Wireless Radios(Wi-Fi)

Wi-Fi is the name of wireless networking devices and technologies that uses radio waves to provide wireless high-speed internet and network connections and the radios are the devices that use radio waves for the communication. The Wi-Fi Alliance, the organization that owns the Wi-Fi (registered trademark) term specifically defines Wi-Fi as any "wireless local area network" (WLAN) products that are based on the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers' (IEEE) 802.11 standards."

Wi-Fi was initially used in place of only the 2.4GHz 802.11b IEEE standard, however the Wi-Fi Alliance has expanded the generic use of the Wi-Fi term to include any type of network or WLAN product based on any of the 802.11 standards, including

802.11b, 802.11a, dual-band, and so on, in an attempt to stop confusion about wireless LAN interoperability.

Wi-Fi works with no physical wired connection and communicates between sender and receiver by using radio frequency (RF) technology, a frequency within the electromagnetic spectrum associated with radio wave propagation. When an RF current is supplied to an antenna, an electromagnetic field is created that then is able to propagate through space. The cornerstone of any wireless network is an access point (AP). The primary job of an access point is to broadcast a wireless signal that clients(receiver) can detect and "tune" into. In order to connect to an access point and join a wireless network, computers and devices must be equipped with wireless network adapters .one of the principal advantage with the wi-fi devices is the interoperability.For example, a user with a Wi-Fi Certified product can use any brand of access point with any other brand of client hardware that also is also "Wi-Fi Certified". Products that pass this certification are required to carry an identifying seal on their packaging that states "Wi-Fi Certified" and indicates the radio frequency band used (2.4 GHz for 802.11b/g or 802.11n and 5.0 GHz for 802.11a).

A common misconception is that the term Wi-Fi is short for "wireless fidelity," however this is not the case. Wi-Fi is simply a trademarked term meaning IEEE 802.11x.

The project creating SMILES......building the nation aims at using 2.4 GHz and 5.7 GHz ferquency band wireless radios to establish a networking in the rural villages.Since the Wi-Fis offer high standard of interoperability the wireless radios operating at 2.4 GHz frequency band can be chosen accordingly based on economy,availability and other various decisive factors.For the networking backbone 5.7 GHz Motorola backhaul canopy is highley recommended because of its robustness,reliability and good quality service.

Photographs(from top to bottom):

1. Motorola backhaul canopy with reflector and a smartbridge radio
2. A smartbridge radio