June 26, 1997
IEEE 802.11 Wi-Fi standard approved
The IEEEInstitute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers — a professional body that publishes many technical standards. Standards Board approved IEEEInstitute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers — a professional body that publishes many technical standards. 802.11-1997 on June 26, 1997 — the first wireless LANLocal area network — a network covering a building or campus, as opposed to wide-area links. MAC and PHY standard for 2.4 GHz radio LANs.
What it was for
802.11 defined how laptops, phones, and access points share airtime without cables — CSMA/CA, association, and wired-equivalent privacy hooks. Wi-Fi Alliance certification followed, and developers built mobile web, home IoTInternet of Things — networked sensors and devices embedded in appliances, factories, and cities., and coffee-shop coding on cheap radio chips. Office ethernetA wired local networking standard — the dominant way offices and homes connect devices to a LAN. remained wired, but Wi-Fi became the default client access layer.
Why it's here
802.11 created the interoperable wireless LANLocal area network — a network covering a building or campus, as opposed to wide-area links. market that every laptop and phone depends on.
Why it mattered
It untethered computing from desk ethernetA wired local networking standard — the dominant way offices and homes connect devices to a LAN. — essential for mobile development and IoTInternet of Things — networked sensors and devices embedded in appliances, factories, and cities..
What it solved
portable computerA computer designed to be moved and used in different places — from luggable machines to modern laptops.s needed LANLocal area network — a network covering a building or campus, as opposed to wide-area links. speeds without pulling new cable through every wall and ceiling.