A router connects local networks to other local networks or to the Internet. A wireless access point connects devices to the network wirelessly, using radio frequencies in the 900 MHz and 2.4, 3.6, 5, and 60 GHz frequency bands. The latest wireless routers are based on the IEEE 802.11ac Wa...
What is SD-WAN? SD-WAN (Software-Defined WAN) is a software-defined approach to managing WAN. Discover the key benefits of SD-WAN and compare to find the best fit for you. Read more What is a wireless router? Wireless (Wi-Fi) routers connect you to your internet service provider. Lea...
causing compatibility issues in the interim. If a router uses a protocol that is not supported by an internal wireless device, an external wireless adapter can be used in an external port. The most common type is a USBdongle, but wireless network adapters are also available inExpressCard® ...
Beamforming is becoming a standard on high-end 802.11ac wireless routers, up there with other new features liketri-band Wi-Fi. If you can get beamforming on your router, that's certainly a good thing -- there's no downside to getting beamforming, aside from the money you may have to ...
Wi-Fi is the radio signal sent from awireless routerto a nearby device, which translates the signal into data you can see and use. The device transmits a radio signal back to the router, which connects to the internet by wire or cable. ...
Access Points (APs).The heart of a WLAN is theaccess point (AP), a device that broadcasts and receives wireless signals to and from connected devices. APs are typically connected to a wiredrouter,switch, ormodem, and act as a bridge between the wireless and wired networks. They convert ...
The concept of amesh networkis similar to a WDS; however, mesh networks are newer and have features like automatic discovery and configuration of mesh routers. Mesh networks are also more dynamic and fault-tolerant than WDS. If a link in the mesh router fails, the mesh network can find alt...
The first wireless transmitters went on the air in the early 20th century using radiotelegraphy, which is radio communication using Morse code or other coded signals. Later, asmodulationmade it possible to transmit voice and music wirelessly, the medium became known asradio. Wireless transmitters us...
Instead of Ethernet cabling connecting the computers, each machine has a wireless network card (or wireless adapter) with its own transmitter and receiver on board. Now an individual computer can transmit a request for data, for example, to the router, and the router can receive the request, ...
What is a dual-band router? Dual-band routershave two WiFi radios. Most WiFi 5 routers (also known as 802.11ac, or AC WiFi) have both a 2.4 GHz and a 5 GHz radio. These different radio frequency bands enable both old and new WiFi devices to connect to your network, preserving compati...