WLAN Wi-fi-What's the difference?

[Guest Movieman]

Hi

have just upgraded from a vario I to a Vario III from T-mobile. Free handset on the Flex web n walk 25 plan. BTW T-Mobile offered the free upgrade because of all the hassle I had over 6 days of Links losing it, finding it, losing it again at their depot when Royal Mail were on strike.

I don't know if this a stupid question but,what is the difference between using wi-fi and WLAN? I've connected to both using my bt homehub and can't tell the difference.

When I connect using my local coffee shop, it only allows me to do so through WLAN connection not Wi-fi.

Also I've heard about the Vario III having HSDPA but don't appear to have an "H" showing whether I use Wi-fi or WLAN connections. There is a "G" at the top of my today screen but no "H". I did read elsewhere on the forum that you can tell whether you are HSDPA enabled by checking your account on mytmobile but the site is down for maintenance. (It is 4am though and they probably thought it was safe to do so. LOL!)

Edited October 24, 2007 by Movieman

[Guest Neil5459]

WiFi and WLAN are different terms for the essentially same thing: Wireless Networking, or Wireless LAN: Tis protocol connects to a low powered local access point or router, which has wired links to external networks.

Phone data connections are a different thing, and comprise GPRS (G Icon) , 3G or UMTS (3g or U Icon) and HSDPA (H Icon); HSPDA will only show whilst high speed data is actually being accessed and it is a superset of the 3G signal. You may also see an E Icon for Edge, which is a higher speed version of GPRS.

So, whichever icon shows in the taskbar, tells you which connection you are on. If you are only seeing G, it means you are connected via GPRS. This may be because you are not in a 3G area, your location is in a 3G blindspot, or your phone is not setup for 3G (unlikely unless you'v changed the settings). So, you won't see the H signal unless you are already connected via 3G, and are in an HSDPA provisioned area.

Try going to somewhere where there is a good 3G signal, then download something to see if the H icon appears. If not, you may need to call CS or Tech Support to have it enabled on your account.

[Guest Paul (MVP)]

And remember the 'H' only appears when actually transferring data, after which it reverts back to '3G'.

P