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| Generation | Visual | IEEE standard |
Adopted | Maximum link rate (Mbit/s) |
Radio frequency (GHz) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| — | — | 802.11 | 1997 | 1–2 | 2.4 |
| — | — | 802.11b | 1999 | 1–11 | 2.4 |
| — | — | 802.11a | 1999 | 6–54 | 5 |
| — | — | 802.11g | 2003 | 2.4 | |
| Wi-Fi 4 | 
|
802.11n | 2009 | 6.5–600 | 2.4, 5 |
| Wi-Fi 5 | 
|
802.11ac | 2013 | 6.5–6933 | 5[a] |
| Wi-Fi 6 | 
|
802.11ax | 2021 | 0.4–9608 | 2.4, 5 |
| Wi-Fi 6E | 6[b] | ||||
| Wi-Fi 7 | 
|
802.11be | 2024[c] | 0.4–23,059 | 2.4, 5, 6 |
| Wi-Fi 8[1][2] | — | 802.11bn | 100,000 | 2.4, 5, 6 |
IEEE 802.11a-1999 or 802.11a was an amendment to the IEEE 802.11 wireless local network specifications that defined requirements for an orthogonal frequency-division multiplexing (OFDM) communication system. It was originally designed to support wireless communication in the unlicensed national information infrastructure (U-NII) bands (in the 5–6 GHz frequency range) as regulated in the United States by the Code of Federal Regulations, Title 47, Section 15.407.
Originally described as clause 17 of the 1999 specification, it is now defined in clause 18 of the 2012 specification and provides protocols that allow transmission, and reception of data at rates of 1.5 to 54 Mbit/s. It has seen widespread worldwide implementation, particularly within the corporate workspace. While the original amendment is no longer valid, the term "802.11a" is still used by wireless access point (cards and routers) manufacturers to describe interoperability of their systems at 5.8 GHz, 54 Mbit/s (54 x 106 bits per second).
802.11 is a set of IEEE standards that govern wireless networking transmission methods. They are commonly used today in their 802.11a, 802.11b, 802.11g, 802.11n, 802.11ac and 802.11ax versions to provide wireless connectivity in the home, office and some commercial establishments.
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- ^ Reshef, Ehud; Cordeiro, Carlos (2023). "Future Directions for Wi-Fi 8 and Beyond". IEEE Communications Magazine. 60 (10). IEEE. doi:10.1109/MCOM.003.2200037. Retrieved 2024-05-21.
- ^ Giordano, Lorenzo; Geraci, Giovanni; Carrascosa, Marc; Bellalta, Boris (November 21, 2023). "What Will Wi-Fi 8 Be? A Primer on IEEE 802.11bn Ultra High Reliability". arXiv:2303.10442.