Final answer:
CSMA/CA is a protocol used by Wi-Fi to regulate access to a shared wireless medium. It involves steps such as carrier sense, collision avoidance, transmission, acknowledgment, and data retransmission.
Step-by-step explanation:
The CSMA/CA process used by Wi-Fi stands for Carrier Sense Multiple Access with Collision Avoidance. It is a protocol used to regulate how devices access a shared wireless medium, such as a Wi-Fi network. The steps of the CSMA/CA process are as follows:
- Carrier Sense: A device listens to the wireless medium to check if it is idle or in use by another device.
- Collision Avoidance: If the medium is busy, the device waits for a random period before attempting to transmit its data.
- Transmission: Once the medium is idle, the device can transmit its data.
- Acknowledgment: The receiving device sends an acknowledgment signal back to the transmitting device to confirm successful reception.
- Data Retransmission: If the acknowledgment is not received, the transmitting device assumes a collision occurred and waits for a random period before attempting to retransmit the data.
This process helps to prevent collisions and ensures fair access to the wireless medium for all devices in the network.