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WIFI FOR EVERYONE AKASH KUMAR DEY
1
INTRODUCTION
Communication has come a long way since cavemen painted their dinner on the
wall -- and nothing has evolved faster than the Internet. In just thirty years the
Internet has grown from a broken memo between two professors at the
Massachusetts Institute of Technology into the biggest medium for global
communication the world has ever seen. From our economies to our social lives,
there is not a single area of our civilization has not been touched by the Internet.
We can’t think of 21st
Century without the internet. It is invincible now. Like
other innovations technological advancement revolutionized old devices and also
gave birth to new gadgets and all these devices are now internet ready. And most
of the time the only connectivity option they provide is WiFi for its quick and
hassle free nature. In the situation when mobile data (read 2G, 3G, 4G data) tariffs
are going higher but we have to (rather like to) remain connected to the internet
using all our devices such Mobile, PC, Laptop, Tab, Gaming Console Smart
TV the WiFi comes as a boon to save us as this technology enable us to
simultaneously connect all these devices to the internet wirelessly using a single
internet connection. Thus, WiFi make web access affordable or cheaper. When
talking about cheap internet rates, We, Indians loves the concept of getting
anything at discounted rates or for FREE. So when any state government,
municipal corporation, contenders in political battle stir up the idea of providing
FREE WiFi targeting the gen Y who always like to remain online on the go but
presently upset with the increasing mobile data rates, gets elated to hear that Free
WiFi is coming for the rescue. The promise of providing free internet access via
WiFi is making much abuzz lately in Indian media specially after the new
government took over last year and promised us a “Digital India”. New state
government of Delhi has promised make the nation’s capital a giant hotspot and
in West Bengal the CM herself announced Kolkata as the “India’s First Wi-Fi
City”. It is true that WiFi does make internet cheaper by eliminating additional
connections but covering an entire city with WiFi connectivity is neither easy nor
cheap. It is time consuming and has some draw backs that I will be discussing
later. It’s definitely not the time to just give up your internet connection and wait
for the free signal to reach your devices. Rather if we can understand the
technology correctly I believe we will be able to utilize WiFi in our own homes
and enjoy its multiple benefits (Yes! More than saving the internet bills) without
investing much from our pockets. With this paper I am going to explain the very
concept of WiFi in a lucid language for the masses so that people new to this
technology could easily accept it and start experiencing or at least keep
knowledge about this multifaceted utility, the new Indian political phenomenon
called WiFi. I will try not to use too many jargons that may hamper your reading
experience and the ones that I must use for the sake of giving you a clear idea I
will be covering them all in the glossary section for you. So don’t worry and enjoy
reading.

2
WHAT IS WiFi?
WiFi (or Wi-Fi) is a facility allowing computers, smartphones, or other devices
to connect to the Internet or communicate with one another wirelessly within a
particular area. It is wireless networking technology
that uses radio waves to provide wireless high-
speed Internet and network connections. A common
misconception is that the term Wi-Fi is short for
wireless fidelity, however this is not the case. Wi-
Fi is simply a trademarked phrase that means IEEE
802.11. In computer terminology the word WiFi is
synonymous to “Wireless LAN “or “WLAN”.
The Wi-Fi Alliance defines Wi-Fi as any wireless
local area network (WLAN) product based on
the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers' (IEEE) 802.11 standards.
A BRIEF HISTORY
1980s
In 1985, the technology called 802.11 was made available for use due to a U.S.
Federal Communication Commission ruling, which released the three bands 900
MHz, 2.4 GHz, and 5 GHz) of the radio spectrum for unlicensed use. These bands
are now used for nearly all wireless communication. Shortly thereafter the IEEE
(Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers) and the Wi-Fi Alliance
(originally called WECA or the Wireless Ethernet Compatibility Alliance) were
formed to help develop and regulate wireless technology worldwide.
1990s
When the IEEE was formed in 1990, they chose Vic Hayes, also popularly known
as the Father of Wi-Fi, as its chairman. For the next ten years, Hayes helped
direct the development of new wireless protocols as well as market the
technology worldwide. His leadership and progressive thinking allowed the Wi-
Fi Alliance to spearhead the regulation and widespread use of wireless
technology.

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The first version of the wireless protocol's legacy is now obsolete and would be
considered dreadfully slow by today’s standards. It had a maximum data transfer
rate of 2 Mbps, or Megabits per second. Most applications created today would
not be able to operate efficiently at those speeds.
In 1999, the WiFi standard 802.11a and 802.11b were released, and for many
years were the standard for Wi-Fi networks. They both operated in the 2.4 GHz
range of the radio spectrum, but, unlike 802.11, they were able to transmit data at
a much higher rate. The 802.11a protocol could support data transmission up to
54 Mbps, but was designed for much shorter ranges at a much higher cost to
produce and maintain. On the other hand, 802.11b had a much lower cost and
much longer range than its counterpart, but worked at a much slower speed,
maxing out at 11 Mbps. Because both protocols operated in the unregulated 2.4
GHz bandwidth, they were susceptible to interference from other appliances that
used the same frequency such as microwave ovens, cordless phones and wireless
keyboards.
The Australian radio-astronomer John O'Sullivan developed a key patent used
in Wi-Fi as a by-product of a Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research
Organisation (CSIRO). In 1992 and 1996, CSIRO obtained patents. Sullivan’s
invention for CSIRO greatly improved the signal quality of WiFi.
2000s
In 2003, 802.11g was introduced as the new standard. This new protocol was
designed to combine the best of the previous transmission standards—operating
at a maximum transfer rate of 54 Mbps while still allowing for the longer range
and lower costs. Most devices that incorporate the (g) technology are fully
backwards compatible, allowing the use of all three protocols in one device.
The adaptation of 802.11n, sometimes called Wireless-N, saw a huge leap
forward in the technology. With the ability to transfer data up to 300 Mbps and
the incorporation of multiple wireless signals and antennas (called MIMO
technology), people could surf the web even faster and with more stability. The
new protocol also allowed data to be transmitted on both the standard 2.4GHz
frequency as well as the less populated 5GHz which led to a stronger signal and
less interruption.
PRESENT DAY
Although still not that popular in India, the latest technology, 802.11ac, proved
to be another huge leap forward. With the advancements in dual-band
technology, data can now be transmitted across multiple signals and bandwidths

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allowing for maximum transmission rates of 1300 Mbps with extended ranges
and nearly uninterrupted transmission.
HOW WiFi WORKS?
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 two-way radio
communication. Here's what happens:
1. A wireless router which is physically connected to the internet via an
Ethernet cable or wireless USB dongle receives information from the
internet then translate or encode it into radio signals and transmit it through
its antenna.
2. The wireless adapter of our devices then receive the radio signal through
its antenna and decode it.
The process also works in reverse with the wireless adapter translates data into a
radio signal and transmits it. The wireless router then receives the signal and
decodes it to send the information to the Internet. These process works
simultaneously and while we enjoy internet on the move cord free.

5
WHAT IS WIRELESS ROUTER?
A wireless router is a device that wirelessly
performs the functions of a router that is to
determine the next network point to which
a packet or chunk of information should be
forwarded. It is used to provide access to
the Internet or a private computer network (a
group of interconnected computers to
exchange information). It can function in a
wired LAN (local area network), in a
wireless-only LAN (WLAN), or in a mixed
wired/wireless network, depending on the
manufacturer and model.
WHAT IS WIRELSESS RECEIVER/ADAPTER?
A wireless receiver or adapter is the transceivers
either built inside the device or can be plugged into
the device externally. Generally speaking most
laptop computers come with WiFi receivers inbuilt
whereas most desktop computer needs those
wireless transceivers that can be plugged into either
a Universal Serial Bus (USB) port or a PC card slot.
Whether Wireless Router or Wireless Adapter both can replicate each other’s role
if configured properly.
WHAT ABOUT THE RANGE?
The Wi-Fi signal range depends on the frequency band, channel, radio power
output, antenna gain and antenna type as well as the modulation technique. Line-
of-sight is the thumbnail guide but reflection and refraction can have a significant
impact.

6
An access point compliant with either 802.11b or 802.11g, using the stock
antenna might have a range of 100 m (330 ft). 802.11n or 802.11ac, however, can
more than double the range. As I have mentioned rage also relies on the
frequency band used so due to laws of physics, 5 GHz Wi-Fi connections are
more susceptible to obstructions such as concrete walls than are 2.4 GHz. As
higher bands travel faster but lower bands travel further. But 2.4 GHz is more
susceptible to noise inside the building Because 2.4 GHz radios are commonly
used in consumer gadgets such as microwaves, cordless phones Bluetooth
devices thus causing interference with the WiFi signals running on the said band.
Confused about choosing the right band? No worries I will make the choice easier
for you in the next segment.
A general rule of thumb in home networking says that Wi-Fi routers operating on
the traditional 2.4 GHz band reach up to 150 feet (46 m) indoors and 300 feet (92
m) outdoors. Although the range can be increase using high grade antennas sold
separately in market such as an external semi parabolic antenna (15db gain) might
have a range over 20 miles. You can buy network extenders also.
Here are some home-grown methods or as we Indians say “jugaad” to increase
the WiFi range:

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2.4 GHz OR 5 GHz?
Well practically speaking 2.4 Ghz has the range and 5 Ghz has the speed the
high bandwidth. When discussing about the frequencies always keep in mind the
following rule that is: as the frequency increases, range decreases.
Your choice of WiFi frequency depends primarily on 3 factors i.e.
1) Your devices
2) Your living environment
3) What you do with your internet connection
If you still have lots of old 802.11b or 802.11g devices than I would suggest you
to stick to the 2.4 GHz as those devices may not support the 5 GHz band. Unless
off course you want to replace the old devices with new technology but it will
cost you pretty much.
If you have a small apartment or office then 5 GHz will be perfect for you but if
it is a big apartment or office building 2.4 GHz can save much as lesser amount
of routers, network extenders or boosters will be required thanks to 2.4 GHz’s
wider reach.
If you are very much into HD video streaming or gaming than 5 GHz can provide
you with that extra amount of bandwidth although it largely depends on the
quality of service of your Internet Service Provider (ISP).
WHAT ARE THE COST INVOLVED?
The only cost involved in turning your cable internet connection to a wireless
WiFi connection is the cost of buying a WiFi router. If your computer doesn’t
have an inbuilt WiFi receiver an external one must be brought to receive the
wireless signal.
Wireless routers are now a days costs very less and can be bought from any
Computer shop or e-commerce websites. The cost can vary differently depending
on factors like features, range, compatibility, brand etc.

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The cheapest router currently available in the market is from the brand Tenda.
This compact router boasts 150 Mbps link speed, an external antenna, a single
LAN and a single WAN port. The market price is around only ₹ 700.
If you have a bigger budget you can find your suitable router with features such
as 3G/4G dongle support, portable, battery back-up higher range etc. The
costliest WiFi router available on a popular e-commerce website boasts 2334
Mbps link speed, 4 external antenna, 4 LAN Port and priced around ₹ 24,000. So
you can see with your needs the price will rise.
If you need an external wireless adapter it will cost you around anything between
₹ 300 to ₹ 5000 depending on the features and specifications.
WiFi enabled USB Dongles are also available in the market. They are usually
comes as network locked device. Which means you can use them only with the
service provider from which you have bought the device.
WHAT ABOUT THE SECURITY?
The main issue with wireless network security is its simplified access to the
network compared to traditional wired networks such as Ethernet. With wired
networking, one must either gain access to a building (physically connecting into
the internal network), or break through
an external firewall. To enable Wi-Fi,
one merely needs to be within the
range of the Wi-Fi network. An
attacker who has gained access to a
Wi-Fi network router can not only eat
up the stipulated bandwidth but also
initiate a DNS spoofing or other
similar attack against any other user of
the network by forging a response
before the queried DNS server has a chance to reply leading the users
unknowingly revealing their sensitive data to the intruder(s). When you use a
public Wi-Fi network, much of your Internet traffic travels in unencrypted form.
Unless you’re using an HTTPS website, people can view the web pages you’re
viewing and monitor your web browsing.

9
Enabling wireless security reduces the chances of unauthorized access.
The most common wireless encryption-standard, Wired Equivalent
Privacy (WEP), has been shown to be easily breakable even when correctly
configured. Wi-Fi Protected Access (WPA and WPA2) encryption, which
became available in devices in 2003, aimed to solve this problem. Wi-Fi
Protected Access encryption (WPA2) is considered secure, provided a
strong passphrase is used.
A Wireless Router basically has some security options as follows:
• Open (risky): Open Wi-Fi networks have no passphrase. You shouldn’t set
up an open Wi-Fi network.
• WEP 64 (risky): The old WEP encryption standard is vulnerable and
shouldn’t be used. Its name, which stands for “Wired Equivalent Privacy,”
now seems like a joke.
• WEP 128 (risky): WEP with a larger encryption key size isn’t really any
better.
• WPA-PSK (TKIP): This is basically the standard WPA, or WPA1,
encryption. It’s been superseded and isn’t secure.
• WPA-PSK (AES): This chooses the older WPA wireless protocol with the
more modern AES encryption. Devices that support AES will almost always
support WPA2, while devices that require WPA1 will almost never support
AES encryption. This option makes very little sense.
• WPA2-PSK (TKIP): This uses the modern WPA2 standard with older TKIP
encryption. This isn’t secure, and is only a good idea if you have older devices
that can’t connect to a WPA2-PSK (AES) network.
• WPA2-PSK (AES) (recommended): This is the most secure option. It uses
WPA2, the latest Wi-Fi encryption standard, and the latest AES encryption
protocol. You should be using this option. On devices with less confusing
interfaces, the option marked “WPA2″ or “WPA2-PSK” will probably
just use AES, as that’s a common-sense choice.
• WPAWPA2-PSK (TKIP/AES) (recommended): This enables both WPA
and WPA2 with both TKIP and AES. This provides maximum compatibility
and security with any ancient devices you might have, but also ensures an
attacker can breach your network by cracking the lowest-common-
denominator encryption scheme. This TKIP+AES option may also be called
WPA2-PSK “mixed” mode.

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• Wi-Fi Protected Setup (WPS): WPS is an optional feature that simplifies
and standardizes the process of configuring and securing a Wi-Fi network. It
configures the network name (SSID) and WPA2 security for the gateway and
client devices on a network and makes adding a new device to your network
as easy as pushing dedicated buttons on the routers and the client device or
entering a personal information number (PIN) or using Near Field
Communication (NFC) method or using USB Method, in which the user uses
a USB flash drive to transfer data between the new client device and the
network's access point.
The WPS method of connecting was originally made for novice users who
have little or no knowledge about wireless security. It helps them to connect
to the wireless network right out of the box. But using WPS is riskier because
a remote attacker may recover the WPS PIN in a few hours with a brute-force
attack and, with the WPS PIN, the network's WPA/WPA2 pre-shared key
leading to hijacking your wireless network. Hence using WPS is generally
not recommended.
WHAT ARE THE HEALTH RISKS?
The World Health Organization (WHO) has acknowledged the anxiety and
speculation regarding electromagnetic fields (EMFs) and their alleged effects on
public health.
In response to public concern, the WHO established
the International EMF Project in 1996 to assess the
scientific evidence of possible health effects of EMF
in the frequency range from 0 to 300 GHz. They
have stated that although extensive research has
been conducted into possible health effects of
exposure to many parts of the frequency spectrum,
all reviews conducted so far have indicated that, as
long as exposures are below the limits
recommended in the ICNIRP (1998) EMF
guidelines, which cover the full frequency range
from 0–300 GHz, such exposures do not produce
any known adverse health effect.

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The official stance of the British Health Protection Agency is that “[T]here is no
consistent evidence to date that WiFi and WLANs adversely affect the health of
the general population”, but also that “...it is a sensible precautionary
approach...to keep the situation under ongoing review...”.They also believe that
“...radio frequency (RF) exposures from WiFi are likely to be lower than those
from mobile phones.” It also saw “...no reason why schools and others should not
use WiFi equipment. There reports reveal that exposure to Wi-Fi for a year results
in the same amount of radiation from a 20-minute mobile phone call”
The World Health Organization (WHO) says there is no risk from low level,
long-term exposure to Wi-Fi networks.
WHAT ARE THE BENEFITS OF USING WIFI?
• Global Accessibility: Wi-Fi allows users to stay connected in a multitude of
different places including the office, home, coffee shop down the street, or hotel
on the other side of the country. Most of the electronic devices sold today are Wi-
Fi capable, and the greatest part is that Wi-Fi technology has a global standard.
Unlike cell phones, you can connect to a network anywhere in the world with a
Wi-Fi enabled device, allowing for widespread coverage.
• Productivity: Users connected to a wireless network can maintain a nearly
constant affiliation with their desired network as they move from place to place.
For a business, this implies that an employee can potentially be more productive
as his or her work can be accomplished from any convenient location. It enhance
the ability of a company to perform at the highest possible level.
• Cost Effective: The investment of wireless network hardware is reasonable,
especially in comparison to wired cables that are difficult to install and manage.
Wi-Fi allows businesses to quickly install the technology anywhere in their
facility and build a secure network that can support all of their employees. Wi-Fi
is easy to expand and can take on additional users with existing equipment, unlike
wired cables which require additional wiring and installation.
• Convenience: The wireless nature of such networks allows users to access
network resources from nearly any convenient location within their primary
networking environment (a home or office). With the increasing saturation of
laptops and handheld type devices, this is particularly relevant.

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• Mobility: With the emergence of public wireless networks, users can access the
internet even outside their normal work environment. Most chain coffee shops,
for example, offer their customers a wireless connection to the internet at little or
no cost.
• Easy Deployment Expandability: Initial setup of an infrastructure-based
wireless network requires little more than a single access point. Wired networks,
on the other hand, have the additional cost and complexity of actual physical
cables being run to numerous locations (which can even be impossible for hard-
to-reach locations within a building). Wireless networks can serve a suddenly-
increased number of clients with the existing equipment. In a wired network,
additional clients would require additional wiring.
• No Licensing: WiFi uses unlicensed radio spectrum and does not require
regulatory approval for individual deployers.
ON THE FLIPSIDE
• Security: As I have discussed earlier it is rather easy to detect and gain
access to a wireless internet connection. To combat this consideration,
wireless network users may choose to utilize some of the various
encryption technologies available. Some of the more commonly utilized
encryption methods, however, are known to have weaknesses that a
dedicated adversary can compromise. Free access points can be used by
the malicious to anonymous to initiate an attack that would be extremely
difficult to track beyond the owner of the access point.
• Range: The typical range of a common 802.11n network with standard
equipment is on the order of 46m (150ft) indoors and 92m (300ft) outdoors.
While sufficient for a typical home, it will be insufficient in a larger
structure. To obtain additional range, repeaters or additional access points
will have to be purchased. Costs for these items can add up quickly.
• Reliability: Like any radio frequency transmission, wireless networking
signals are subject to a wide variety of interference, as well as complex

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propagation effects that are beyond the control of the network
administrator.
• Inter-Operability Problem: Inter-operability issues between brands or
deviations can cause limited connection or lower output speeds. WiFi has
evolved much. With several standards presents some newer technology
may not work correctly with the older devices.
OTHER USAGE
Apart from connecting you wirelessly to the internet you can also do pretty handy
things with WiFi technology.
1. Sharing files between PCs other devices: Sharing files over the Wi-
Fi network (or an ad-hoc wireless network) is certainly one of the easiest
and fastest ways to get files from one computer or smart device to
another. Specially designed applications such as Dropbox mHotspot
(For PCs) Xender (For Android iOS) can do this for you.
2. Sharing your device’s internet connection: Yes that’s right if you don’t
have a WiFi router but has a WiFi enabled laptop or smartphone you can
share its internet connection by creating a virtual WiFi hotspot (ad-hoc
wireless network). Most Android smartphone are now comes with portable
hotspot option and you can configure your WiFi enabled Laptop or desktop
according to the OS to share its internet with other devices. There are
specific application available for this job such as mHotspot Connectify
for Windows PC.
3. Turn Your Smartphone into a Remote Control: If all the computers in
your house are connected to the same Wi-Fi network, you can easily
connect your smartphone to the same network and control them. With apps
like Remote for iPhone to control iTunes, Gmote for Android to control
your Windows, Linux or Mac PC RD Client by Windows to control
Windows PC you don't have to get up from your couch for anything
anymore.
You can also use your PC to control your Smartphones with apps available
on the internet.
4. Send Documents to Your Printer from Any Computer or Smartphone:
There's no reason to have five different printers in your house just so you

14
can print in any room. Instead of constantly plugging and unplugging the
printer from your laptop, you can print wirelessly from any computer. We
can even print files directly from our smartphones with the help of
application such as Dropbox (available for virtually any OS).
5. Wirelessly Transfer Photos from Your Digital Camera: If you have no
time to plug in your SD card into your PC's card reader to transfer photos
(or if your computer doesn't have a card reader) you want them to be
uploaded to server fast, then built in WiFi or Eye-Fi wireless SD card
supported Digital Camera is the perfect companion for you. If your Digital
Camera supports either WiFi or Eye-Fi you never even need to take the SD
card out of your camera whenever it detects a compatible wireless network,
it will transfer photos right over for you. And, if you want, you can even
have it automatically upload photos to sites like Flickr, Facebook, and
Picasa.
6. Stream Movies or Music to Any Smart TV in the House: With the
invention of Smart TVs the face of home entertainment has changed. We
can now stream our favourite show on our Smart TVs directly from the
internet and with the help of a common WiFi network we can stream any
file stored on our devices such as laptops, gaming consoles or smartphones.
These are just few basic examples of what WiFi technology can do. With time
we are witnessing may more application of WiFi. Actually the internet is full of
tutorial videos where we can learn more about the utilization of WiFi. The launch
of WiFi remote control Air Condition (AC) system by Videocon in India earlier
this year proves that this country is also starting experimenting with the limitless
possibilities of WiFi technology.
WIFI – Unlimited Possibilities

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Free WiFi Enabled Cities in India: A Reality Check
With the government looking excited with free public Wi-Fi hotspots—it recently
announced that it will roll out the ambitious project as the part of “ Digital India”
programme at select public places in top 25 cities with a population of over 10
lakh. It has also separately identified 25 archaeological monuments to provide
free Wi-Fi access —there’s a lot of buzz and excitement around connectivity. Not
only the centre, the Arvind Kejriwal led AAP government in Delhi fought its
political battle over many agendas including the one to turn Delhi into a WiFi city
and the West Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee’s announcement of Kolkata going
WiFi shows the importance of internet access in today’s ultra-modern world.
The time may be right for public Wi-Fi to scale up in India, especially at a time
when the government wants to encourage higher levels of data usage in public
places, but is it really a viable project? Or is it just an attempt to merely show
India has arrived on the global stage? Above all, is it actually ‘free’?
Well let’s shade some light on various aspects of a city-wide WiFi project.

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The Cost
I found so many people going bananas with the idea of getting “free WiFi”. Let’s
be frank. It’s not free at all. A wireless router costs money. The cabling to that
router costs money. The data access to that router costs money. The electricity
needed to run it costs money. The weather-proof housing that it’s enclosed within
costs money. Installing it costs money. Maintaining it costs money. So ask
yourself who is going to pay for all these? The answer is simple it’s you, the tax
payer.
As per PK Purwar, chairman and managing director of the state-owned
telecommunications service provider MTNL, there is no such thing as free Wi-
Fi, for it’s either the user or the government that is bearing the expenses for the
data services. “In certain cases, the service provider gives free usage for a short
period of time, but later charges some money for it,” added Purwar in an interview
with financialexpress.com.
In fact this business model has been or is going to be implemented on almost all
free public WiFi hotspots available in the country or restrict the use to certain
websites. As providing something free on an unlimited basis without any
condition will only incur an unnecessary hefty bill or a congested network for any
government organization.
Purwar said “At airports, too, free Wi-Fi has been possible because the airport
administration is footing the bill for it, as no provider will give such services for
free. It’s a huge expense.” At the Indira Gandhi International Airport in New
Delhi and the Rajiv Gandhi International Airport at Hyderabad—for which Tata
DOCOMO inked exclusive agreements with GMR Airports—passengers can
access free Wi-Fi service for 45 minutes, following which they will have to pay
for the service online to continue using Wi-Fi.
Remember,
“Nothing is free. Those who tell you differently are trying to
sell you something.”

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Performance
Technically, the basic problem with large Wi-Fi circles is of traffic and how it
can be managed. When a big area is Wi-Fi-enabled, the number of users increases,
especially in the peak hours (after college or office hours) thus reducing the
browsing speeds. Yes it can be solved by putting up additional access nodes. An
access node, or Base Transceiver Station (BTS) provides access to 2,000 people.
But will the government care if that favourite video of yours start buffering or
gets loaded in low quality on a free public network you are hooked in with your
device?
Deployment
The public WiFi systems are usually installed only in public places or are
available parallel to important roads. So if you thinking sitting in your home
somewhere amidst the city waiting for that free signal to encompass your device,
you may be wasting your time.
Security
WiFi is a pretty widely known and used standard. It’s not all that secure if you
doesn’t know how to secure it, especially the public ones. We do our banking
online. We share our pictures online. We even do shopping online. This is very
private data that we don’t want to broadcast to the world. Security is of paramount
importance, but because setting up a secure encryption key is so “difficult” or
“inconvenient”, many public WiFi networks are run wide open, ready for anyone
to eavesdrop on our most intimate conversations.
Location Privacy
Are you the kind of person that turns off the geo-tagging feature of your phone’s
camera to help maintain your privacy? Do you turn off your GPS because you
don’t want websites and who knows who else to know where you
are? Unfortunately that’s not going to do it! Cell towers have been used since
long before smartphones were around to triangulate our “rough” positions. Now
the coming of Public WiFi hotspots “they” know which WiFi node you’re
connected to, your location is much more accurate than trying to figure that out
from cellular data. One can argue that this should be taken as a security feature
as in emergency this will certainly help the police or medics to locate someone

18
easily. I respect and support this opinion. But still it’s my location, it’s my
movement – I have a right to privacy. These data can also be used against me by
any anti-social elements. Who knows?
Too much seriousness? Now here comes the funny part directly from a story by
Reuters.
Maintenance: The Monkey Gate
While India is keen to spread the information revolution to its provinces, the
problems it faces are a holdover from the past - electricity shortages, badly
planned, jam-packed cities, and monkeys.
The clash between the old world and the new is sharply in focus in the crowded
3,000-year-old holy city of Varanasi, where many devout Hindus come to die in
the belief that doing so will give them salvation. Varanasi is also home to
hundreds of macaque monkeys that live in its temples and are fed and venerated
by devotees.
But the food seemed to be not enough as the monkeys also feast on the fibre-optic
cables that are strung along the banks of the Ganges River to deploy public WiFi
in the city.

19
We cannot move the temples from here. We cannot modify anything here,
everything is built up. The monkeys, they destroy all the wires and eat all the
wires, said communications engineer A.P. Srivastava
Srivastava, who oversees the expansion of new connections in the local district,
said his team had to replace the riverside cables when the monkeys chewed them
up less than two months after they were installed.
He said his team is now looking for alternatives, but there are few to be found.
The city of over 2 million people is impossibly crowded and laying underground
cable is out of the question. Chasing away or trapping the monkeys will outrage
residents and temple-goers.
A shortage of electricity is further complicating efforts to set up stable Wi-Fi in
public places - daily power cuts can last for hours during the sweltering summer
in Varanasi and across much of India reports Reuters.
The reason of sharing this report by Reuters is to point out the trivial looking
issues that actually may end up disrupting the dream project of making Indian
cities WiFi enabled. However India with its unique socio-economic issues and
environment trying to go digital definitely deserve a shout out for its effort. The
public WiFi can raise lot of questions but one cannot deny this Indian initiative
to efface the “Digital Divide”. Forget about gaming or that viral music video, in
a situation when no other network is available but she needs a vital information
that can help her get justice or he needs to send an email that can save his job, if
the public WiFi can deliver at that moment, let it be it a “free for 45 minutes”
wonder or a restricted access point, it deserves a crucial spot in our society, in our
lives. We welcome Public WiFi.

20
CONCLUSION
Nowadays, it’s hard to imagine what life would be like without the internet. The
internet changed the world and revolutionised the way we live. Suddenly the
world could be accessed at the touch of a button. Gone were the days when we
were waiting for information and doing hours of research at the local library. WiFi
made internet more convenient to use. It allowed internet access while traveling
or while living in remote locations. The WiFi revolution made life easier for
businesses, students and for everyone who use the internet. WiFi truly is the
future of mobile data as the cellular data services like 3G 4G is still costly
especially in developing countries, whereas WiFi is cheap or even free. The data,
collected by the world’s largest commercial Wi-Fi provider iPass, shows there
will be over 340 million Wi-Fi signals or one signal for every 20 people on Earth
by 2018. The study shows that Europe is the continental leader in Wi-Fi with half
of the world’s hotspots but it will be soon surpassed by Asia. India’s plan to
deploy public WiFi in 2500 cities and towns across the country over three
years will definitely serve the purpose. With the bombshell news coming that
foreign cellular operators started to utilize WiFi for calling for better indoor
coverage indicates that Wi-Fi had truly arrived and should now be considered a
true partner and complement to traditional cellular technology. As internet
becoming our necessity day by day like any other amenities available in your
nearby restaurant, coffee shop or sports venue will expect WiFi just to be there.
Hope I am able to answer all the questions or doubts that may have popped-up in
you minds regarding WiFi after reading newspapers or watching news Now when
you have all the basics about WiFi technology I am sure you will surely going to
give it a try. And why not? The benefits and the possibilities of this technology
are endless as I have discussed. You too deserve to explore the world of WiFi.

21
GLOSSARY
AES: The Advanced Encryption
Standard (AES), also referenced
as Rijndae (its original name), is a
specification for the encryption of
electronic data established by the
U.S. National Institute of Standards and
Technology (NIST) in 2001.
BTS: A base transceiver station (BTS) is
a piece of equipment that
facilitates wireless communication
between user equipment (UE) and a
network. UEs are devices like mobile
phones (handsets), WLL phones, and
computers with wireless
Internet connectivity. The network can be
that of any of the wireless communication
technologies like GSM, CDMA, wireless
local loop, Wi-Fi, WiMAX or other wide
area network (WAN) technology.
dB: The decibel (dB) is a logarithmic
unit used to express the ratio between two
values of a physical quantity,
often power or intensity.
DNS: Short for Domain Name System (or
Service or Server), an Internet service that
translates domain names into IP addresses.
Because domain names are alphabetic,
they're easier to remember. The Internet
however, is really based on IP addresses.
DNS Spoofing: DNS
spoofing (or DNS cache poisoning) is a
computer hacking attack, where data traffic
is diverted to the attacker's computer (or
any other computer).
Extenders: A wireless repeater (also
called wireless range extender) takes an
existing signal from a wireless router or
wireless access point and rebroadcasts it to
create a second network.
Eye-Fi: Eye-Fi is a company based in
Mountain View, California that produces
SD memory cards and SDHC cards with
Wi-Fi capabilities. Using an Eye-Fi card
inside a digital camera, one can wirelessly
and automatically upload digital photos to a
local computer or a mobile device such as a
smartphone or tablet.
Fibre-optic: A technology that uses glass
(or plastic) threads (fibres) to transmit data.
A fibre optic cable consists of a bundle of
glass threads, each of which is capable of
transmitting messages modulated onto light
waves.
Firewall: A firewall is a network security
system, either hardware or software based,
that controls incoming and outgoing
network traffic based on a set of rules.
GBPS: Gigabits Per Second
Geo-tagging: Geo-tagging is the process
of adding geographical information to
various media in the form of metadata.
GHz: Gigahertz (GHz), a unit of frequency
Hot-spot: A hotspot is a physical location
that offers Internet access over a wireless
local area network (WLAN) through the
use of a router connected to a link to an
Internet service provider.
HTTPS: HTTPS is a communications
protocol for secure communication over
a computer network
IEEE: The Institute of Electrical and
Electronics Engineers (IEEE) is
a professional association headquartered in
New York. The IEEE is best known for
developing standards for the computer and
electronics industry

22
LAN: A local area network (LAN) is a
computer network that interconnects
computers within a limited area such as a
home, school, computer laboratory, or
office building, using network media.
MBPS: Megabits Per Second
MIMO: MIMO (multiple input, multiple
output) is an antenna technology for
wireless communications in which multiple
antennas are used at both the source
(transmitter) and the destination (receiver).
The antennas at each end of the
communications circuit are combined to
minimize errors and optimize data speed.
NFC: Near field communication (NFC) is
a set of ideas and technology that enables
smartphones and other devices to establish
radio communication with each other by
touching the devices together or bringing
them into proximity to a distance of
typically 10 cm (3.9 in) or less.
Parabolic Antenna: A parabolic
antenna is an antenna that uses a
parabolic reflector, a curved surface with
the cross-sectional shape of a parabola, to
direct the radio waves. The most common
form is shaped like a dish and is popularly
called a dish antenna or parabolic dish.
Smart TV: A smart TV, sometimes
referred to as connected TV or hybrid TV,
is a television set or set-top box with
integrated Internet and Web 2.0 features,
and is an example of technological
convergence between computers
and television sets and set-top boxes.
SSID: Service Set Identifier (SSID) is the
name assigned to a Wi-Fi (wireless)
network. All devices in the network must
use this case-sensitive name to
communicate over Wi-Fi, which is a text
string up to 32 bytes long.
TKIP: Temporal Key Integrity
Protocol or TKIP /tiːˈkɪp/ was a stopgap
security protocol used in the IEEE 802.11
wireless networking standard. TKIP was
designed by the IEEE 802.11i task group
and the Wi-Fi Alliance as an interim
solution to replace WEP without requiring
the replacement of legacy hardware.
Triangulation: a method of finding a
distance or location by measuring the
distance between two points whose exact
location is known and then measuring the
angles between each point and a third
unknown point
WAN: A wide area network (WAN) is a
network that covers a broad area (i.e., any
telecommunications network that links
across metropolitan, regional, national or
international boundaries) using leased
telecommunication lines.
WI-FI Alliance: Wi-Fi Alliance is a non-
profit organization that promotes Wi-
Fi technology and certifies Wi-Fi products
if they conform to certain standards
of interoperability. However the lack of
certification does not necessarily imply a
device is incompatible with Wi-Fi devices.
Wifi Channel: WiFi works through certain
channels to maintain a consistent flow of
packets. At high density Wi-Fi-points
operating in the same or adjacent channels,
they can interfere with each other. This
affects the quality of the connection. This
problem is common in apartment buildings,
where many residents are using this
technology.

23
REFERENCE
1. http://aadityacomputers.net/fir
ewallsgateways/
2. http://compnetworking.about.
com/cs/wirelessproducts/f/wif
irange.htm
3. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/A
dvanced_Encryption_Standar
d
4. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/B
ase_transceiver_station
5. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/D
ecibel
6. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/E
ye-Fi
7. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/G
eotagging
8. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/H
otspot_(Wi-Fi)
9. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/H
TTPS
10.http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/In
stitute_of_Electrical_and_Ele
ctronics_Engineers
11.http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/L
ocal_area_network
12.http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/N
ear_field_communication
13.http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/P
arabolic_antenna
14.http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/S
mart_TV
15.http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/T
emporal_Key_Integrity_Proto
col
16.http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/
Wide_area_network
Wi-Fi
Wi-Fi_Alliance
Wi-Fi_Protected_Setup
Wireless_electronic_devices_
and_health
Wireless_repeater
Wireless_router
23.http://in.reuters.com/article/20
15/04/01/india-digital-
idINKBN0MS5EP20150401
24.http://ipoint-
tech.com/wireless-
networking-wi-fi-advantages-
and-disadvantages-to-
wireless-networking/
25.http://lifehacker.com/5671482
/top-10-household-uses-for-
wi-fi-that-arent-just-
connecting-to-the-internet
26.http://pocketnow.com/2014/0
5/08/municipal-wifi
27.http://searchmobilecomputing.
techtarget.com/definition/MI
MO
28.http://www.bwif.org/wifi_adv
antages.html
29.http://www.financialexpress.c
om/article/economy/free-wi-
fi-digital-dilemma/45804/
30.http://www.greenmountainco
mmunications.com/company/

24
Elog/101-benefits-of-wi-fi-
technology
31.http://www.howtogeek.com/2
04697/wi-fi-security-should-
you-use-wpa2-aes-wpa2-tkip-
or-both/
32.http://www.independent.co.uk
/life-style/gadgets-and-
tech/wifi-is-the-future-of-
mobile-data-global-survey-
shows-one-internet-hotspot-
for-every-150-people-
9835319.html
33.http://www.merriam-
webster.com/dictionary/triang
ulation
34.http://www.pcmag.com/encyc
lopedia/term/51942/ssid
35.http://www.purplewifi.net/wif
i-changed-world/
36.http://www.thesuitmagazine.c
om/technology/web-a-
internet/22360-wireless-
revolution-the-history-of-
wifi.html
37.http://www.webopedia.com/T
ERM/D/DNS.html
ERM/F/fiber_optics.html
ERM/I/IEEE.html
ERM/W/Wi_Fi.html
41.http://www.zdnet.com/article/t
he-internet-of-the-21st-
century/
42.https://www.youtube.com/wat
ch?v=ko83Tq0NEH8
(Originally Submitted on 18th
May 2015)

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