We explain the difference between WiFi and Hotspot with table. The data subscription plan provided by the Internet service provider is not only the only option for accessing the Internet today. There are many other ways our smartphone offers to share and access the Internet.
We can share our Internet connection with nearby devices via wifi and bluetooth access points. Although wifi access point is a term in common use, there are significant differences between wifi and access point.
Wifi is synonymous with wireless fidelity. It is a set of protocols to access the Internet without the need for cables. Its range is limited to a local area network (LAN).
A hotspot is a physical location that identifies a local area network. Create many wireless access points for users. These points can then be accessed via wifi or bluetooth from a network device.
The difference between wifi and hotspot is that wifi is a set of protocols for accessing and sharing the internet through a local area network, while the hotspot is a physical location where a central device provides internet access to multiple devices.
Comparison table between WiFi and Hotspot (in tabular form)
Wi-Fi access point comparison parameter
| Definition | Represents wireless fidelity. It is a wireless technology that allows access to the internet. | A hotspot is a physical location where you can access the Internet. A smartphone can also act as an access point. |
| Kind | It is a family of protocols. | It is a physical location. |
| Provided by | Provided by the Internet Service Provider. | Provided by corporations and places like hotels, libraries, etc. |
| Safety | It is safer. | It is less secure. |
| Expenses | Generally, a fee must be paid to access the Internet. | Several companies provide it for free. |
What is WiFi?
Wifi is synonymous with wireless fidelity. It is based on the IEEE 802 protocol family. It provides clients on a local area network with access to the Internet.
Almost all devices today are equipped with Wi-Fi support. We can access wifi on our smartphones, laptops, tablets, and computers.
Wi-Fi technology uses an ultra-high frequency 2.4 GHz radio band. Due to obstructions such as walls and doors, Wi-Fi range is affected.
We can configure a wifi access point allowing our smartphone to share the Internet. On a small scale, this includes connecting one or two devices to our phone with password protection.
Today, Wi-Fi offers data transfer speeds of up to 1 Gbit / s. Since it is more vulnerable to being hacked, it is protected by Wi-Fi Protected Access.
Wifi has an additional advantage over wired Ethernet. It can be used in places where cables cannot be laid.
Initially, Wired Equivalent Privacy (WEP) was designed to protect Wi-Fi networks. However, its vulnerability led to the design of Wi-Fi Protected Access (WPA). Additionally, virtual private networks (VPNs) are an effective way to keep data safe on a public Wi-Fi network.
What is Hotspot?
A hotspot is a physical location characterized by a network device that provides Internet access to clients. A hotspot can be wireless or wired.
It uses Wi-Fi as a protocol and routers as network devices to provide Internet access to devices on a wireless local area network. However, Wi-Fi is not the only option. You can also use Bluetooth and USB cable to share the Internet connection. In this case, the device is said to be connected.
There are two types of access points based on customer traffic. These are public access points and private access points.
Public access points are created using wireless access points (WAP) and routers. They are established by hotels, libraries and other organizations to provide services to visitors.
A private access point is also called a shared connection. Used to share a smartphone’s internet subscription with other nearby devices. Tethering can be done using Bluetooth sharing or a USB connection.
There are several security issues associated with the hotspot. The Wi-Fi connection must be encrypted so that hackers cannot steal valuable data. In addition, the hotspot provider has full access to the content sought by customers.
However, the popularity of hotspot access is increasing rapidly among people. From 2012 to 2018, access points worldwide increased from 5.2 million to 10.5 million.
Main differences between WiFi and Hotspot
Wifi and hotspot are not the same. Wifi is a wireless method of connecting to Internet service providers. Hotspot is the setting that provides access to the Internet.
Wifi is mainly used to configure an access point, although there are other technologies as well.
The main differences between the two are:
- Wifi stands for wireless fidelity and is a method of connecting to the local area network. On the other hand, a hotspot is a device or location that provides Internet access to one or more clients on a local area network.
- Wifi is a set of protocols, while the hotspot is a physical location.
- The internet service provider provides Wi-Fi, while the hotspot is set up by different corporations.
- Wifi is more secure as denial of access to suspicious clients is easy. On the other hand, a hotspot is less secure since anyone within range can access it.
- A higher cost is associated with accessing Wi-Fi from an ISP, while public access points are generally free to use.
Final Thought
Wifi is the new pretender for the world of networks. It has replaced complex Ethernet connections with simple wireless topology.
The United States alone has more than 50 million Wi-Fi networks. Also, almost everyone must have used their smartphone as an access point at some point.
Dial-up connections have become blurry as initiating a networking phone call is a thing of the past. Wifi was introduced to the consumer market as early as 1997.
There are many organizations that provide Internet access to visitors using access points. Some government organizations also provide free Internet access to employees for free.
It is known that the largest number of Internet users are teenagers and young children. While there are benefits of handing over the Internet and related devices to children for their mental development, there are also some serious risks.
The inquisitive and naive nature of children can make them prey to malicious people on the internet. In India alone, cyber crime has increased 457% between 2011 and 2016.
It is the responsibility of parents to be aware of and make their children aware of threats on the Internet. A scarred heart in childhood can be fatal for life.
