Difference between ethernet-wireless internet-wifi?

Question

whats the difference between the 3? and how do i get wireless internet on my laptop i have cable internet on my desktops throughout the house....

Answer 1

ETHERNET is a large and diverse family of frame-based computer networking technologies for local area networks (LANs). The name comes from the physical concept of the ether. It defines a number of wiring and signaling standards for the physical layer, two means of network access at the Media Access Control (MAC)/Data Link Layer, and a common addressing format.
Ethernet has been standardized as IEEE 802.3. Its star-topology, twisted pair wiring form became the most widespread LAN technology in use from the 1990s to the present, largely replacing competing LAN standards such as coaxial cable Ethernet, token ring, FDDI, and ARCNET. In recent years, Wi-Fi, the wireless LAN standardized by IEEE 802.11, has been used in addition to or instead of Ethernet in many installations.

WI-FI (also WiFi, wifi, etc.) is a brand originally licensed by the Wi-Fi Alliance® to describe the underlying technology of wireless local area networks (WLAN) based on the IEEE 802.11 specifications. It was developed to be used for mobile computing devices, such as laptops, in LANs, but is now increasingly used for more services, including Internet and VoIP phone access, gaming, and basic connectivity of consumer electronics such as televisions and DVD players, or digital cameras. More standards are in development that will allow Wi-Fi to be used by cars in highways in support of an Intelligent Transportation System to increase safety, gather statistics, and enable mobile commerce.

A WIRELESS INTERNET integrates a wireless access point with an IP router and an ethernet switch. The integrated switch connects the integrated access point and the integrated ethernet router internally, and allows for external wired ethernet LAN devices to be connected as well as a (usually) single WAN device such as cable modem or DSL modem. A wireless router advantageously allows all three devices (mainly the access point and router) to be configured through one central configuration utility, usually through an integrated web server.

Answer 2

They are just different devices. What are the 4 devices that you are connecting to use for their connection medium? Is that going to be wireless or an ethernet cable? That will give you your answer. Most wireless routers in that price range have very similar ranges. That big thing you need to worry about are interference that will block or diminish the signal. Dense objects between the computer and router like metal, concrete, etc. A ton of other WiFi signals running on the same channel is another thing.