Quiz Entry - updated: 2026.07.14
What are the four main IEEE wireless standards and their applications?
802.11 = Wi-Fi (WLAN), 802.15 = Bluetooth (WPAN), 802.16 = WiMAX (broadband access), and 802.15.4 = Zigbee (low-power IoT).
* 802.11 = Wi-Fi (WLAN), 802.15 = Bluetooth (WPAN), 802.16 = WiMAX (broadband access), 802.15.4 = Zigbee (low-power IoT). *
| Standard | Technology | Application |
|---|---|---|
| IEEE 802.11 | Wi-Fi (WLAN) | Wireless Local Area Network |
| IEEE 802.15 | Bluetooth (WPAN) | Wireless Personal Area Network (short range device-to-device) |
| IEEE 802.16 | WiMAX | Point-to-multipoint broadband wireless access |
| IEEE 802.15.4 | Zigbee | Low data-rate, low power consumption; primarily for IoT applications |
Go deeper:
-
Wi-Fi Evolution — 802.11 Standards Explained (PowerCert) — animated tour of the 802.11 Wi-Fi generations and their speeds/frequencies. -
Wireless standards (CompTIA Network+) — Professor Messer — exam-style summary of the 802.11 standards. -
IEEE 802.11 — Wikipedia — the Wi-Fi MAC/PHY standard, the most prominent of the four families.