802.11 Wireless Standards

Question 1

802.11a

Answer 1

Released in October 1999.
5GHz range.
Throughput up to 54Mbit/s.
Smaller range because 5 GHz tend to be absorbed by objects in the way

Question 2

802.11b

Answer 2

Released in October 1999.
Operates on the 2.4 GHz range
Throughput of 11 Mbit/s
More range than 802.11a but many devices use 2.4 GHz -> more frequency conflicts

Question 3

802.11g

Answer 3

Released in 2003
Upgrade to 802.11b
Operated on the 2.4GHz range
Throughput of 54Mbit/s
Backwards compatible with 802.11b (if you installed an 802.11g access point, could also 802.11b)
Also had frequency conflicts because of 2.4 GHz frequency

Question 4

802.11n

Answer 4

Released in 2009
Can operate in both 5 GHz or 2.4 GHz
Up to 600 Mbit/s
Supported MIMO (multiple input, multiple output)

Question 5

802.11ac

Answer 5

Released in 2014, came with significant improvements over 802.11n
Exclusively operated in the 5GHz range 
MIMO support
7 gigabits /s
8 MIMO Streams