GETTING TO GRIPS WITH WIFI Chris Reina
Why WiFi? WiFi began life in 1971 in Hawaii but not until 1991 did the standards begin to be ratified in The Netherlands. By 1997 the first international standards were released and it has grown significantly in the last 24 years. Nearly all schools are using some form of wireless technology and the need to connect to a WiFi network is a critical infrastructure for schools and educational institutions nationwide. Like many technologies, WiFi has a complicated backend. While front-end users generally simply have to choose the SSID (network name) and enter a password to connect - understanding to
a small extent what happens to allow the simplicity of this is important. There is often common confusion as to how wireless networks work and I hope to go some small distance to explaining this. Basic Equipment An internet connection comes in to your premises. Ideally, this is via DSL (digital subscriber line) or Fibre, both of which are a physical cable coming in either over your phone line or a separate direct connection. You may also have a wireless internet connection via satellite or even 4G/5G. 31
