Wireless is an old-fashioned term for a radio receiver, referring to its use as a wireless telegraph; now the term is used to describe modern wireless connections such as in cellular networks and wireless broadband Internet.

In modern usage, wireless is a method of communication that uses low-powered radio waves to transmit data between devices. The term refers to communication without cables or cords, chiefly using radio frequency and infrared waves. Common uses include the various communications defined by the IrDA and the wireless networking of computers.

Low-powered radio waves, such as those used in networking to transmit data between devices, are often unregulated. High powered transmission sources usually require government licenses to broadcast on a specific wavelength.