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Home » Overview of Wi-Fi » IEEE 802.11

IEEE 802.11
IEEE 802.11 is referred to a set of standards for WLAN (wireless local area network) computer networking, created by the IEEE LAN/MAN Standards Committee (IEEE 802). The IEEE LAN/MAN Standards Committee developed the IEEE 802.11 Standard in the 5 GHz and 2.4 GHz public spectrum bands. Quite often the terms 802.11 and Wi-Fi are used interchangeably. However, the Wi-Fi Alliance uses the word Wi-Fi to describe a somewhat a different set of related standards. Owing to the market demand the Wi-Fi Alliance has started certifying products prior to the completion of amendments to the 802.11 standard.
The family of IEEE 802.11 consists of over-the-air modulation techniques which employ the same basic protocol. Those defined by the 802.11b and 802.11g protocols are among the most popular and are modifications of the original standard. Even though the first wireless networking standard was 802.11a, it was 802.11b that was the first commonly accepted one.

These standards were soon followed by the introduction of newer standards such as 802.11g and 802.11n. Security of these standards was initially weak but later improved through the 802.11i amendment after governmental and legislative changes. In the IEEE 802.11 family, the 802.11n is one of the new multi-streaming modulation technique which is still under development. However products based on 802.11n proprietary pre-draft versions are being sold and this standard notably improves speed and range. The other standards in the IEEE 802.11 family such as c–f, h, and j are service amendments or corrections to preceding specifications. The different standards under IEEE 802.11 differ according to their speed and efficiency.

The slowest and least expensive of the IEEE 802.11 Standards is the 802.11b. Initially this standard was rather popular due to its low cost but it is slowly declining in popularity as faster standards are becoming more affordable. 802.11g is among the faster standards which transmits at 2.4 GHz and can handle up to 54 megabits of data per second. The term IEEE 802.11 comes from the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE). The Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) sets standards for a series of technological protocols, and employs a numbering system to categorize these standards. There are many other new wireless networking standards being used in various technologies other than Wi-Fi. These include 802.15 used for Wireless Personal Area Networks (WPANs) covering a limited range and is used for Bluetooth technology.

The earliest version of the IEEE 802.11 standard was released in the year 1997 and clarified in 1999. The IEEE 802.11 standards are updated from time to time by means of amendments which are created by task groups (TG). With many new standards being created many new Wi-Fi enabled devices are being introduced in the market.

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