Question

Difficulty: MediumWireless Networking Standards and Technologies

A network technician is updating documentation for a company's wireless infrastructure. Match each IEEE 802.11 wireless standard to its defining frequency band, maximum theoretical throughput, and core technical feature.

  • IEEE 802.11aOperates exclusively in the 5 GHz band at up to 54 Mbps using OFDM modulation.
  • IEEE 802.11gOperates in the 2.4 GHz band at up to 54 Mbps while maintaining backward compatibility with 802.11b.
  • IEEE 802.11acOperates exclusively in the 5 GHz band, introducing downlink MU-MIMO and support for 160 MHz channel bonding.
  • IEEE 802.11axOperates across the 2.4 GHz, 5 GHz, and 6 GHz bands, introducing OFDMA for improved high-density client efficiency.

Answer

IEEE 802.11a matches 5 GHz operation at 54 Mbps using OFDM; IEEE 802.11g matches 2.4 GHz operation at 54 Mbps with 802.11b compatibility; IEEE 802.11ac matches 5 GHz-only operation with downlink MU-MIMO and 160 MHz channel bonding; IEEE 802.11ax matches multi-band operation (2.4/5/6 GHz) utilizing OFDMA.
Each standard is accurately paired based on its operating frequencies, maximum theoretical data rates, and characteristic features such as OFDM, MU-MIMO, or OFDMA.

Step-by-Step Solution

1
Differentiate legacy 54 Mbps standards by frequency band and compatibility
IEEE 802.11a uses 5 GHz exclusively with OFDM, while IEEE 802.11g operates on 2.4 GHz and supports legacy 802.11b devices.
Identifying frequency constraints isolates 802.11a from 802.11g.
2
Compare modern high-performance Wi-Fi standards and key modulation technologies
IEEE 802.11ac is restricted to 5 GHz with downlink MU-MIMO, whereas IEEE 802.11ax operates across 2.4 GHz, 5 GHz, and 6 GHz using OFDMA.
Wi-Fi 5 (802.11ac) is exclusively 5 GHz, whereas Wi-Fi 6 (802.11ax) brings multi-band capabilities and subcarrier channel allocation via OFDMA.

Key Concept

Operating frequencies, maximum speeds, and core technologies of IEEE 802.11 wireless networking standards.
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