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02 April 2021

What is Wireless Fidelity?

Do you believe that Wireless Fidelity is the full form of Wi-Fi? If yes, No worries as the majority of the world’s population believe so. This blog is all about what is Wireless Fidelity? How it is different from Wi-fi and how two different words wi-fi and wireless fidelity creates misconceptions about their meaning. Read along and clear the concept of Wireless Fidelity.

Let’s explore!

Wireless Fidelity

Wireless Fidelity is made up of two words: “Wireless” means using waves instead of a network for signal transferring and “Fidelity” means lasting support. As these both words suggest Wireless Fidelity is a technology that allows users to access high-speed internet without the need for any cable.

There is a common misconception that Wireless Fidelity and Wi-fi have the same meaning. But in reality, they both have different meanings and functions. Wi-fi was created as a more marketable trademark term for the technical “IEEE 802.11”. Wi-Fi means wireless network technology that enables a Wireless Local Area Network (WLAN). The gadgets we use every day like mobile phones, laptops, smart TVs, etc., all have Wi-Fi capabilities. All these devices support both 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz frequency bandwidths.

Does Wi-fi really mean Wireless Fidelity?

No, the Wi-fi doesn’t mean Wireless Fidelity. The term Wi-Fi was coined by a brand-consulting company called Interbrand in 1999 for the company promoting the technology called Wi-Fi Alliance as a more memorable name as compared to the technical name “IEEE 802.11”. The misconception between the two was created when Wi-Fi Alliance released a tagline for Wi-Fi - “The Standard for Wireless Fidelity”. The purpose of this tagline was a promotion attempt to make it easier for the home market to understand what Wi-Fi meant. But the people came to misunderstand that Wi-Fi stands for Wireless Fidelity.

Wi-Fi Alliance has offered clarification but more than this they are choosing to focus on their successful popularisation of Wi-Fi as a term. So, Wi-Fi and Wireless Fidelity are closely related to each other, their meanings are not the same.

Wrapping Up

Hope you have understood the difference between Wi-fi and Wireless Fidelity. To Sum up, let’s make you more clear about the terms Wireless Fidelity and Wi-Fi:

Wireless Fidelity - Wireless Fidelity is a technology that allows users to access high-speed internet without the need for any cable or any medium.

Wi-Fi - Wi-Fi is a wireless network protocol allowing nearby digital devices to exchange data by radio waves using a wireless medium. Originally termed as “IEEE 802.11”.

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