Everyone is looking for a bargain these days, and that includes leeching off any unprotected Wi-Fi network they can find. Sometimes, people leave their networks open on purpose to insult moochers who refuse to pay for their own service. Continue reading to see more.

5 Interesting Wi-Fi facts:

  1. Prior to 1999, there were several different wireless technologies used to connect devices. The different technologies were incompatible so the benefits were limited.
  2. The development of an industry recognized technical standard (IEEE 802.11), along with an industry-wide alliance organization (the Wi-Fi Alliance), created a technology platform and business market the same way the development of Ethernet wired networking did in 1985.
  3. Almost immediately following ratification of IEEE 802.11 and the founding of the Wi-Fi Alliance, every major networking company and computer hardware manufacturer developed and brought to market Wi-Fi products.
  4. The first generation of Wi-Fi products (802.11b) have a maximum data rate of 11 Mbit/s and operate in the 2.4 GHz band. They reached the market in 2000. This is comparable to the speed most computers at the time were connected over wired networks.
  5. Besides creating a common, compatible, interoperable standard, each new generation of products are compatible with previous generations. According to research from the Dell’Oro Group, the market is growing from 20% to 40% per quarter thanks to standards and compatibility.

[Sources 1 | 2]

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A technology, gadget and video game enthusiast that loves covering the latest industry news. Favorite trade show? Mobile World Congress in Barcelona.