A wireless network is two or more devices that are connected using radio communication rather than a physical wire. There are two different types of wireless network, Infrastructure and Ad Hoc.

Infrastructure

An example of an infrastructure network in a home environment could be as follows:

In the diagram above we have an internet connection which is connected (via cable) to a Wireless Router. There is a desktop PC connected (via cable) to the router so the desktop also benefits from the internet connection. The notebook PCs are connected wirelessly via the router so that they can access the internet or the other computers on the network from anywhere within range.

Ad Hoc

An Ad Hoc network as the name implies is a temporary network where two or more wireless capable PCsare connected together without the use of a wireless router:

You can share files or even an internet connection in this way – as long as each PC is within range of the others.The majority of people would use the Infrastructure method of setting up a wireless network because it offersmore security and is a more permanent form of network. Whilst PCs may come and go, the internetconnection is always there. An Ad Hoc network could be useful when you are visiting a different location(e.g. a customer’s site) and you need to transfer files to someone else but without needing access to their main network.