Many people believe that Wi-Fi is short for 'Wireless Fidelity,' but that is a common misconception created by marketing.
The Marketing Origin:
- 🏷️ Brand Strategy: The name was created by a branding firm called Interbrand. The industry needed a catchier name than 'IEEE 802.11b Direct Sequence,' so they chose 'Wi-Fi.'
- 📢 The Confusion: Early on, the Wi-Fi Alliance used the slogan 'The Standard for Wireless Fidelity' in advertisements to help consumers understand the concept, which led to the myth.
Technical Reality:
- 💻 Wi-Fi is simply a trademarked phrase used to certify that a product belongs to a specific family of wireless networking standards. It has no literal meaning.