January 2008
Intermediate to advanced
336 pages
9h 43m
English
The first Wi-Fi method to reach the marketplace was the 802.11b version in 1999, and the faster 802.11a followed about a year later, though the standards were released at the same time. By 2003, the IEEE standards group had developed the newer 802.11g specification that offered the best of both earlier types: It's as fast as 802.11a, and it has the greater signal range of 802.11b. The 802.11g specification is also backward compatible with 802.11b, so an older 802.11b-only network adapter will work (albeit at slower 802.11b speeds) with an 802.11g access point.
There are also specifications designated as 802.11c, d, e and f, but they have to do with things like bridge operation and Quality of Service (QoS). Unless you're ...