Wi-Fi has become an essential utility like electricity and water in most of the modern households. Computers, televisions, smartphones, tablets, and several other devices are connected to the Wi-Fi network established at home. There are billions of Wi-Fi devices operating around the world. While you may already know about the technology that is behind Wi-Fi connection, and how to make the most of it, here are some fun facts about this ubiquitous wireless connectivity standard that you may find interesting.

The name - Wi-Fi

The name Wi-Fi has no real meaning. While there is a common notion that Wi-Fi is Wireless-Fidelity, there are no official records documented to support this fact. It was merely a name given to simplify the technical name of the wireless connectivity standard IEEE 802.11b. Ever since the Wi-Fi Alliance of 1998, the name Wi-Fi has been used.

The concept of Wi-Fi is almost four decades old

The concept of radio communication and wireless connection dates back to 1971. That was the year when the popular predecessor of Wi-Fi, the ALOHA net was commercially used. The Great Hawaiian Islands were the first to use this technology for wireless transmission, then came Ethernet or wired internet connections, and then the Wi-Fi. The Wi-Fi Alliance officially commercialized wireless internet connectivity through the IEEE802.11b standard, and this was the birth of the present-day Wi-Fi.

Did you know that you can connect up to 250 devices to a Wi-fi router?

While your home routers may struggle to give you good network speeds even when a few smartphones and computers connected to the network, ideal routers support up to 250 devices. While you may notice interference and lags due to bandwidth sharing, when positioned right, you can make the most of your router.##BlogVASBanner##

The coverage of Wi-Fi routers would be a doughnut-shaped zone

An omnidirectional antenna is one of the most popular concepts. While the built-in antenna in some compact routers might offer a spherical coverage, most of the routers with external antenna deliver doughnut-shaped coverage around them. So, if you expect the best of coverage throughout the circumference of your house, you should choose a central location for the router for the best Wi-Fi performance.

Did you know that there are different generations in Wi-Fi devices?

When you choose Wi-Fi routers there is one parameter you should look at – the Wi-Fi standard supported. Currently, 6th generation devices support 802.11ax wireless technology. Many popular router brands like D-Link have already introduced their Wi-Fi 6 routers for lightning-fast connectivity.

Large area Wi-Fi networks are real

Many cities around the world have already stepped forward to become smart cities. These have multiple wireless hotspots placed throughout the city. The public would therefore have access to free Wi-Fi networks in most of the public places. The expandability of the Wi-Fi networks with the use of wireless extenders is one of the main benefits that make this possible.

Wi-Fi might not harm your health but you might be affecting signal strength

These are radio frequency signals that do not cause any health hazards, even when you go with high-speed networks. On the other hand, if you position yourself too closely blocking the Wi-Fi antenna, you might end up impacting the WIFI broadband signal quality. Higher the frequency, small the wavelength of the signal. So, even the human body can lead to path loss with Wi-Fi routers.