The ABCs of Wi-FiHere's what you need to know about the most common wireless-networking standards. |
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802.11b | |
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• One of the Wi-Fi standards • Runs on three channels in 2.4GHz, unlicensed spectrum • Shares spectrum with 2.4GHz cordless phones, microwave ovens and many Bluetooth products • Transfers data at up to 11 megabits per second per channel, at distances of up to 300 feet • Interference issues: In crowded 2.4GHz frequency, people may not be able to simultaneously connect to a wireless network and use a microwave oven or a 2.4GHz cordless phone |
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802.11a | |
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• One of the Wi-Fi standards • Runs on 12 channels in 5GHz spectrum in North America, reducing interference issues • Transfers data up to five times faster than 802.11b, improving quality of streaming media, and provides extra bandwidth for big files • Is not interoperable with 802.11b, meaning data sent from an 802.11b network will not be accessed by 802.11a networks |
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802.11g | |
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• One of the Wi-Fi standards • Runs on three channels in 2.4GHz spectrum • Has the speed of 802.11a, up to five times faster than 802.11b • Is compatible with 802.11b |
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802.11n | |
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• Proposals for the high-throughput standard are being
reviewed by the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers;
MIMO is currently the primary basis for the standard and it exceeds
the range of current Wi-Fi networks, offering transfer speeds of more
than 108mbps • Approval is targeted for late 2006 • Throughput is expected to exceed 100mbps |
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