Playing with Wi-Fi

We previously learned how to use the Ethernet library. Then, we tested Bluetooth for short-range network communications. Now, let's test Wi-Fi for medium range communications still without any wire.

What is Wi-Fi?

Wi-Fi is a set of communication protocols wireless driven by standards of IEEE 802.11. These standards describe characteristics of Wireless Local Area Networks (WLANs).

Basically, multiple hosts having Wi-Fi modules can communicate using their IP stacks without wire. There are multiple networking modes used by Wi-Fi.

Infrastructure mode

In that mode, Wi-Fi hosts can communicate between each other via an access point.

This access point and hosts have to be set up with the same Service Set Identifier (SSID), which is a network name used as a reference.

This mode is interesting because it provides security by the fact that each host has to pass by the access point in order to access the global network. We can configure some access lists in order to control which host...