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While sipping coffee at a local Starbucks, customers armed with laptops can browse the internet or work remotely. It’s all made possible because of wireless networks. Wireless networks uses radio, an old technology that has been around for more than 100 years. Computer packets called TCP/IP are passed between an access point (transmitter) to a client (receiver) and vice versa using radio waves. Radio technology is used in many wireless devices such as remote controls, garage openers, walkie talkies, cellphones, radars, shortwave and AM/FM radios, albeit they all use different radio frequencies.

Wireless networks uses 2.4 Mhz, the same frequency used by cordless or wireless telephones. Wireless networks were initially designed for small office or home office, the main reason 2.4 Mhz was adopted. However, there is a limitation to 2.4 Mhz wireless systems, it can only broadcast within 200-400 feet. By design, the wireless network’s coverage was meant to be for a small area. Another shortcoming is that wireless signals tend to deteriorate rapidly when it encounter thicker walls, floors or ceilings.

Technically speaking, wireless networks should be able to work on other frequencies. So, it will not be surprising to see major developments in the future with wireless networks having bigger network coverage. It might be possible to have wireless coverage for a large town or major metropolitan using just half a dozen network towers. The major weakness of wireless networks is security. If wireless networks can be secured, then anything is possible.