When you buy through affiliate links in our content, we may earn a commission at no extra cost to you. Learn What Does Wi-Fi Enabled Mean?
Wi-Fi enabled means that a device can connect to the Internet when there is a local Wi-Fi network connection available. The engineering and production of Wi-Fi-enabled devices paved the way for new wireless networking systems for computers, smartphones and mobile devices.
Techopedia Explains Wi-Fi Enabled
Experts have defined Wi-Fi-enabled devices as devices with some kind of support for wireless Internet connection. Early devices had internal or external cards that helped users connect to wireless systems, where users often had to manually connect to a local wireless router. Newer devices often have Wi-Fi-enabling features that connect to a network automatically if it has already been cleared as a trusted network.
In addition to the range of Wi-Fi-enabled devices that can connect to the global Internet through local wireless connections, there is also a range of smartphones and other devices such as tablets that connect to the Internet through expansive 3G or 4G wireless systems. These systems are different than a conventional Wi-Fi system in that the 3G and 4G wireless setups have their own international infrastructure and are generally available in any region that is covered. By contrast, traditional Wi-Fi connections are only available when there is a local node that puts out wireless signals, where the available Wi-Fi wireless technology for local area networks has a limited range.
