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Wireless technology started with the good 'ol 802.11b, but has been rapidly advancing forward. Today, we will explore your Frequently Asked Questions regarding the vast field of wireless networking.
What are the different types of wireless standards?
There are currently four different types of wireless standards: 802.11b, 802.11g, 802.11a, and the new 802.11n, or MIMO technology.
What are the speeds and frequencies of the four types of wireless standards?
The first wireless standard to develop, 802.11b, is currently the slowest, peaking at 11MB/sec, operating at a frequency of 2.4GHz. Next came 802.11g, which peaks at 54MB/sec, or about 5x faster than 802.11b. Wireless G also operates at 2.4GHz. 802.11a operates at 54MB/sec as well, but at a frequency of 5GHz. 802.11n will operate at 108MB/sec. Supposedly, wireless N is 10x faster than G and A and 40x faster than B. I am not sure currently what frequency wireless N operates at.
What are advantages & disdvantages of each wireless standard?
Wireless B was the first standard to be used, and it is currently the most widely used WiFi-type in the world. It is easy to set up, has good reliability, and has a relatively decent range. But, wireless B is the slowest, peaking at ~11MB/sec. It also operates at a frequency of 2.4GHz, meaning it can interfere with the frequencies of cordless phones and microwaves. This will decrease performance. Wireless G, however, is catching up to B.
Wireless G has the same advantages of B, except that it operates at 54MB/sec. However, G also has the same disadvantages as B.
Wireless A operates at 54MB/sec as well, but on a 5GHz frequency. The advantage that 802.11a has over 802.11g & 802.11b is that frequencies generated by phones and microwaves will not interfere with it. Most phones and microwaves operate at 2.4GHz frequency, meaning if you have a wireless G or B system next to or near the phone/microwave, your network performance will decrease because the radio waves from the phone/microwave will interfere with that of the wireless network. The pitfall of A is that it has the poorest range. If you do not have an access point in line of sight, A will fail miserably. To solve this, you will need several access points, as opposed to needing only one for B and G.
Wireless N operates at 108MB/sec. It offers the longest range by using MIMO technology: multiple in, multiple out. Products using wireless N increase their throughput and range by using multiple smart antennas that optimize transmissions depending on the location of client devices. Previous standards of wireless transmitted signals in all directions. N is able to focus the signal, making it stronger. The only pitfall of N is that it poor in short distances. If you have a long range network and want speed, N is the way to go. Also, N provides the most secure encryption, WPA2. We will discuss the different forms of encryption in the next section.
What are the different standards of wireless encryption?
WEP (wired equivalent privacy)- This form of wireless encryption is the easiest to break, although it is the most commonly used throughout the world. This is due to the fact that WEP is implemented in every WiFi device ever created since it was part of the original 802.11b design. Unless more expensive hardware is bought, WEP is and will be the only choice for most home users. Of course, having some encryption is better than having no encryption.
WPA (WiFi protected access)- I would recommend that WPA-PSK be used for all home & business users. PSK stands for Pre-Shared Key mode. The other mode is \"enterprise,\" which requires the use of an authenticating server. WPA-PSK uses the same encryption cipher as WEP, but in different and more hacker-resistant ways.
WPA2 (WiFi protected access 2)- This is the highest level of encryption, providing the strongest form of protection. WPA2 encryption requires its own dedicated chip, meaning it's difficult to upgrade from WPA to WPA2 encryption. WPA2 is overkill for most home and small business because it slows down the network immensely and provides too much protection. The only current router which has this feature is the U.S. Robotics Wireless MaxG.
If you have any questions/comments regarding this guide, please send me a PM.
?Cyber InfoTech Forums
Last edited by Predator on Wed Nov 01, 2006 10:39 pm; edited 1 time in total
Contributed by Predator, Guest 510 iVirtua Loyalty Points • • • Back to Top
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