Wifi vs wireless?

Just because I'm frustrated and uninterested in being intelligent about the subject and need to settle an argument: Wifi is simply a trademarked name applied to the wireless 802.11x standard of wireless internet a/b/g and now 'n'. My friend thinks "WIFI" is something different from the wireless internets, and that the 802.11 standard of networks is not compatible with this supposed special brand of wireless "WIFI".

So who's right?

 

Actually, WIFI is not trademarked. Nor is WiFi. However, Wi-Fi is.

 

u b right.

 

Okay, notwithstanding my careless spelling errors (NOT AT ALL THE POINT OF MY POST), wifi and wireless networks are one in the same, right? I have a friend who says "wifi" is a different, incompatible standard with the 802.11 a/g/n wireless internet types.

 

yes they are the same.. tell him to check wikipedia.

 

to make it easier:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wi-Fi

 

haha, when i read the title i laughed a little inside.

i know what it's like to have friends that think they know what there talking about somewhat like this. my friend once tried telling me he was thinking about buying a alienware graphics card for his comp. and when i asked if he meant computer he just kept on trying to convince me he saw one at best buy.

 

There are so many computer terms out there, many of which are grossly misused or misunderstood, and people like to use them a lot to sound like they know what they're talking about... when in reality most of them don't even have a clue.

I once had a friend ask me how hard it is to upgrade the RAM on her CPU. I said "you mean your computer?", and she replied "yeah, that's what I said - my CPU". I chuckled. I suppose I could have gotten into a lengthy discussion about the different components inside a computer, and that a CPU itself doesn't have any RAM, but I just let it pass.

Anyway, that was completely off-topic, although somewhat relative in a tangent sort of way. But like others said, yes Wi-Fi is the same as wireless internet - it's just a trademarked name which we all use in a generic sense, much like Kleenex is a trademarked name for tissue or Q-Tips is a trademarked name for cotton swabs on a stick.

 

He cites this page as reference:

http://www.xoticpc.com/sager-np7680-built-clevo-m762tu-p-2412.html?wconfigure=yes

Scroll down to 'Wireless Network', the only difference between the two cards is "Wifi Link", being $20 extra. What is the discrepancy here?

 

Wifi link is a different piece of hardware its intels new wireless card.

My G50V has the Wifi Link 5100, while the new top dog is the 5300.

The old card that was in the santa rosa platform was the 4965 usually.

Its still the same old wireless card, just a new name and new build. The 5300 is probably worth the $20 IMO it has better reception supposedly since it has 1 more antenna.

edit: here site this back to your friend: http://www.intel.com/network/connectivity/products/wireless/adapters/5000/index.htm

 

I knew that there was no difference between the two (check OP), but my friend demanded some kind of proof, and he doesn't "like" wikipedia per se. I appreciate everyone's input. Especially the last post by Vicious.

 

And aspirin is aspirin, even though Bayer at one time held a trademark for that name.

 

well some people to refer to the computer as the CPU, like the case with everything in it.