Wireless network interface controller

A wireless network interface controller (WNIC) is a network interface controller that connects to a wireless network, such as Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, or LTE (4G) or 5G rather than a wired network, such as an Ethernet network. It consists of a modem, an automated radio transmitter and receiver which operate in the background, exchanging digital data in the form of data packets with other wireless devices or wireless routers using radio waves radiated by an antenna, linking the devices together transparently in a computer network.

Source: Wikipedia — Wireless network interface controller (CC BY-SA 4.0)