The 802.11 Standard and Its Variations
Generally, the core 802.11 standard is intended to specify a way for computers to network using the 2.4GHz and 5GHz free spectrums I just explained. (When computers network, it is said that they are forming a local area network, or LAN. When computers network wirelessly, it is called a Wireless LAN, or WLAN.)
The 802.11b Standard
When you say “Wi-Fi” today, you probably mean 802.11b, which is a subset of the general 802.11 standard. Most Wi-Fi devices that are currently in operation are using 802.11b. However, technology moves quickly, and 802.11g is gaining momentum fast.
The full 802.11b specification document is more than 500 pages long, but here are the key things to know about 802.11b:
The 802.11b standard ...
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