How Does a Laptop With Wireless Internet Work?
WLAN Wireless Internet access, abbreviated properly as WLAN or generally as Wi-Fi, enables users to unplug their laptops from cable modems and access the Internet anywhere a wireless Internet signal can be intercepted. This can occur in a private setting by connecting a wireless router to a cable modem, which boosts the signal into the surrounding area, or by peer-to-peer networks and at public wireless “hotspots,” such as those offered by hotels, airports and cafes. All of these are called wireless access points. Modulation Techniques WLAN uses one of two technologies–spread-spectrum or OFDM (orthogonal frequency-division multiplexing)–in order to spread out wireless signals via radio waves. Accomplished through either direct use of one frequency or by “frequency hopping,” both technologies allow multiple users to use the same source to access the Internet, with spread-spectrum using one signal and OFDM using a combination of signals. For more on modulation techniques, see Resources
