The international standard 802.11 of the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) governs wireless local-area network (LAN) technologies that operate on unlicensed portions of the radio-frequency spectrum. Such technologies enable computers to communicate wirelessly with each other or with a wired LAN over a distance of up to about 100 m (300 ft) in a normal office environment. Wireless fidelity (Wi-Fi®) refers to IEEE 802.11–based wireless LAN technologies that have passed interoperability tests designed by the Wi-Fi Alliance (formerly the Wireless Ethernet Compatibility Alliance), an industry organization of vendors of 802.11 wireless LAN products. Wi-Fi is extensively deployed in public areas, such as airport terminals, hotel lobbies, and coffee shops, so that customers can easily use their laptop computers to access the Internet and retrieve and send e-mails and other forms of communication.