All you wanted to know about wireless networks

Most cafes and malls in the UAE provide wireless internet services. These are signs of changing times. As the wireless technology improves in speed and security so does its demand.

The popularity of wireless is largely due to the complete absence of wire clutter, unlike a traditional wired environment. You don't have to do extra work to hide the wires used for networking.

So let's understand how a wireless network works and its components.

Wi-Fi

If you buy any high-end smartphone or a normal laptop today you will certainly have in-built Wi-Fi. Wi-Fi is a popular term for Wireless Internet. The Webopedia defines Wi-Fi as "a wireless networking technology that uses radio waves (like mobile phones and TVs) to provide wireless high-speed internet and network connections". Instead of a wired connection between the sender and receiver, it works by using radio frequency (RF) technology.

The Wi-Fi technology is supported by many applications and devices.

The building blocks

To create a wireless network all you need is a device known as an Access Point (AP); your computer or handheld device should also be equipped with a wireless network adapter. In case you don't have Wi-Fi, you can buy a USB network adapter from any electronics store and plug it into your computer to make it wireless capable.

The AP broadcasts a wireless signal that computers or other wireless capable devices can detect and then connect to. As wireless networks normally connect to wired ones, an access point also serves as a link to resources, such as the internet, which are available on the wired network.

Hotspots

If you go to Dubai airports for instance, or any five-star hotel you can make use of wireless internet. Such a public wireless service which is restricted to a specific geographical area is known as a hotspot.

Public hotspots are either free of charge or subscription based (registration is required for usage). If you have activated the wireless feature on your handheld device (smartphones) or on your laptop you will be automatically connected to a free hotspot as soon as you are within its range.

In case of subscription-based hotspots you need to register an account with the service provider in order to connect to its hotspots. Such a service is time-bound; you are charged for how long you access the service.

Free comes with a price

As much as a free wireless internet service sounds exciting there are some security risks involved. A free public hotspot is open to all and as such exposes your real-time data to possible misuse. Wireless eavesdroppers can easily get information such as the websites you are surfing, login information to unsecured websites, and login information from POP3 email accounts.

Besides, a hacker could access files in your shared documents folder. There are several other security issues involved on a free public Wi-Fi. So be sure about the sites you visit or the work you do while you are connected to them.
Personal firewall software is a good security tool to protect your device from unauthorised access.

Use when needed

If you are using Wi-Fi on your handheld device (smartphones for example) always remember that it's a battery drainer. So switch it on only when you need it. If left on constantly, it will continue to search for nearby wireless networks. This will draw power from your battery and eventually drain it prematurely.

Free hotspot finder for iPhone

JiWire, a Wi-Fi advertising company, provides millions of iPhone and iPod users worldwide with a free Wi-Fi Hotspot Finder. The users just have to visit www.jiwire.com from their iPhone's browser and they will automatically be detected and presented with the option to view the JiWire Wi-Fi Finder, customised for the iPhone.

The writer is a guru of tech who runs a trading company in Dubai.