What Is Wireless?

Date First Published: 27th March 2022

Topic: Computer Networking

Subtopic: Data Transmission Technologies

Computer Terms & Definitions

Difficulty: Easy

Difficulty Level: 2/10

CONTENTS

Advantages and Disadvantages Of Wireless Technologies
Types Of Wireless Technologies
History

Learn more about what wireless is in this article.

Wireless is an adjective that describes network technologies that enable devices, such as laptops, smartphones, and tablets, to connect without any wires, as suggested in the word. An example of a wireless network technology is Wi-Fi, which was developed by the Wi-Fi Alliance, since it connects devices to each other using radio waves through a router, which uses a cable to connect to the servers of the ISP.

Note:

Any communication that occurs between devices without a cable or wire is known as wireless communication.

Advantages and Disadvantages Of Wireless Technologies

The advantages of using wireless technologies are:

No cables are required. This is the obvious advantage. Connecting without using any cables is cheaper, since long cables, such as Ethernet can cost a lot of money. In addition, lots of cables in the way can cause a tripping hazard.
New connected devices can easily be added – All that is required is the device being close enough to the wireless access point and the correct password being entered.
Devices can move freely and stay connected without worrying about the cable length.

The disadvantages of using wireless technologies are:

Slower connection – Devices do not directly connect to the wireless access point when using wireless technologies, such as Wi-Fi. As a result, the network speed will be slower when the connected device is moved away or when there are obstructions, such as walls and home appliances.
Interception by unauthorised users – The use of radio waves to wirelessly connect devices has increased the risks of sent data being intercepted by unauthorised users, especially public Wi-Fi. The solution to this issue is encryption.

Types Of Wireless Technologies

As of now, there are lots of wireless technologies that exist. Examples include:

Cellular – A system of radio signals (cells) that are distributed over land areas to transfer data. Several different generations of cellular networks exist, such as 1G, 2G, 3G, 4G, and 5G. Using cellular networks for internet access (mobile data) can result in additional charges by the mobile network provider.

Bluetooth - A high-speed wireless communication technology that uses low-power radio waves in order to allow two electronic devices to connect and transmit information over short distances. It could be used for sharing files between devices and connecting wireless devices, such as headphones, keyboards, and mouses to a computer.

Satellite – A wireless technology that can provide communication over long distances. Services could include video calling, fax, television and radio channels, and more. Satellites used in satellite communication are usually in geostationary orbit.

Qi – This uses electromagnetic induction to transfer electrical power from one device to another. It supports distances of up to 4 cm and was developed by the Wireless Power Consortium in 2008.

Zigbee – This uses specialised chips to provide low-latency communication and create a personal area network (PAN) in order for devices to transfer data using little amounts of bandwidth or power. It creates PANs with small, low power digital radio signals. An example of its use is in medical devices and heating and cooling control. It is simpler and less expensive than Bluetooth.

RFID (Radio frequency identification) – This uses radio frequencies to transfer unique identification signals. An example of its use is identifying and tracking tags attached to objects. For example, a lot of stores put security tags on items, such as clothes in order to prevent shoplifting. These tags use radio frequencies that are monitored by an antenna (a device that captures and transfers electromagnetic waves). They are found at the entrance of the store and usually hidden in the doorframe or under the floor at the entry. The detection antennas send a signal and the security tag answers back. If an item with an active tag passes by, an alarm will go off.

Infrared – This uses electromagnetic radiation to send signals from one device to another.

History

In 1880, the first known wireless telephone conversation happened. It was when Alexander Graham Bell and Charles Sumner Tainter invented the photophone, a telephone that sent audio over a beam of light. This telephone required sunlight and a clear line of sight between the transmitter and receiver in order for it to work.

Before effective radio systems became available, a number of wireless electrical signalling methods were developed for telegraphy, including sending electric currents through water and the earth using electrostatic and electromagnetic induction. There was an invented induction system that was created by Thomas Edison that allowed a telegraph on a moving train to connect with telegraph wires running parallel to the tracks, an initiation telegraph system by William Preece for sending messages across bodies of water, and several different proposed telegraphy and voice earth conduction systems.

Guglielmo Marconi began creating a wireless telegraph system using radio waves in 1894, which had been known about since Heinrich Hertz proved their existence in 1888, but it had been disapproved as a communication format since they only appeared to be short-range at that time period, meaning that they could only carry signals over a limited distance. Marconi quickly developed a device that was capable of carrying signals over large distances. The Nobel Prize in Physics was given to Marconi and Karl Ferdinand Braun in 1909 due to their contributions to wireless telegraphy.