Learn more about Wi-Fi radio & Internet radio

-->

What is a Wi-Fi radio?

A type of device that streams content from Internet radio stations, which (as you might expect) requires an Internet connection. As the name suggests, a Wi-Fi radio can wirelessly connect to the Internet (the source) over your home's wireless network router (the transmitter), and it acts as the direct receiver. It doesn't require connection to your computer, only to your network router.

Tip: While Wi-Fi radios don't require a connection to your computer, some offer the capability of streaming stored digital audio files (such as MP3s) from your computer's hard drive. Also, some Wi-Fi radios offer a wired Ethernet option as a feature.

What is Internet radio?

A service that streams audio to your computer or connected device from the Internet. And it comes in a variety of flavors. An Internet radio stream may duplicate the broadcast from a national or local radio station (such as the BBC or your local NPR station), or even satellite providers (such as Sirius Satellite Radio).

Some sites offer streams of music based on specified genres--from mainstream styles such as rap and hip-hop to lesser known genres such as dubstep. Other specialized services, such as Pandora, serve up a stream of music that is tailored to the sound of an artist or song that you select.

Wi-Fi radios work in multiple rooms, but you'll need to have a separate Wi-Fi radio for each room you want Internet streaming audio to be played in. On the downside, you won't be able to synchronize the audio between multiple devices. However, each room can play different audio streams.