What does Wi Fi stands for?
Show Let me ask you a question: what does the name “Wi-Fi” mean? Considering how omnipresent Wi-Fi connections are, this should be an easy question to answer; especially if you work in the tech industry. If your answer is “wireless fidelity”, that is actually incorrect despite what you were lead to believe, so keep guessing. Could it be “wireless fiber”? “Wishful firedrake”? Give up? It’s actually a trick question: the name doesn’t mean anything. An old 2005 interview (opens in new tab) with one of the founding members of the Wi-Fi Alliance has been making the rounds again and recounts the origin story of Wi-Fi. According to founding member Phil Belanger, the name was picked from a group of ten names that were created by consultancy firm Interbrand. The original name for Wi-Fi was “IEEE 802.11b Direct Sequence” and the Alliance knew that name couldn’t be used. They needed something catchier if the standard was going to be widely adopted, so "Wi-Fi" was picked. Mistakes were madeIf you sincerely thought Wi-Fi stood for “wireless fidelity”, blame the Wi-Fi Alliance for that one. Belanger recounts that some of his colleagues felt the need to explain what “Wi-Fi” meant as they apparently couldn’t wrap their minds around the fact the name was just some marketing mumbo-jumbo meant to entice people. This led to the Alliance creating the tagline “The Standard for Wireless Fidelity''. Belanger admits “this was a mistake and only served to confuse people... ” He called it “a clumsy attempt to come up with two words that matched Wi and Fi.” This mistake was exacerbated when the Alliance printed hats and shirts with the tagline. The tagline was so successful you even had people in the US military calling it “wireless fidelity” (opens in new tab). And if you stop to think about it, that name doesn’t make any sense, either. Fidelity, in a technical sense, refers to how well a device can reproduce a signal. High-fidelity (hi-fi) TVs, for example, can reproduce images that could be mistaken for the real thing. But Wi-Fi doesn’t do that; it’s just a way to connect devices to one another. You’re not reproducing anything. But why let facts get in the way of a popular misconception? In the nearly two decades since, people have embraced the inaccurate meaning and, if you ask them, would likely argue strenuously that Wi-Fi means “wireless fidelity”. Belanger, though, asks people to do their part and “forget the tagline” and its false meaning. Wi-Fi accessoriesPerhaps it's better to focus less on the meaning of the term, than on what the technology means for us. Wi-Fi is an integral part of society and it’s hard to imagine life without it. How many times have we asked a friend what's the Wi-Fi password when you go to their house for the first time? And many of us get frustrated when the Wi-Fi suddenly goes out. If you frequently experience connection drops, we recommend getting Wi-Fi extenders. Also known as boosters, these devices push the signal beyond its normal reach. You should also look into getting a high-quality router to better deal with multiple devices that demand a large portion of bandwidth. As for the future, multiple companies are hard at work establishing the Wi-Fi 7 standard. Qualcomm even claims its Wi-Fi 7 compatible chip will be able to achieve speeds of 5.8Gbps and sub-2 millisecond latency. And Mediatek promises its Wi-Fi 7 platform will achieve speeds that are 100 times faster than the current UK broadband standard. Cesar Cadenas has been writing about the tech industry for several years now specializing in consumer electronics, entertainment devices, Windows, and the gaming industry. But he’s also passionate about smartphones, GPUs, and cybersecurity.
Editor’s note: This is the first post in a new series, “WiFi 101,” where we’ll translate internet acronyms and terms into plain English — so you can spend less time deciphering jargon and more time staying connected. Today, we’re covering some WiFi basics. Next time, we’ll break(down) the internet and how it works. Have a term that’s got you stumped? Email us at and we’ll add the most popular ones to the list. WiFi is everywhere, but understanding how it works can be as confusing as the character list of “Game of Thrones.” And as soon as it stops working, you’re expected to have a degree in computer science to get to the bottom of the problem. Let’s face it: even the most tech-savvy of us struggle to differentiate between LAN, WAN, and WLAN. We think WiFi should not only be accessible, but also easy to understand. So, we’re cutting the jargon and explaining some wireless networking terms and acronyms in the way we wish they’d been explained to us. What does WiFi mean?Stands for: IEEE 802.11b Direct Sequence Actually means: The original standard for high-speed wireless internet Despite common belief, the term WiFi isn’t an acronym — it doesn’t actually stand for “wireless fidelity” or “wireless fiber.” In 1999, the branding firm Interbrand picked WiFi as a catchier, more consumer-friendly alternative to the existing name: IEEE 802.11b Direct Sequence. Runners-up included “Trapeze,” “Hornet,” and “Dragonfly,” which don’t seem befitting of the technology that’s become so crucial to everyday life. Over the past seventeen years, faster standards have emerged — such as the latest 802.11ac standard used by eero — WiFi has simply become synonymous with any wireless networking. What is an ISP?Stands for: Internet Service Provider Actually means: The company that enables your Netflix binging AT&T, Verizon, Comcast, Time Warner. You’ve probably heard of at least one of these Internet Service Providers (ISPs). ISPs are like major highways that bridge together cities, states, and countries. These “highways” transport data to cities, and then smaller and smaller “roads” transfer that data to neighborhoods and individual homes. High-speed internet provided by ISPs, as well as this network of information highways, allows us to stream movies on demand, game with people across the country, and receive emails from distant relatives within seconds. What is an SSID?Stands for: Service Set Identifier Actually means: A wireless network’s name Every WiFi network has a name that differentiates it from other networks nearby. This name is called an SSID, and you need it to connect new devices, such as a Nest Thermostat or a friend’s iPhone, to your network. If you have a traditional wireless router, you can sometimes find your SSID on the back — it’s usually cumbersome, long, and alphanumeric. To make this name easier on the eyes, you can rename it something creative — like “Pretty Fly for a WiFi” or “The LAN Before Time.” With eero, customize your network SSID and password right from the app. What is a LAN?Stands for: Local Area Network Actually means: A personal network, like the one in your home or at your favorite coffee shop A “local area” can be a house, an office building, a coffee shop, and even Everest Base Camp, and the “network” refers to the connection between two or more devices within this area. Your LAN is like a small town where everyone knows each other, and devices within it can easily communicate. But to outsiders, your LAN is but a single dot on the map of the internet. WiFi creates what’s called a “Wireless Local Area Network (WLAN),” and allows all of your devices to connect to the internet without cables. Instead, a host (like your router) connects to the internet via a modem. That host then facilitates a network connection between devices (like your laptop) wirelessly. What is WAN?Stands for: Wide Area Network Actually means: Your connection to the internet A WAN connects multiple networks (LANs) together, usually over a geographic region. A WAN might be limited to a private space or accessible to the public. The most well-known public WAN is the internet, which spans the entire world. In your home, you connect to the internet via your ISP, which creates a private WAN that allows all the devices within your home to send and receive data over the internet. Post navigation |
