WiFi v WLAN

I have looked through the FAQ's of various groups and a wider search
across the Net, but cannot find the answer to this question, so I am
hoping someone here can tell me.

I have a wireless network at home with 2 PCs attached, so that they can
both access the internet. According to the documentation that came with
it to attach other devices they should be "IEEE802.11g or IEEE802.11b
(Wi-Fi) compliant" I am thinking of buying a PDA which I would like to
be able to use the network. I have found that one (so far) says that it
is WiFi compliant. Most say WLAN compliant.

Are these one and the same thing? If not what is the diference and are
they compatable.

Thanks

H

H wrote:

> I have looked through the FAQ's of various groups and a wider search
> across the Net, but cannot find the answer to this question, so I am
> hoping someone here can tell me.
>
> I have a wireless network at home with 2 PCs attached, so that they can
> both access the internet. According to the documentation that came with
> it to attach other devices they should be "IEEE802.11g or IEEE802.11b
> (Wi-Fi) compliant" I am thinking of buying a PDA which I would like to
> be able to use the network. I have found that one (so far) says that it
> is WiFi compliant. Most say WLAN compliant.
>
> Are these one and the same thing? If not what is the diference and are
> they compatable.
>
> Thanks
>
> H

That are just two word for one thing.
WiFi = WLAN = Wireless LAN

Thomas

Thanks Thomas.

I can pretend I know what I am talking about when I have to deal with
the boys that sell all this techy stuff. Its nice to come in with
something when they try to patronise me because I am over 25 and
female. :-)

Cheers

H

H wrote:
> I have looked through the FAQ's of various groups and a wider search
> across the Net, but cannot find the answer to this question, so I am
> hoping someone here can tell me.
>
> I have a wireless network at home with 2 PCs attached, so that they
> can both access the internet. According to the documentation that
> came with it to attach other devices they should be "IEEE802.11g or
> IEEE802.11b (Wi-Fi) compliant" I am thinking of buying a PDA which I
> would like to be able to use the network. I have found that one (so
> far) says that it is WiFi compliant. Most say WLAN compliant.
>
> Are these one and the same thing? If not what is the diference and are
> they compatable.
>
> Thanks
>
> H

Actually, it used to be WiFi, but with the start of WiMax, (over the air
high speed), and the confusion by some cell providers (WiFI/1X/EVDO/etc),
The 802.11 a/b/g (and soon to also be i and j) is now sometimes termed WLAN
to differentiate it (it is a term coming into more general use to
specifically say only Wireless lan using 802.11 a/b/g... WLAN= Wireless LAN.
Notice there are no standards yet about the names, just a general trend to
try and make it easier for consumers to differentiate)

Specifically on the PDA thing, I use an iPAQ 4551 that is termed WiFi, but
that has been replaced by a new model that is now termed WLAN compatible.
Silly enuf, the old model (4551) that is termed WiFi, actually only works
with what is now called WLAN...

"Peter Pan" wrote in message news:(E-Mail Removed)...
> H wrote:
> > I have looked through the FAQ's of various groups and a wider
search
> > across the Net, but cannot find the answer to this question, so I
am
> > hoping someone here can tell me.
> >
> > I have a wireless network at home with 2 PCs attached, so that
they
> > can both access the internet. According to the documentation that
> > came with it to attach other devices they should be "IEEE802.11g
or
> > IEEE802.11b (Wi-Fi) compliant" I am thinking of buying a PDA which
I
> > would like to be able to use the network. I have found that one
(so
> > far) says that it is WiFi compliant. Most say WLAN compliant.
> >
> > Are these one and the same thing? If not what is the diference and
are

Actually, the wi-fi alliance tests product compatibility between
manufacturers.
They use the 802.11, 11b, 11g and 11a standards as their guide. If a
product is
wi-fi certified, it means it has been tested to work with other
manufacturers products
according to the standards. If it is not wi-fi certified then it has
not been tested
and therefore no guarantee it will function properly. A product that
merely says
wlan compliant is not necessarily a wi-fi certified product. All wi-fi
certified
products are labled as such.





> > they compatable.
> >
> > Thanks
> >
> > H
>
> Actually, it used to be WiFi, but with the start of WiMax, (over the
air
> high speed), and the confusion by some cell providers
(WiFI/1X/EVDO/etc),
> The 802.11 a/b/g (and soon to also be i and j) is now sometimes
termed WLAN
> to differentiate it (it is a term coming into more general use to
> specifically say only Wireless lan using 802.11 a/b/g... WLAN=
Wireless LAN.
> Notice there are no standards yet about the names, just a general
trend to
> try and make it easier for consumers to differentiate)
>
> Specifically on the PDA thing, I use an iPAQ 4551 that is termed
WiFi, but
> that has been replaced by a new model that is now termed WLAN
compatible.
> Silly enuf, the old model (4551) that is termed WiFi, actually only
works
> with what is now called WLAN...
>
>

I think it should say Wi-Fi Certified and carry the logo.

http://www.wi-fi.org/OpenSection/cer...ucts.asp?TID=2



"H" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
news:(E-Mail Removed) oups.com...
> I have looked through the FAQ's of various groups and a wider search
> across the Net, but cannot find the answer to this question, so I am
> hoping someone here can tell me.
>
> I have a wireless network at home with 2 PCs attached, so that they can
> both access the internet. According to the documentation that came with
> it to attach other devices they should be "IEEE802.11g or IEEE802.11b
> (Wi-Fi) compliant" I am thinking of buying a PDA which I would like to
> be able to use the network. I have found that one (so far) says that it
> is WiFi compliant. Most say WLAN compliant.
>
> Are these one and the same thing? If not what is the diference and are
> they compatable.
>
> Thanks
>
> H
>

See what I mean about "no standards"... My fuji says "Wireless Enabled
802.11b/g"....Guess it won't work with the AP I have been using it with for
the last year... (or fuji didn't pay them


Gary wrote:
> I think it should say Wi-Fi Certified and carry the logo.
>
> http://www.wi-fi.org/OpenSection/cer...ucts.asp?TID=2
>
>
>
> "H" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
> news:(E-Mail Removed) oups.com...
>> I have looked through the FAQ's of various groups and a wider search
>> across the Net, but cannot find the answer to this question, so I am
>> hoping someone here can tell me.
>>
>> I have a wireless network at home with 2 PCs attached, so that they
>> can both access the internet. According to the documentation that
>> came with it to attach other devices they should be "IEEE802.11g or
>> IEEE802.11b (Wi-Fi) compliant" I am thinking of buying a PDA which I
>> would like to be able to use the network. I have found that one (so
>> far) says that it is WiFi compliant. Most say WLAN compliant.
>>
>> Are these one and the same thing? If not what is the diference and
>> are they compatable.
>>
>> Thanks
>>
>> H

On Sun, 2 Jan 2005 21:29:43 -0800, in alt.internet.wireless , "Peter Pan"
<(E-Mail Removed)> wrote:

>See what I mean about "no standards"... My fuji says "Wireless Enabled
>802.11b/g"....Guess it won't work with the AP I have been using it with for
>the last year... (or fuji didn't pay them

WiFi is the standard. Some nonstandard or prestandard kit will still work,
there's no law prohibiting noncertified kit from working in some cases, its
merely that it doesn't meet all the standards' requirements, or that it
predates them.

--
Mark McIntyre
CLC FAQ <http://www.eskimo.com/~scs/C-faq/top.html>
CLC readme: <http://www.ungerhu.com/jxh/clc.welcome.txt>

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