Livett

Does anybody speak English anymore, I am referring to Wi-Fi, (Wireless Fidelity) and the 802.11 chip, that enables you to connect to the Internet, without first having to plug a wire into the phone socket. I know some people love to talk jargon, this works well when you understand how something works, but when you don't it's just jargon. So on behalf of us all wishing to learn exactly how WI-FI works, can you please translate from jargon to English, I don't mean explaining what a Hot Spot is, but what are we likely to receive or even see. Please let me explain, Let say I have just received my brand new Wi-Fi PDA, I can see WHY you use jargon. Anyway I have switched on my Pocket PC, switched on my Wi-Fi, what am I expected to pick up or receive. Is it just like a pocket radio, but without the tuning dial, I keep it switched on a move around the house, street or restaurant like some kind of metal detector, hoping to find a signal. And if I do what will I see, will it be the internet like I have at home or the office, or will it be some advertising company, can I receive anything else like Satellite, that could be used to let me know my current position on earth, I know I could have said GPS, basically I am thinking pocket radio, without a dial instead of sound there are pictures, and to change the channel you move around, and your favourite radio station, would be the Hot Spots.

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Trevor
Remember I don't have a catch phrase!

Chris Leckness

Do shoot me, but a good resource for wifi is found here:
http://wifi.aximsite.com

Ikehiker took a great deal of time putting this together. I often refer to it myself.

To answer about it being like a radio tuner. Kinda, but not really, depending on where you live, you may or may not see any signals. In order to pick up a WiFi signal that enables you to connect to the internet, your work or office must have a WAP (Wireless Access Point). From here ike's guide can help you greatly.

As for stray wifi signals, unless you live in a fairly large city that is not technology challanged(like mine), you most likely see no stray signals. (except a neighbor's WAP, etc)

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Chris Leckness, Administrator
Microsoft MVP - Mobile Devices

whitelyt

Livett,

Think of WiFi like cellphones. cellphones transmit radio waves to communicate. WiFi also uses radio waves to communicate. A pocket radio receives radio waves thus playing music. WiFi is a little different whereas it tranmits as well as receives. So it is bidirectional. In order to use WiFi, you must have another wireless device available in close proximity to your WiFi card. This device can be a WAP (Wireless Access Point) as Chris mentioned above or another WiFi card. I would also recommend looking at the WiFi write-up the Chris made available for you above.

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Ted Whitely
whitelyt at ipaqhq DOT com

HP rx3715
Dell Axim X50v
HP 2215
Dell Axim X30

Livett

Thank You to both Chris & Ted,
for you input on this subject, and yes the http://wifi.aximsite.com site was very useful, I did print out all eight pages, as it worded in such a way, that you may not fully benefit, at first, but after re-reading, you tend to learn something new. Ted I found your comments expesialy heplfull, now thinking like a Two Way Radio (Walkie Takie), not sure if this is a good or bad thing, but as long as it help me to understand!

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Trevor
Remember I don't have a catch phrase!