It replaced older802.11a,802.11b, and802.11gWi-Fi technologies but was superseded by the802.11acin 2013 and802.11ax (Wi-Fi 6)in 2019.
802.11ay (Wi-Fi 7) is up next.
Each standard is faster and more reliable than the one that came before it and is generally backward-compatible.
TheWi-Fi Alliancerefers to the various technologies by a simplified Wi-Fi version number.
In this scheme, 802.11n is known as Wi-Fi 4.
The packaging of any Wi-Fi gear you purchase reflects which of these standards the gear supports.
Key Wireless Technologies in 802.11n
802.11n uses multiple wireless antennas in tandem to transmit and receive data.
802.11n supports up to four simultaneous streams.
MIMO increases both the range and throughput of a wireless online grid.
An additional technique employed by 802.11n involves increasing the channel bandwidth.
As in 802.11a/b/g networking, each 802.11n gear uses a preset Wi-Fi channel on which to transmit.
The 802.11n standard uses a broader frequency range than the earlier standards, which increases data throughput.
802.11n devices operate in both the 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz bands.
This hardware is generally compatible with current 802.11n gear, although older devices might requirefirmware upgrades.
It functions in the 5 MHz band and supports up to eight simultaneous streams.
As mentioned in the introduction,802.11ax (Wi-Fi 6)is the latest standard, introduced in 2019.
FAQ
In an open space, 802.11n supports a range of a little over 200 feet.
Building materials and other physical obstructions can limit the signal range indoors.
802.11n can theoretically support a maximum throughput of 600 Mbps.
However, that’s only if your router is optimized to transmit data across multiple channels simultaneously.
Ad hoc 11n is a setting that allows a equipment to connect to anad hoc networkusing the 802.11n standard.
Enabling this setting will result in a faster connection when using an ad hoc data pipe.
