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2.5.2. Wireless Standards and Frequencies

802.11 Wi-Fi Standards:
StandardNameFrequencyMax SpeedKey Feature
802.11a—5 GHz54 MbpsLegacy
802.11b—2.4 GHz11 MbpsLegacy
802.11g—2.4 GHz54 MbpsLegacy
802.11nWi-Fi 42.4/5 GHz600 MbpsMIMO
802.11acWi-Fi 55 GHz only6.9 GbpsMU-MIMO, wider channels
802.11axWi-Fi 6/6E2.4/5/6 GHz9.6 GbpsOFDMA, better density
Frequency Trade-offs:
  • 2.4 GHz: Longer range, better wall penetration, more interference (microwaves, Bluetooth), only 3 non-overlapping channels
  • 5 GHz: Shorter range, less interference, more channels available
  • 6 GHz: Wi-Fi 6E only, least congestion, shortest range
Alvin Varughese
Written byAlvin Varughese
Founder•15 professional certifications