What is Wi-Fi and how does it work?

Wi-Fi is a wireless networking technology based on the IEEE 802.11 standard family that allows devices to connect to a LAN via radio waves. A wireless access point (WAP) connects to the wired network and broadcasts a Wi-Fi signal in a coverage area. Devices discover networks via their SSID (Service Set Identifier) — the network name. Security protocols: WEP (deprecated, easily cracked), WPA/WPA2 (current standard, WPA2-AES is recommended), WPA3 (latest, stronger encryption). Wi-Fi generations: 802.11ac (Wi-Fi 5) — up to 3.5 Gbps, 5 GHz. 802.11ax (Wi-Fi 6/6E) — up to 9.6 Gbps, better in congested environments. 2.4 GHz band: longer range, lower speed, more interference. 5 GHz band: shorter range, higher speed, less interference.