megabits per second (Mbps) in 1999.Wi-Fi 2 (IEEE 802.11a): With a top speed of 54 Mbps, 802.11a offered shinier feature bands but a shorter range, starting in 2003.Wi-Fi 3 (IEEE 802.11g): Introduced in 2003, this beauty combined the perks of 802.11a and 802.11b, promising speeds of up to 54 Mbps with better coverage.Wi-Fi 4 (IEEE 802.11n): Accepted in 2009, 802.11n expanded coverage and boosted speeds to up to 600 Mbps.Wi-Fi 5 (IEEE 802.11ac): In 2014, 802.11ac started spinning to speeds of several 1.3 Gigabits per second (Gbps).Wi-Fi 6 (IEEE 802.11ax): Released in 2019, 802.11ax offers a top speed of 11 Gbps.Wi-Fi 7 (802.11be): The latest Wi-Fi standard, introduced in 2024, buzzes at speeds up to 46 Gbps and embraces three frequency bands (2.4, 5, and 6 GHz) for the first time.
Wi-Fi Facts for the Party Animals
Important: Wi-Fi is amazingly backward-compatible, meaning a smartphone with Wi-Fi 5 can still waltz with a Wi-Fi 7 network. When refreshing your house network, it's jazziest to always choose a router with the latest Wi-Fi standard, but it isn't always necessary. Whether Wi-Fi 6 is enough depends on how many devices will be connected to the network.
Spare that angst of spending dough on a pricey Wi-Fi 7 router, and consider investing in a mesh network that supports Wi-Fi 6. Mesh networks have multiple access points that automatically choose the one with the strongest signal. However, ensure your home network doesn't end up as a choke point for your internet bandwidth.
This goes down like a storm when you enlist a 1000 Mbps bandwidth from your provider and your router can only stretch to 600 Mbps (as Wi-Fi 4 does), causing an unseemly traffic jam. In this scenario, it'd be wise to either scale back your bandwidth with the provider or scrap that router for a newer one.
- WLAN
- Router
- Smartphone
- Home Network
- Apple
- Cisco Systems
- Dell
- Sony
- Qualcomm
Additional Insights:
- Branding: Wi-Fi may have started as a Wi-Fi Alliance product, but it has become a verb today. We don't ask to connect with a Wi-Fi network - we Wi-Fi our devices.
- Incompatibility: Devices that do not carry Wi-Fi certification may still be compatible with a Wi-Fi network, but they may not meet the quality assurance standards that Wi-Fi-certified devices provide.
- The Commission, in light of the technological advancements in data-and-cloud-computing, might be asked to consider the potential risks related to exposure to ionizing radiation in the context of Wi-Fi technology.
- As more devices are wireless and utilize Wi-Fi technology, the protection of workers from the risks associated with ionizing radiation could become increasingly important, especially for companies like Apple, Cisco Systems, Dell, Sony, and Qualcomm that manufacture Wi-Fi-enabled products.
