Quiz Entry - updated: 2026.07.14
What are the main 802.11 WLAN standards, and what frequency band, speed, and features does each offer?
The standards evolved from 802.11b (2.4 GHz, 11 Mbps) through 802.11n/ac (MIMO, gigabit speeds) to 802.11ax (Wi-Fi 6, OFDMA, multi-band). Each generation dramatically increased throughput.
| Standard | Wi-Fi Name | Frequency | Max Speed | Key Innovation |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 802.11 | — | 2.4 GHz | 2 Mbps | Original standard |
| 802.11a | — | 5 GHz | 54 Mbps | Higher frequency, shorter range, not compatible with b/g |
| 802.11b | — | 2.4 GHz | 11 Mbps | First widely adopted, good wall penetration |
| 802.11g | — | 2.4 GHz | 54 Mbps | Backward compatible with 802.11b |
| 802.11n | Wi-Fi 4 | 2.4 + 5 GHz | 600 Mbps | MIMO — multiple antennas for parallel data streams |
| 802.11ac | Wi-Fi 5 | 5 GHz | 1.3+ Gbps | MU-MIMO, up to 8 antennas, wider channels |
| 802.11ax | Wi-Fi 6/6E | 2.4 + 5 + 6 GHz | 9.6 Gbps | OFDMA, HEW (High-Efficiency Wireless), supports 1-7 GHz |
2.4 GHz vs 5 GHz trade-offs:
- 2.4 GHz: Better range and wall penetration, but only 3 non-overlapping channels (1, 6, 11) and crowded spectrum (microwaves, Bluetooth interfere)
- 5 GHz: More channels (24+), less interference, higher throughput, but shorter range and worse wall penetration
Go deeper:
IEEE 802.11 (Wikipedia) — comparison table of a/b/g/n/ac/ax bands, speeds, and MIMO/OFDMA features.