Learn in the textbookWireless LAN and Wi-Fi
DefinitionA wireless LAN (無線LAN) is a LAN that links devices using radio waves instead of cables.
ExplanationPCs and smartphones usually reach a wired LAN or the internet through an access point (アクセスポイント), a device that sends and receives radio signals and relays devices onto the network. Radio signals weaken with distance and walls, so where the equipment sits affects connection quality. Because the signals also reach outside the building, encrypting traffic and guarding the access point against misuse are essential.
AnalogyIf a wired LAN is a desk phone with a line run to every desk, a wireless LAN is a cordless phone whose handset reaches its base by radio. With no cord you can move around freely, but stray too far from the base and the voice starts to break up.
Memory hookWireless is wire plus less: no wire, so the link is made by radio.