Wireless is a term used to describe telecommunications in which electromagnetic waves carry the signal over part of all of the communications path. A wireless network uses radio waves, just like cell phones, televisions and radios do. In fact, communication across a wireless network is a lot like a two-way radio communication.

A computer’s wireless adapter translates data into radio signal and transmits it using an antenna. A wireless router receives the signals and decodes it. It sends the information to the Internet using a physical, wired Ethernet connection. The process also works in reverse, with the router receiving information from the Internet, translating it into a radio signal and sending it to the computer’s wireless adapter.

The radios used for WiFi communication are very similar to the radios used for walkie-talkies, cell phones and other devices. They can transmit and receive radio waves, and they can convert 1s and 0s into radio waves and convert the radio waves back into 1s and 0s.

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