newbie: Understanding antennas and wifi

[90boosted]

First off, let me give a short introduction:
I'm a mechanical engineering student on leave of absence. I've always been interested in electronics, and I have a pretty broad background in computers. And I'm really interested in wifi, rf, and wireless communication.

To summarize; I have free time, and I want to learn.

I'm hoping there will be people on this forum that understand what it's like to be interested in a subject but unsure of where to begin. I have always found electronics fascinating, and I'd really like to understand how it all functions and how it is designed. So I've been reading on antennas and made some attempts at creating my own. But I'd really like to go beyond this.

One area of interest has always been cellular and wifi communications. How do cell phones / wifi networks transmit information? What are their limitations? How can it be improved?

I remember learning about automotive mechanics - at first it was overwhelming because it seems like there are endless parts and pieces to understand, but with the right teaching, anything can be easy. It just takes a skillful person to break it down and explain it well. That's what I'm hoping to find here.

So what do you suggest I read? Who can give me some insight on where to start?

Much Thanks!

[Dutch]

So what do you suggest I read? Who can give me some insight on where to start?

Much Thanks!

"Wardriving: Drive, Detect, Defend", by Thorn, Roamer and Russ Rogers.
If you get only one book on the subject of wardriving, get that one. You won't regret it.

Dutch