Wireless Definition and 248 Threads

Wireless communication (or just wireless, when the context allows) is the transfer of information between two or more points that do not use an electrical conductor as a medium by which to perform the transfer. The most common wireless technologies use radio waves. With radio waves, intended distances can be short, such as a few meters for Bluetooth or as far as millions of kilometers for deep-space radio communications. It encompasses various types of fixed, mobile, and portable applications, including two-way radios, cellular telephones, personal digital assistants (PDAs), and wireless networking. Other examples of applications of radio wireless technology include GPS units, garage door openers, wireless computer mouse, keyboards and headsets, headphones, radio receivers, satellite television, broadcast television and cordless telephones. Somewhat less common methods of achieving wireless communications include the use of other electromagnetic wireless technologies, such as light, magnetic, or electric fields or the use of sound.
The term wireless has been used twice in communications history, with slightly different meaning. It was initially used from about 1890 for the first radio transmitting and receiving technology, as in wireless telegraphy, until the new word radio replaced it around 1920. Radios in the UK that were not portable continued to be referred to as wireless sets into the 1960s. The term was revived in the 1980s and 1990s mainly to distinguish digital devices that communicate without wires, such as the examples listed in the previous paragraph, from those that require wires or cables. This became its primary usage in the 2000s, due to the advent of technologies such as mobile broadband, Wi-Fi and Bluetooth.
Wireless operations permit services, such as mobile and interplanetary communications, that are impossible or impractical to implement with the use of wires. The term is commonly used in the telecommunications industry to refer to telecommunications systems (e.g. radio transmitters and receivers, remote controls, etc.) which use some form of energy (e.g. radio waves, acoustic energy,) to transfer information without the use of wires. Information is transferred in this manner over both short and long distances.

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  1. J

    Is Wireless Power the Future of Gadgets?

    Does anyone have any information of wireless power gadgets? I've heard that Apple have taken out a patent to power there Ipod wirelessly and along the lines of this site [PLAIN]www.poweroverwireless.com[/URL] does anyone here think that wireless power can be a valid commercial piece of technology?
  2. N

    Is it posibble to transfer electricity wireless ?

    I want to know whether it is posibble to transfer electricity wireless ? Besides that , it is posibble to generate electricity from Earth magnetic fields ?
  3. M

    What are the potential dangers and advancements in wireless power transmission?

    Nothing new, ofcourse, in principle. Tesla experimented with it many years ago ;) It has worked somewhat efficiently on a small scale (see http://electronics.howstuffworks.com/wireless-power.htm) The beginning of this article mentions how it is dangerous, but the end says we may need to...
  4. S

    Ronja - D.I.Y. wireless communications

    Ronja On their website, they provide plans for a few different models of a wireless network device. The plans include parts list, instructions, pictures/diagrams etc., and are licensed under the GNU Free Documentaton License. Limitations of the device are that it requires a direct...
  5. B

    How Do I Understand and Improve Wireless Antenna Strength?

    Ok. I'm currently trying to understand antenna strength in the wireless cards you find for your computer. Let's say that I have a wireless http://www.tigerdirect.ca/applications/SearchTools/item-details.asp?EdpNo=706706&Sku=D700-2286" with a certain "receiver sensitivity". How exactly do I read...
  6. ShawnD

    Setting Up My Home Wireless Network: Lessons & Challenges

    Just today I purchased a new laptop computer with built-in wireless networking. I used this as an opportunity to start my wireless network by also buying a wireless router. After setting this all up using a wired connection, I started to search for available wireless networks. My computer...
  7. M

    Wireless Troubles: A Day with Sprint

    What a day. :eek: Just got a new dual core Dell in the house with everything on it so I figured why not add a wireless broadband connection. Is nice, can have my coffee and browse the internet at sub broadband speed right? Now I am the kind of person who got a month to month, no...
  8. DaveC426913

    Ganging two wireless access points together

    I have an *extra* Linksys Wireless Access Point Router kicking around (in additon to the one I use for my home network). Both are model BEFW11S4 2.4GHz. Is there a way to use the extra to boost the strength of the signal in my house? There are spots where my connection drops out, and other...
  9. H

    Find the Best Wireless Router for Your Home: No More Disconnects!

    What is a really good wireless router out now? I am hooking up my computer in my room with wireless and I really really don't want to have to put up with disconnecting every 5 minutes, weak signal,etc.
  10. K

    Wireless transmission of electricity

    I was reading Nikola Tesla’s Inventions recently. I was really stunned to know that he transmitted electricity without wires in the year 1899. --------------------------------------------------------------------- When Nikola Tesla discovered alternating current (AC) electricity, he had great...
  11. Pengwuino

    Wireless Phone Stores - Everywhere Like a Virus!

    Mother of god, these places are like viruses! They move into every single open storefront, closed down restaurant, everything! It's like a virus! There are 3 on the same street here and one's in an old carpet store, one's in an old restaurant, another one's in an old radio shack. They're...
  12. Mk

    Wireless internet opposed due to health risks

    http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20060223/od_uk_nm/oukoe_uk_life_canada_internet
  13. P

    Troubleshooting Wireless Connectivity Issues in Linux

    Linux help! OK, I finally got my wireless working last night, but when i went to school today, I tried to connect there, no luck. and when i got home tonight and reset all my settings to what they were when i was connected, i got nothing! anyone know what i can do? i already uninstalled...
  14. Cyrus

    Microsoft Wireless Mouse: Battery & Connection Issues

    I have two wireless mice both made by microsoft. These things always stop working. What a rip off! You have to turn the batteries and fiddle with them until they make good contact so that the light will shine brightly enough to work. This problem is the same on both of them! They also go through...
  15. C

    Wireless Signal Boost: Feasibility for Extended Antenna

    I would like to pose the question of weather or not it is feasible to extend a wireless routers signal over an extended antena which could thread through the cealing of a building to alow a signal to be used from room to room. The building in question predates wireless networking and was...
  16. D

    Wireless communications and k factors

    Hi i want to learn about the K factor that is used in the wireless communications and i used to denote the curvature of earth... Do u know where i can find information about it? Any good links about wireless communications aspects...such as antennas, radiation ...et.c.
  17. DaveC426913

    Wireless networking and web access

    I have a laptop and a desktop, both with XP. They are connected via Linksys Wireless AccessPoint (Actually, the desktop is wired but I have a wireless card for it too). Both access the internet via DSL modem hooked up to the access point. What I can't do is get them to see each other on the...
  18. 0TheSwerve0

    Troubleshooting Targus AMW15US Wireless Mouse for Mac

    Hoping at least one person will know anything about Targus, specifically their wireless laser mouse (P# AMW15US). It says you can use it with Mac, but mine doesn't even detect the USB receiver, though the device lights up. I read one review...
  19. T

    Which is Better for Gaming: Xbox 360 or PC?

    Alright I am having an argumetn about teh xb0x 360 vs my computer who is better for gamming and more powerful my comp ADAPTER: Universal AC-DC Adapter BATTERY: Li-Ion Battery Pack 14.8V x 4400mAH 4 hours Runtime CPU: Intel(R) Pentium(R) M Processor 760 @ 2.0GHz 533FSB 2MB Cache ~...
  20. I

    What could be causing my wireless network to keep dropping and how can I fix it?

    I recently bought a belkin 54Mbps/wireless (g) router. i also bought the accompanying wireless pci cards for my two computers. one computer runs windows xp pro and the other runs windows xp home, and a third computer runs windows 98 SE and is connected with ehternet. my problems are with the...
  21. I

    Can I Connect My Xbox or PS2 to the Internet Using a Wireless USB Adapter?

    I know the PS2 has a USB port but not sure about the Xbox. does anyone know if i could use a wireless usb adapter to connect either one to my wireless network? i don't yet have an xbox but i do have a PS2. otherwise would it be possible to use a wireless access point to connect either...
  22. P

    Wireless Card Setup for Linux: HP ZV5240us & Broadcom 54g

    OK, I have an HP zv5240us with a Broadcom 54g wireless card. This card is needed for me to connect. I have heard that YAST can be used to configure the card and I have also heard that ndiswrapper is needed. So does anyone have any ideas? Also, does broadcom support that chipset with...
  23. M

    MIT maps wireless users across campus

    http://www.cnn.com/2005/TECH/11/04/wireless.campus.ap/index.html I think that's awesome.
  24. E

    Why can wireless internet signals pass through walls when visible light cannot?

    Hi, the title above is a specific instance of a more general question. I'm basically wondering why the atoms in a wall would prevent visible light from passing through, yet allow both X-rays (which are HIGHER frequency) and radio waves such as 802.11b wireless internet (which are LOWER...
  25. E

    Exploring Wireless Power: Research and Startups for Cordless Electronic Charging

    My question is how to generate wireless power i.e. cordless power to power up electronic/electrical equipments. Any link to research that has done on it & other startup links. How can you help me learn about it as early as possible.
  26. M

    Help required for a wireless robotics project

    Iam planning to do a project on control of robotic rover by wireless. 1. A rover controlled by 2 separate motors will be desgned & fabricated. 2. A digital video camera(21x optical zoom) will be fixed on the rover whose orientation will inturn be controlled by 2 separate motors. 3. A laptop...
  27. S

    Can I Make My 0-5v Pulse Wireless with a Small Transmitter?

    I have an pulse of 0 to 5 volts that I want to send to my computer. I have a USB interface for it, but I need it to be wireless. Size matters. I need the the transmitter part to be as small as possible. The receiver can be any size. Because of that, the interface I have is already a little...
  28. R

    Quantum entanglement and wireless electricity

    I read about quantum entanglement in an article about teleportation I read on the web. If two particles can be connected despite an enormous distance, in such a way that the properties of one can be transferred to another, even though no wire or string is linking them, can you use this...
  29. L

    Wireless transmission of electricity

    Is there any research done in this field? If there is why it was not realized by now? It is known that Tesla did some research on this topic but never got the funding for his Wardenclyffe Tower. I think that he managed to send electricity at about 40 miles without using any wires.
  30. F

    RF gurus-A question from a wireless dullard

    RF gurus---A question from a wireless dullard Ok, I need to collect and send data to/from a remote device about 500ft away. I'm looking for a single IC transceiver in a small smt package if possible. I'd like a transceiver that handles the communications with little to no control from either my...
  31. S

    Wireless phone vs wireless internet ?

    Hey everybody, i was just thinking today what was the difference between wireless internet and wireless phone service ? It technology and why one provides higher bandwidth than the other. ANy links and information about why, what and how are these two related/different is much appreciated...
  32. S

    Wireless transmission of electricity

    Is there any possible way to transmit electric energy efficiently from one point to another without wires? What would likely be the best way in the distant future for wireless transmission of electricity?
  33. Z

    Wireless internet access while travelling

    is it possible to connect to the internet with a laptop computer from a moving vehicle while going down the highway and if so how? someone informed me that all you need is for the laptop to be wifi enabled and to purchase a wifi card for it.
  34. T

    Does anyone have wireless with Fedora?

    I just installed Fedora on my laptop and it works pretty good, no major problems or anything like that. My only complaint is the lack of drivers for wireless cards. there is something called ndiswrap that can be used to make your window drivers work in linux but it is pretty complicated to do...
  35. mattmns

    Cleaning Battery Acid from a Microsoft Wireless Mouse

    I have a microsoft wireless mouse, now most of you would think that would be the problem lol, but seriously here is the problem: I have not used this mouse in a few months, because I could not find any batteries, but today, while looking at the mouse, I noticed that there seems to be some...
  36. M

    Is Wireless Security Enough to Protect Confidential Medical Information?

    My dad just bought a laptop and he wants to setup wireless internet for him and my mom. Which translates to, he wants me to setup wireless internet. But the problem is he is a doctor and will probably have confidential patient info on his computer, I have don’t have much experience in wireless...
  37. Q

    Will I get good wireless signal in Seoul, Korea without a wireless card?

    Hey all, I was wondering if anyone knew how good my chances are of picking up a wireless signal in Seoul, Korea. Trying to decide whether to splurge on a wireless card, after finding out my room doesn't have internet access. I'm pretty much located in the middle of a busy and active city...
  38. G

    Wireless Frequencies: Red Light Frequency Visible?

    Okay, this may sound like a dumb question, but if i were to create a wireless signal with a frequency of red light for example, how come i would not see red light... or would i? Is this a difference caused by real and virtual photons?
  39. A

    Configuring LinkSys BEFW 11S4 Wireless Router

    wireless router... i bought a new wireless router from LinkSys...model no. is BEFW 11S4...i was asked to go to http://192.168.1.1 to configure my connection...but i can't even go to http://192.168.1.1...so how can i configure my connection? Must i go to the site to configure it or i can...
  40. A

    Wireless USB type bridge thing?

    Hey guys; Is there currently any type of Wireless USB bridge thing? What I mean.. I have a laptop, and when I use my digital camera I have to plug it in the back of my PC, which means I have to pull out the USB cable and bring it to my laptop, etc. Is there any way I can have the USB...
  41. I

    Can I connect my PS2 to a wireless network without running cables?

    I'm planning on setting up a wireless network at home and I'm wondering if it will be possible to connect my PS2 to the router wirelessly. I'd like to avoid running 200 feedt of cable to my computer room from the living room if possible. does anyone know if they make wireless ports for such a...
  42. A

    Ethernet and Wireless connections ?

    Hey guys My computer currently has a wireless network card, and it has an ethernet card. I have the wireless card "disabled" right now in my hardware manager (WinXP), and the wired ethernet is active. What happens if they are both enabled at the same time? How does the computer pick...
  43. A

    Wireless Home Theater: A DirecTV Solution

    Hey guys, Is there anyway at all to like bridge satelite television? I ask because I am going to have to switch to DirecTV because I got a HDTV and my local cable provider... sucks! So I'm going to have to route the cable for the satelite to my receiver... But no matter how I look at it, I...
  44. A

    Why is my wireless router signal so weak even though it's close by?

    Hey guys I seem to be having a problem with my wireless router. I'm using a LinkSys Wireless Router-G. This is not the brand new one with the speedbooster. I have my router in the room RIGHT next to me. I am literally 15 feet away from my router, and it is sitting on top of a piano...
  45. A

    New 25-Mile Radius Wireless Network - Is It Real?

    I hear there is a new type of wireless network coming out, allowing 25 mile radius hotspots? Is this true?? I mean, I'd love to buy a 25 mile radius router for my cable modem. I could use my **** at school!
  46. U

    Can a Wireless PCMCIA Card Extend Internet Access Beyond 100m?

    I had an idea the other day that if I could set up a wireless connection from my laptop to my pc which is connected to the internet via cable I could work on my laptop down the road (in a pub or park depending on the weather) I guess it would involve some protocol like bluetooth has anybody done...
  47. Greg Bernhardt

    Is Wireless Number Portability Changing the Game for Mobile Phone Plans?

    Anyone going to switch plans once the new wireless number portability law is passed that you can keep your phone number? I have been happy with At&T Wireless so far.
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