If you’re a Wi-Fi professional or have a CWNP certification, you probably already know the technical difference between WLAN and Wi-Fi. But these terms are sometimes used interchangeably, and this article by our friend Lee Badman does a nice job of explaining the difference in a “square is a rectangle but not all rectangles are squares” type of way. Plus, the article lists a couple of handy diagrams you can share with someone who might be learning networking terminology.
11/8 EDIT: TechTarget might try to make you create a free account to read this article, but I checked the link in incognito mode today without a TT account and it let me in. Thanks @steve.poirier for the heads up about the gated content!
@steve.poirier Couldn’t agree more! All articles on MetaGeek Community are publicly available to read without signing in, and the SearchNetworking article isn’t behind a gated form. Was there another step that you encountered where you were required to enter an email address? (If so, please let me know because that wasn’t my intent.)
Also, thanks so much for posting the video. Sometimes it’s nice to be able to digest information by watching instead of reading. Good stuff!
WLAN (Wireless Local Area Network) and Wi-Fi are related but distinct terms:
WLAN refers to a wireless network that connects devices within a localized area (like an office or home) without using cables. It’s a broader concept that includes any technology enabling wireless communication within a LAN.
Wi-Fi is a specific technology under WLAN that enables wireless internet connectivity using IEEE 802.11 standards. It’s the most common method for implementing WLANs but is just one of several possible wireless LAN technologies.
