What Is WiFi?

“WiFi” stands for wireless fidelity, and is a wireless networking technology that lets WiFi-enabled devices, such as smartphones and TVs, to connect to the Internet without using cables or cords – i.e., wirelessly. Instead of using a physical Ethernet cable, WiFi-enabled devices can interface with the Internet through a wireless router.

Having WiFi in your home makes using the Internet more convenient because you aren’t tethered to a computer with a nearby Ethernet port – instead, a variety of “smart” devices can connect to the Internet cable-free. 

There are several ways to use WiFi in your home, from wireless routers to setting up mobile hotspots from a smartphone. But most homes have a wireless router in place, which allows you to reliably connect to the Internet using multiple devices. To set up a WiFi network in your home, you will need to find an Internet provider that serves your region.

Your Internet provider will connect a WiFi router to your modem. After installation, you can use the supplied WiFi network password to connect with all your WiFi-enabled devices – and you’re ready to start using WiFi at home. 

Although above we described the fundamental concepts of WiFi and how to use it, there is plenty more to understand about WiFi in order to take advantage of all features the technology offers. For instance, some homes have certain rooms with weaker WiFi connections. What should you do then? 

If your home has areas with a poor or incomplete WiFi connection, one solution is to use a mesh WiFi network. Mesh WiFi is a home WiFi system that reduces areas with poor WiFi coverage so everyone can enjoy seamless WiFi throughout the household. Best for larger homes with “dead zones” in coverage, mesh WiFi networks offer long-range connectivity and an easy setup and management of the network.

But for any sized household with dead zones or rooms with weak coverage, Spectrum offers WiFi extenders, called WiFi pods, to improve WiFi coverage. 

WiFi extenders amplify your coverage by sitting between the router and the area where your connection is weak. Whether it’s a brick wall or metal appliances interfering with the signal, a well-placed WiFi extender will re-broadcast your signal to get around blockers.

Spectrum Internet^® customers who have Spectrum Advanced WiFi can use WiFi pods to increase the strength and range of their WiFi network. Learn more about how Spectrum WiFi pods can extend WiFi coverage throughout your home. 

WiFi 6 is an upgrade on WiFi technology, providing increased upload and download speeds. WiFi 6 routers provide a longer range than previous generations, making them better equipped to overcome interference from physical obstacles, such as brick walls or appliances.

While increased speed and signal range are welcome benefits, WiFi 6 also improves connections on networks with multiple WiFi devices in use at the same time.

The Spectrum Advanced WiFi router supports WiFi 6, giving users less bandwidth congestion than with previous technology. Learn more about Spectrum’s WiFi service and how you can get a fast, reliable connection at home.