Editing Wi-Fi (section)

== History ==
{{main|IEEE 802.11#History}}

A 1985 ruling by the U.S. Federal Communications Commission released parts of the [[ISM band]]s for unlicensed use for communications.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.marcus-spectrum.com/documents/81413RO.txt |format=txt |title=Authorization of Spread Spectrum Systems Under Parts 15 and 90 of the FCC Rules and Regulations |publisher=Federal Communications Commission of the USA |date=18 June 1985 |access-date=31 August 2007 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070928054826/http://www.marcus-spectrum.com/documents/81413RO.txt |archive-date=28 September 2007 }}</ref> These frequency bands include the same 2.4&nbsp;GHz bands used by equipment such as [[microwave oven]]s, and are thus subject to interference.<ref name="scienceabc" />

In 1991 in [[Nieuwegein]], the [[NCR Corporation]] and [[AT&T Corporation|AT&T]] invented the precursor to 802.11,<ref name="birth" /> intended for use in cashier systems, under the name [[WaveLAN]]. NCR's [[Vic Hayes]], who held the chair of IEEE 802.11 for ten years, along with [[Bell Labs]] engineer Bruce Tuch, approached the [[Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers]] (IEEE) to create a standard and were involved in designing the initial 802.11b and 802.11a specifications within the IEEE.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://news.cnet.com/1200-1070-975460.html |title=Vic Hayes – Wireless Vision |author=Ben Charny |date=6 December 2002 |website=[[CNET]] |access-date=30 April 2011 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120826164642/http://news.cnet.com/1200-1070-975460.html |archive-date=26 August 2012 }}</ref> They have both been subsequently inducted into the Wi-Fi NOW Hall of Fame.<ref>{{cite news|title=Vic Hayes & Bruce Tuch inducted into the Wi-Fi Now Hall of Fame|url=https://wifinowglobal.com/news-and-blog/vic-hayes-bruce-tuch-inducted-into-the-wi-fi-now-hall-of-fame/|newspaper=Wi-Fi Now Global|date=8 November 2019|access-date=27 November 2020|archive-date=7 December 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201207194505/https://wifinowglobal.com/news-and-blog/vic-hayes-bruce-tuch-inducted-into-the-wi-fi-now-hall-of-fame/|url-status=live|last1=Hetting |first1=Claus }}</ref>

In 1989 in Australia, a team of scientists began working on wireless LAN technology.<ref>{{Cite journal |last=Rimmer |first=Matthew |date=27 April 2007 |title=CSIRO wins Wi-Fi patent litigation |url=https://eprints.qut.edu.au/215127/1/132231.pdf |journal=Australian Intellectual Property Newsletter Archive |via=QUT}}</ref> A prototype [[test bed]] for a [[wireless local area network]] (WLAN) was developed in 1992 by a team of researchers from the Radiophysics Division of the [[CSIRO]] (Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation) in Australia, led by [[John O'Sullivan (engineer)|John O'Sullivan]].<ref name="csirowifi" /> A patent for Wi Fi was lodged by the CSIRO in 1992.<ref name="O’Sullivan 147–147">{{Cite journal |last=O’Sullivan |first=John |date=February 2018 |title=How we made the wireless network |url=https://www.nature.com/articles/s41928-018-0027-y |journal=Nature Electronics |language=en |volume=1 |issue=2 |pages=147 |doi=10.1038/s41928-018-0027-y |s2cid=257090965 |issn=2520-1131}}</ref>

The first version of the 802.11 protocol was released in 1997, and provided up to 2&nbsp;Mbit/s link speeds. This was updated in 1999 with [[802.11b]] to permit 11&nbsp;Mbit/s link speeds.

In 1999, the [[Wi-Fi Alliance]] formed as a trade association to hold the Wi-Fi trademark under which most IEEE 802.11 products are sold.<ref>{{cite web |title= Wi-Fi Alliance: Organization |publisher= Official industry association Web site |url= http://www.wi-fi.org/organization.php |access-date= 23 August 2011 |url-status=live |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20090903004711/http://www.wi-fi.org/organization.php |archive-date= 3 September 2009 }}</ref>
[[File:Apple Airport Extreme 802.11g card.jpg|thumb|Apple Airport Extreme installed in an iBook G4]]
The major commercial breakthrough came with [[Apple Inc.]] adopting Wi-Fi for their [[iBook]] series of laptops in 1999.<ref name="birth"/> It was the first mass consumer product to offer Wi-Fi network connectivity, which was then branded by Apple as [[AirPort]].<ref>{{cite news|access-date=2 January 2023|date=12 July 2004|language=en|quote=in July 1999 Apple introduced Wi-Fi as an option on its new iBook computers, under the brand name AirPort|title=A brief history of Wi-Fi|url=https://www.economist.com/technology-quarterly/2004/06/12/a-brief-history-of-wi-fi|newspaper=[[The Economist]]|archive-date=2 January 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230102075107/https://www.economist.com/technology-quarterly/2004/06/12/a-brief-history-of-wi-fi|url-status=live}}<!-- auto-translated by Module:CS1 translator --></ref> This was in collaboration with the same group that helped create the standard: [[Vic Hayes]], Bruce Tuch, [[Cees Links]], Rich McGinn, and others from [[Lucent]].<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/1999/07/22/business/apple-offers-imac-s-laptop-offspring-the-ibook.html|title=Apple Offers iMac's Laptop Offspring, the iBook|author=Steve Lohr|newspaper=[[The New York Times]]|date=22 July 1999|access-date=28 November 2020|archive-date=2 February 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170202003816/http://www.nytimes.com/1999/07/22/business/apple-offers-imac-s-laptop-offspring-the-ibook.html|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.nytimes.com/1999/11/25/technology/state-of-the-art-not-born-to-be-wired.html?pagewanted=all|title=State of the Art; Not Born To Be Wired|first=Peter H.|last=Lewis|newspaper=The New York Times|date=25 November 1999|access-date=28 November 2020|archive-date=2 February 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170202002735/http://www.nytimes.com/1999/11/25/technology/state-of-the-art-not-born-to-be-wired.html?pagewanted=all|url-status=live}}</ref>

In 2000, Radiata, a group of Australian scientists connected to the CSIRO, were the first to use the 802.11a standard on chips connected to a Wi-Fi network.<ref name="O’Sullivan 147–147"/>

Wi-Fi uses a large number of [[patent]]s held by multiple different organizations.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://standards.ieee.org/about/sasb/patcom/patents/|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120410074816/http://standards.ieee.org/about/sasb/patcom/pat802_11.html|url-status=live|title=IEEE SA – Records of IEEE Standards-Related Patent Letters of Assurance|archive-date=10 April 2012|website=[[IEEE]]}}</ref> Australia,<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.australiangeographic.com.au/journal/world-changing-aussie-inventions.htm|title=World changing Aussie inventions|work=[[Australian Geographic]]| archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111215082408/http://www.australiangeographic.com.au/journal/world-changing-aussie-inventions.htm|archive-date=15 December 2011|url-status=dead}}</ref> the United States<ref>{{cite web |last1=Field |first1=Shivaune |title=Hedy Lamarr: The Incredible Mind Behind Secure WiFi, GPS And Bluetooth |url=https://www.forbes.com/sites/shivaunefield/2018/02/28/hedy-lamarr-the-incredible-mind-behind-secure-wi-fi-gps-bluetooth/?sh=5871237541b7 |work=forbes.com |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230419123256/https://www.forbes.com/sites/shivaunefield/2018/02/28/hedy-lamarr-the-incredible-mind-behind-secure-wi-fi-gps-bluetooth/?sh=5871237541b7 |access-date=19 April 2023|archive-date=19 April 2023 }}</ref> and the Netherlands<ref>{{cite web |last1=Van Der Meer |first1=Hilde |title=10 Inventions You Didn't Know Were Dutch |url=https://investinholland.com/news/10-inventions-didnt-know-dutch/ |website=investinholland.com |date=26 March 2018 |publisher=Netherlands Foreign Investment Agency |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230419124142/https://investinholland.com/news/10-inventions-didnt-know-dutch/ |access-date=19 April 2023|archive-date=19 April 2023 }}</ref> simultaneously claim the invention of Wi-Fi, and a consensus has not been reached globally.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://arstechnica.com/tech-policy/news/2012/04/how-the-aussie-government-invented-wifi-and-sued-its-way-to-430-million.ars|title=How the Aussie government "invented WiFi" and sued its way to $430 million|last=Mullin|first=Joe|date=4 April 2012|work=[[Ars Technica]]|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120508201202/http://arstechnica.com/tech-policy/news/2012/04/how-the-aussie-government-invented-wifi-and-sued-its-way-to-430-million.ars|archive-date=8 May 2012|url-status=live}}</ref><ref name="patent-troll">{{cite news|url=https://www.cbsnews.com/news/australias-biggest-patent-troll-goes-after-at038t-verizon-and-t-mobile/|title=Australia's Biggest Patent Troll Goes After AT&T, Verizon and T-Mobile|last=Popper|first=Ben|date=3 June 2010|work=[[CBS News]]|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130506135649/http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-505124_162-43340647/australias-biggest-patent-troll-goes-after-at038t-verizon-and-t-mobile/|archive-date=6 May 2013|url-status=live}}</ref> In 2009, the Australian [[CSIRO]] was awarded $200 million after a patent settlement with 14 technology companies, with a further $220 million awarded in 2012 after legal proceedings with 23 companies.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Brodkin |first1=Jon |date=31 March 2012 |title=WiFi patent case results in $229 million payment to Australian government |url=https://arstechnica.com/tech-policy/2012/04/wifi-patent-case-results-in-229m-payment-to-australian-government/ |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230419131311/https://arstechnica.com/tech-policy/2012/04/wifi-patent-case-results-in-229m-payment-to-australian-government/ |archive-date=19 April 2023 |access-date=19 April 2023 |website=Ars Technica}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.smh.com.au/technology/australian-scientists-cash-in-on-wifi-invention-20120331-1w5gx.html|title=Australian scientists cash in on Wi-Fi invention|last=Schubert|first=Misha|date=31 March 2012|work=[[The Sydney Morning Herald]]|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120401162238/http://www.smh.com.au/it-pro/government-it/australian-scientists-cash-in-on-wifi-invention-20120331-1w5gx.html|archive-date=1 April 2012|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.abc.net.au/news/2012-04-01/csiro-receives-payment-for-wifi-technology/3925814|title=CSIRO wins legal battle over wi-fi patent|date=1 April 2012|work=[[ABC News (Australia)|ABC News]]|access-date=27 February 2019|archive-date=7 August 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190807090636/https://www.abc.net.au/news/2012-04-01/csiro-receives-payment-for-wifi-technology/3925814|url-status=live}}</ref>

In 2016, the CSIRO's WLAN prototype test bed was chosen as Australia's contribution to the exhibition ''[[A History of the World in 100 Objects]]'' held in the [[National Museum of Australia]].<ref name="csirowifi" />