Wi-Fi Standards

Wi-Fi Standards (802.11 a/b/g/n/ac)

Wi-Fi standards are developed by the IEEE and fall under the 802.11 family. Here’s a breakdown of key standards:

• 802.11a:
  • Frequency: 5 GHz
  • Speed: Up to 54 Mbps
  • Range: Shorter range, higher interference resistance
  • Use: Often used in enterprise environments.
• 802.11b:
  • Frequency: 2.4 GHz
  • Speed: Up to 11 Mbps
  • Range: Longer range, more interference (from devices like microwaves, Bluetooth).
• 802.11g:
  • Frequency: 2.4 GHz
  • Speed: Up to 54 Mbps
  • Range: Similar to 802.11b, backward-compatible with 802.11b.
• 802.11n:
  • Frequency: 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz (dual-band)
  • Speed: Up to 600 Mbps (with MIMO – multiple input, multiple output antennas)
  • Range: Greater than previous standards.
• 802.11ac:
  • Frequency: 5 GHz
  • Speed: Up to 1.3 Gbps
  • Features: Wider channels, better MIMO, beamforming for improved performance.