Wireless data refers to

transmitting In electronics and telecommunications, a radio transmitter or just transmitter (often abbreviated as XMTR or TX in technical documents) is an electronic device which produces radio waves with an antenna with the purpose of signal transmission ...

information—

voice The human voice consists of sound made by a human being using the vocal tract, including talking, singing, laughing, crying, screaming, shouting, humming or yelling. The human voice frequency is specifically a part of human sound produ ...

video Video is an Electronics, electronic medium for the recording, copying, playback, broadcasting, and display of moving picture, moving image, visual Media (communication), media. Video was first developed for mechanical television systems, whi ...

sensors A sensor is often defined as a device that receives and responds to a signal or stimulus. The stimulus is the quantity, property, or condition that is sensed and converted into electrical signal. In the broadest definition, a sensor is a devi ...

, apps—without physical

cables Cable may refer to: Mechanical * Nautical cable, an assembly of three or more ropes woven against the weave of the ropes, rendering it virtually waterproof * Wire rope, a type of rope that consists of several strands of metal wire laid into a he ...

, using

electromagnetic waves In physics, electromagnetic radiation (EMR) is a self-propagating wave of the electromagnetic field that carries momentum and radiant energy through space. It encompasses a broad spectrum, classified by frequency or its inverse, wavelength, ran ...

radio Radio is the technology of communicating using radio waves. Radio waves are electromagnetic waves of frequency between 3 hertz (Hz) and 300 gigahertz (GHz). They are generated by an electronic device called a transmitter connec ...

microwave Microwave is a form of electromagnetic radiation with wavelengths shorter than other radio waves but longer than infrared waves. Its wavelength ranges from about one meter to one millimeter, corresponding to frequency, frequencies between 300&n ...

, or

infrared Infrared (IR; sometimes called infrared light) is electromagnetic radiation (EMR) with wavelengths longer than that of visible light but shorter than microwaves. The infrared spectral band begins with the waves that are just longer than those ...

waves.

Technologies and networks

Wi‑Fi (Wireless LAN)

* Connects devices via access points using IEEE 802.11 standards. * Latest versions include Wi‑Fi 6/6E (using 2.4 GHz, 5 GHz, and now 6 GHz bands) offering higher throughput and efficiency

Cellular (3G/4G/5G/5G‑Advanced)

* 3G/ 4G (

LTE LTE may refer to: Science and technology * LTE (telecommunication) (Long-Term Evolution), a mobile telephony standard ** LTE Advanced, an enhancement ** LTE Advanced Pro, a further enhancement * Compaq LTE, a line of laptop computers * Leukotrie ...

) support broad data access. * 5G launched globally since 2019; offers up to 10 Gbps speeds, extremely low latency, and supports massive IoT * 5G‑Advanced ( 5.5G) introduces AI integration, edge compute, better slicing, non-terrestrial networks, aiming for full deployment by end of 2025.

Wireless PAN and others

Bluetooth Bluetooth is a short-range wireless technology standard that is used for exchanging data between fixed and mobile devices over short distances and building personal area networks (PANs). In the most widely used mode, transmission power is li ...

Zigbee Zigbee is an IEEE 802.15.4-based specification for a suite of high-level communication protocols used to create personal area networks with small, low-power digital radios, such as for home automation, medical device data collection, and oth ...

, UWB for short-range, low-energy data transfer (e.g., device pairing, indoor location) *

Satellite A satellite or an artificial satellite is an object, typically a spacecraft, placed into orbit around a celestial body. They have a variety of uses, including communication relay, weather forecasting, navigation ( GPS), broadcasting, scient ...

and Wide Area IoT networks (e.g., NB-IoT) allow remote connectivity

Niche and emerging

* IEEE 802.22 uses TV bands for rural broadband with AES-GCM encryption * Free-Space Optical (FSO) Infrared beams achieved 5.7 Tbps over 4.6 km—no RF needed * 6G (2027–30) envisions terahertz bands, AI-native networks, quantum comms, holographic beamforming

Security and protocols

Wi‑Fi encryption

There are four main methods of Wi-Fi Encryption: * WEP: outdated and insecure. * WPA & WPA2: added TKIP and AES/CCMP, respectively *

WPA3 Wi-Fi Protected Access (WPA) (Wireless Protected Access), Wi-Fi Protected Access 2 (WPA2), and Wi-Fi Protected Access 3 (WPA3) are the three security certification programs developed after 2000 by the Wi-Fi Alliance to secure wireless computer n ...

: modern standard since 2018 with SAE, enhanced open (OWE), 192-bit enterprise, and protection of management frames

Trends in wireless security

The trend in wireless security is to move toward WPA3,

Wi‑Fi 6E Wi-Fi 6, or IEEE 802.11ax, is an IEEE standard from the Wi-Fi Alliance, for wireless networks (WLANs). It operates in the 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz bands, with an extended version, Wi-Fi 6E, that adds the 6 GHz band. It is an upgrade from Wi-Fi 5 ( ...

enhancements, private 5G/LTE (CBRS), UEM, AI/ML analytics, edge protection, and stronger identity access management.

Architecture and standards

OSI layers

Wireless networks conform to the

OSI model The Open Systems Interconnection (OSI) model is a reference model developed by the International Organization for Standardization (ISO) that "provides a common basis for the coordination of standards development for the purpose of systems inter ...

, each layer bringing unique threats and protections.

Protocol stacks

Wireless Application Protocol Wireless Application Protocol (WAP) is an obsolete technical standard for accessing information over a mobile cellular network. Introduced in 1999, WAP allowed users with compatible mobile devices to browse content such as news, weather and sp ...

is the early mobile web stack (WSP/WDP/WTP/WTLS) designed for feature phones and constrained networks.

Applications and use cases

* Consumer

Internet The Internet (or internet) is the Global network, global system of interconnected computer networks that uses the Internet protocol suite (TCP/IP) to communicate between networks and devices. It is a internetworking, network of networks ...

access: Home Wi‑Fi and

mobile broadband Mobile broadband is the marketing term for Wireless broadband, wireless Internet access via mobile network, mobile (cell) networks. Access to the network can be made through a portable modem, wireless modem, or a Tablet computer, tablet/smartp ...

* Enterprise mobility:

BYOD Bring your own device (BYOD ) (also called bring your own technology (BYOT), bring your own phone (BYOP), and bring your own personal computer (BYOPC)) refers to being allowed to use one's personally owned device, rather than being required to use ...

management, secure campus networks * IoT and industrial:

Sensor A sensor is often defined as a device that receives and responds to a signal or stimulus. The stimulus is the quantity, property, or condition that is sensed and converted into electrical signal. In the broadest definition, a sensor is a devi ...

telemetry Telemetry is the in situ collection of measurements or other data at remote points and their automatic transmission to receiving equipment (telecommunication) for monitoring. The word is derived from the Greek roots ''tele'', 'far off', an ...

, remote control via

, private LTE, NB-IoT * High-speed links: FSO for urban backhaul; IEEE 802.22 for rural broadband * Future systems: 5G/6G to support smart cities, autonomous vehicles, XR, remote surgery

References

{{reflist Wireless communication systems