I used AltaVista. I have used it before and thought I would give it a try this time to see if it has changed.
I searched "what is wifi" without quotations. When searching just "WiFi," I got a lot of search results for WiFi companies.
Two helpful sites were How Stuff Works http://computer.howstuffworks.com/wireless-network.htm and Country Mile WiFi http://countrymilewifi.com/what_is_wifi.html
How Stuff Works- "How Wifi Works"
The organization responsible for the site is the Discovery Company. They post articles regarding how things work.
How is the site funded?
- There is no page on the website that says who funds the site.
How current is the information?
- The page was first posted on April 30, 2001.
What useful information about how your technology works is there on the site? Be sure to note any useful images and diagrams that would help explain and translate technical information for an audience of your peers.
- What I like about this website is that it provided many diagrams and visuals that would be helpful for our presentation.
Given your answers to the questions above, what kind of information might be missing or unreliable on the site? What other kinds of sites should you search for that might provide the missing information?
- The site seems to provide a lot. There are numerous pages to the article. However, it does seem to cover WiFi on a broad level. It we wanted to go further in explanation, a more detailed site would probably be useful.
Country Mile WiFi- "What is WiFi
What individual or organization is responsible for the site and what is their purpose or mission?
- The site is responsible by C. Crane Company, Inc. in Fortuna, CA.
How is the site funded?
- It does not say how the site is funded but as I researched the site, they seem to sell different types of technology.
How current is the information?
- There is no date given.
What useful information about how your technology works is there on the site? Be sure to note any useful images and diagrams that would help explain and translate technical information for an audience of your peers.
- Again, this site uses a few diagrams to explain the process. It also clearly lays out the different types and speeds of WiFi. The site seems very introductory so the terminology used is not that difficult.
Given your answers to the questions above, what kind of information might be missing or unreliable on the site? What other kinds of sites should you search for that might provide the missing information?
- It worries me that there is no date given as to when it was posted or updated. It would be a good starting point site, but I would feel more comfortable using a site that has references and is updated with a date.
About Wifi-
WiFi is wireless communication between computers and tech devices. It is the way people access the internet without their computer or laptop being plugged in. WiFi is also known as 802.11 networking. Many airports, restaurants, libraries, and hotels have WiFi to allow people access to the internet at all times.
The wireless network is created by radio waves, similar to cell phones and televisions. The wireless adapter in the computer translates data into radio signals through an antenna. The wireless router then receives the signal and reads the code. The router is then able to send the information to the Internet using an Ethernet connection. This process can also be done in the reverse. WiFi transmits at a frequency of 2.4GHz or 5 GHz.
Hey Alyssa!
ReplyDeleteThese websites are really interesting. The "How Stuff Works" site is the same source I used to look up fiber optics. Like you said, the website is extremely informative but it is too broad. We'll have to do some digging to figure out more about it. But I don't think we need to go THAT in depth. This website goes into detail of how WiFi works. However, we'll need other websites just to verify the information.
Your other site is also very good. It also makes the same claims as your other site, which makes it a little easier.
I'm curious as to how we're going to organize the information into a presentation. Since we go mid-May, would you be available to meet up say the first week of May? What does your schedule look like M-F?
I'm glad we got to talk about wifi in our presentation. If WiMax becomes more popular and affordable in the near future, it may play a large role in bridging the digital divide in ways similar to free wifi (but on a larger scale).
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