Introduction to Wireless Technology © EIT, Author Gay Robertson, 2017

WiFi Mobile network Hotspots

What is WiFi? WiFi stands for Wireless Fidelity It is a high speed internet and network connection which requires no cables/wires WiFi uses radio signals similar to TV or cell phone networks to transfer data, from device to device Data travels to and from devices through radio waves which are picked up and sent from each device Most mobile devices have WiFi build into the device which allows it to connect to other devices, networks, or the internet Before WiFi you could only accomplish these tasks by connecting your computer to a network device using a cable

How WiFi works Internet For example a laptop will send wireless signals to your Modem when you send an email The Modem will receive signals from Itunes when you are downloading a song Modems are how devices connect to each other and to your internet provider via your phone line WiFi enabled door chime See, hear & speak to people from your smartphone, tablet or PC http://ccm.net/faq/298-what-is-wifi-and-how-does-it-work

What is a Mobile Network? Cell Tower Mobile/Cellular Network A mobile or cellular network is a network where the last link is wireless The network is connected over land areas called cells These cells connect and communicate wirelessly usually through a cell tower which sends and receives data to other nearby cell towers

What is G or 2G … There have been four different versions/generations of mobile networks, each improving on transfer speeds and range over time G (also known as the first generation 1G) was only capable of sending text message and phone calls. It also had very limited availability and only within the country 2G was the first to transmit signals in a digital format. This basically improved the quality of calls and meant data transmission was far less complex. 2G also enabled connectivity on a more global scale (Connectivity outside of the country)

What is 3G or 4G … 3rd Generation 4th Generation (most current 7/6/17) 3G technology created the first networks fast enough to make smartphones practical. Before that, they were too slow to allow you do all the things that make smartphones great, like streaming videos, surfing the web and downloading music. Transfer Speeds range from 384kbps to 2mbps 4G has really allowed smartphone technology to spread its wings. That’s because it’s much, much faster than 3G. So when you want to download a new game or stream a TV show in HD, you can do it without buffering and lags that make the experience not worth the wait. Upload speed also improved. Transfer speeds have greatly improved ranging from 100mbps to 1gbps https://www.verizonwireless.com/archive/mobile-living/network-and-plans/what-is-3g-what-is-4g-lte-difference/

How a Mobile Network works Mobile service providers such as Spark and Vodafone offer users access to these mobile networks though smartphones or tablets, usually for a fee Or they allow you to download and upload a certain amount of data over the mobile network a month depending on what subscription you have with them Once you have access to a mobile network your device can access the internet the same as connecting to a wireless network However instead of connecting to a modem, your device connects to a nearby cell tower which in turns send or receives your data to and from the other cells of the network Graphic from: http://www.electroschematics.com

What is a Hotspot? A hotspot is a physical location where people can obtain Internet access, typically using Wi-Fi technology, via a wireless local area network (WLAN) using a router connected to an internet service provider Public hotspots for use of customers can be found in an increasing number of businesses such as coffee shops, airports, hotels and other venues right throughout the world Private hotspots allow Internet access to a device (such as a tablet) via another device which may have data access (say a mobile phone) Hotspots differ from wireless access points, which are the hardware devices used to provide a wireless network service.

In order to access hotspots, your computer should include a wireless adapter If you are using an advanced laptop model, it will probably include a built-in wireless transmitter already If it doesn't, you can purchase a wireless adapter that will plug into the PCI slot or USB port Once installed, your system should automatically detect the WiFi hotspots and request connection - if not, you should use software to handle this task for you 

Mobile Network Connection Hotspot example … Mobile Network Connection Wireless Connection In this example, a mobile phone is being used as a Hotspot for the laptop to connect to the internet (closed wireless network at home) Within the phone the user has setup a hotspot to allow other devices to use it to connect to the cellular network The laptop sends Wireless signals too and from itself and the smartphone, in turn the smartphone relays that signal to the mobile network allowing the laptop to communicate and access a website

Bluetooth Bluetooth is a global wireless communication standard that connects devices together over a certain distance Think headset and phone, speaker and PC, basketball to smartphone and more A Bluetooth device uses radio waves instead of wires or cables to connect to a phone or computer

Bluetooth It is built into billions of products on the market today and connects the Internet of Things (IoT). Network of physical devices eg vehicles, buildings etc etc A Bluetooth product, like a headset or watch, contains a tiny computer chip with a Bluetooth radio and software that makes it easy to connect When two Bluetooth devices want to talk to each other, they need to pair Go to – read the information then close and return here https://www.bluetooth.com/what-is-bluetooth-technology/bluetooth-technology-basics

Videos to look at to explain more about Bluetooth technology Video (3 m 3 s) What is Bluetooth? This is an educational Bluetooth wireless video. See how you can bring more wireless into your life.  The first video in the new series MoreWireLess helping to explain all the basics of Bluetooth and answer ongoing questions about Bluetooth including "What is Bluetooth?" "How does Bluetooth work?" "How do I connect my Bluetooth headset to my phone?" "How do I set-up my Bluetooth keyboard?" and "How does Bluetooth support remote controls?" https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e1p4c7Gf8d8&feature=youtu.be Video (4 m 9 s) Learn How to Transfer Files Using Bluetooth. In this video you'll learn how to connect - or pair - your computer/PC to your cellphone wirelessly via Bluetooth. And then how to transfer a file - in this case a picture - from your cellphone to your PC. All using Bluetooth. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Uq6T4LVgoFQ&feature=youtu.be

Okay, let’s go use the workbook