To make this paper very clear, let me state that the terms “Wi-Fi” and “Internet” are two different things. Some individuals fail to distinguish between these two, and that may cause them to fail to understand how a network like the Internet operates or how Wi-Fi allows devices to join the Internet. In this detailed tutorial, we’ll help you understand the distinctions between Wi-Fi and the Internet and what role each plays in helping your gadgets access the web.
1. Defining Wi-Fi
Wi-Fi is mainly referred to as Wireless Fidelity; it is individual facets enabling communicating devices as well as giving methods to facilitate access to the Internet. It is a technology for wireless local area network (WLAN) which transfers data through radio signals. A hotspot which is developed through a device such as a wireless router means that users’ laptops, smartphones or tablets can connect to the internet without using a wire. Wireless internet uses the 802.11 family of standards, implying the maximum ability to transfer certain amounts of data and the distance within which this can be possible.
2. Defining the Internet
The Internet is a worldwide system of computers connected and exchanging data via the use of a protocol. It is a network of networks that connect devices around the world to pass information and access such as web pages, images, and videos. Different from that, the Internet is owned by no one but it has a set of protocols where most famous one is the Hypertext Transfer Protocol (HTTP) which provides a means of transferring data from clients to servers.
3. A Venn diagram that demonstrates the connection between Wi-Fi and the Internet.
Wi-Fi simply means the capability to access a given local network, but it is not the Internet. On the other hand, the Internet is rather the term that refers to a collection of linked devices that are connected and exchange information throughout the world. What people fail to realize is that having a Wi-Fi network is just one of the means of accessing the Internet. Other techniques are such as cellular data 3G, 4G, and 5G connections as well as Ethernet and satellite.
Once a device gets affiliated with a particular Wi-Fi, then it is possible to get connected to the Internet. The router or access point through which a Wi-Fi network is produced is associated with an Internet Service Provider (ISP), which arranges the connection to the World Wide Web, or the global network of the Internet. From there your device can talk to other devices across the Internet.
4. Wi-Fi vs. Internet: Key Differences
Now that we have defined both Wi-Fi and the Internet, let's highlight their key differences:
- Scope: Local Area Network or LAN means a network operating in a locality while on the other hand, the internet is a worldwide network that links up devices.
- Function: Wi-Fi is a local area network that connects devices and communicates over a small area while the Internet is a global network that connects devices and communicates over the world.
- Connectivity: Wi-Fi needs one or a combination of routers/access points sent the et internet via an ISP.
5. It allows users to connect to the Internet using Wireless Fidelity / Wireless Local Area Network technology.
Most people would agree that getting online preferably is attained through wireless guided connectivity known commonly as Wi-Fi. It is practical and enables users to share their devices without the need to be wired to a cable. To access the Internet via Wi-Fi, follow these steps:
- Connect to a Wi-Fi network: This can be done using a laptop, smartphone or tablet by searching for the network and then, if there is one, entering the password.
- Log into an account: At the Internet service provider level, some people can only access the Internet by logging into an account.
- Browse the web: After joining your Google Pixel 3 to the Wi-Fi and logging in to your device, you will be able to surf the internet compose emails and utilise other online services.
Conclusion
Internet is a way of connecting devices to the Internet while WiFi is a local connectivity method that enables our devices to make use of the Internet. Wi-Fi refers to a wireless technology that enables devices to connect within a limited Local Area Network or LAN while the internet refers to a collection of networks from the global area network or Global Area Network, or LAN. With the help of this distinction, you can comprehend how your devices access the World Wide Web, and how you can get perfect connectivity the next time you go online.
