What's the difference between Wi-Fi and 802.11?

[MGood777]

The reason for asking...

If I buy a laptop that has a built-in 802.11 b/g card, will it be able to connect at a hotel or other public place that has Wi-Fi access?

[RJ]

http://www.webopedia.com/TERM/W/Wi_Fi.html
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wifi

Seems that Wi-Fi is used when referring to 802.11.
Any 802.11g card should do fine. I'm in a similar situation as I've recently purchased a Nintendo DS which has WiFi, and now I need a router in order to play Mario Kart DS online. From what I've found out so far, any 802.11g card should be fine.

RJ

[kodmaster]

wifi pretty much means that there is wireless internet access through 802.11etc.

[mbossman2]

as pointed out WiFi is the "quick" name associated with wireless networking operating under the IEEE 802.11 standard.

there are 3 main standards:
801.11a operates in the 5gHz frequency range, max speed is 54mbps
802.11b operates in the 2.4gHz range, max speed is 11mbps
802.11g operates in the 2.4gHz range, max speed is 54mbps

802.11b and 802.11g are interoperable, if you have a 11b client, it can work with 11g and vice versa.

there is a new standard warming up in the bullpen, 802.11n, which is uspposed to give wireless speeds of up to 540mbps (realistically 100-200mbps). I beleive that it is capable of operating in both the 2.4gHz and 5gHz range so it will be interoperable with 802.11a/b/g clients...you should see 802.11n standard products (Belkin's is pre-standard so it doesn't count) sometime later this year (the standard was ratified last month)

[colecifer]

Isn't 802.11n suppoused to have some insane range capabilites as well?

[mbossman2]

MIMO has a definite impact on range and penetration. it does so by expanding on the idea of diversity antennae (that is to say multiple antennae provide multiple signal paths which has the effect of making those antennae more sensitive as a group than as individuals...believe me, it is a lot more complex, mathematically but the effect is the same) and the multiple paths also allow for an increase in amount of data (that part is PFM to me, I just trust that it is happening). Normal diversity is 2 antennae, MIMO uses 3 or more.

802.11n is being touted by some as the breakthrough in wireless that will spell the end of the wired ethernet jack...but IMO until you have a true switching wireless instead of hubbed/shared wireless wires will still have a definite play and a dramatic increase in the level of security (which is good now, but still not as secure as some applications demand), wired networking will still have a place in the networking world.