So many letters in Wireless. With new wireless standards arriving constantly, it can easily be confusing to keep up with new 802.11 names. Wi-Fi Alliance is the group that certifies wireless products and if they meet the IEEE 802.11 standards. This is a list of the different letters behind 802.11

• EEE 802.11: This is the original standard created in 1997 but currently defunct. The version supports a maximum connection speed of 1Mbps. Unfortunately, devices using this version are no longer produced and don’t work on today’s equipment.
• IEEE 802.11a: This second version was developed in 1999 and works on a 5GHz Wi-Fi band. The version was released hoping that it will encounter less interference, especially since most devices then used the 2.4GHz band. Nonetheless, IEEE 802.11a is faster, with maximum data rates of 1.5Mbps to 54Mbps.
• IEEE 802.11b: This version was also developed in 1999 but used the typical unregulated radio signaling frequency of the 2.4GHz band. It comes with a maximum speed of 11Mbps, and it is the version that increased Wi-Fi’s popularity. Most vendors preferred using these frequencies due to low production costs. Unfortunately, its unregulated nature means that IEEE 802.11b can face interference from cordless phones, ovens, and all other devices using the 2.4GHz range.
• IEEE 802.11g: This 2003 sequel improved the maximum data rates of 54Mbps while maintaining the reliable 2.4GHz band usage, which explains its widespread adoption. Also called Wi-Fi 3, this standard combines the good features of IEEE 802.11b and IEEE 802.11a. As such, it is compatible with backward technologies, meaning that 802.11b APs can work with IEEE 802.11g adapters.
• IEEE 802.11n: The IEEE 802.11n, otherwise called Wireless N or Wi-Fi 4, was developed to improve the bandwidth rates provided by IEEE 802.11g. This standard uses several antennas and wireless signals, popularly known as MIMO technology, contrary to the one used by IEEE 802.11g. 802.11n was ratified by industry standards in 2009, enabling it to provide maximum network bandwidths of 600Mbps. It also offers a better Wi-Fi range compared to previous standards since it has a higher signal intensity. The only drawback of this standard is that it is more expensive than IEEE 802.11g.
• IEEE 802.11ac: Also called Wi-Fi 5, this Wi-Fi standard was created in 2014 and primarily supports the 5GHz frequency band. It offers increased bandwidth, with potential speeds exceeding 1Gbps using multiple spatial streams and advanced modulation techniques. While the standard operates on 5GHz for high speeds, it also supports 2.4GHz frequencies to maintain compatibility with older devices. It is backward compatible with previous Wi-Fi standards such as 802.11a/b/g/n. This was the initial Wi-Fi standard that facilitated the utilization of multiple input/multiple output (MIMO) technology, allowing the use of multiple antennas on both transmitting and receiving devices to minimize errors and enhance speed.
• IEEE 802.11ax: The IEEE 802.11ax, also known as Wi-Fi 6, is the recent and game-changing Wi-Fi standard that is up to 10 times faster than 802.11ac. It features a maximum data rate of 1.3Gbs and operates on both 2.4GHz and 5GHz frequencies.

• 802.11W: Protected Management Frame. This prevents an unauthorized user to launch a Denial of Service (DOS) attack by spoofing the MAC address of legitimate users and send the deauth/disassociation frames.
• 802.11K: A standard that, when the client supports this, helps to optimize roaming using information that the client builds up around the surrounding APs.
• 802.11r: This is also called FT (Fast Transition) and optimizes the authentication process when roaming. Can be implemented as:
  • Adaptive Supports both devices with and without 802.11r
  • Enable Devices must support 802.11r
  • None 802.11r is not supported. Works for all devices.
• 802.11v: Optimizes roaming by selecting the AP that is best suited to handle the device. It also has other features such as multicast optimization.
• 802.11d: The 802.11d protocol automatically configures Wi-Fi devices for the specific wireless communication frequencies, channel restrictions, and output power levels used in each country. This ensures seamless connectivity and legal compliance of Wi-Fi networks, facilitating international roaming for users.
• 802.11e:  The 802.11e specification provides seamless interoperability between business, home, and public environments such as airports and hotels, and offers all subscribers high-speed Internet access with full-motion video, high-fidelity audio, and VoIP.
• 802.11i: 802.11i provides improved encryption for networks that use 802.11a, 802.11b, and 802.11g standards. It requires new encryption key protocols, known as Temporal Key Integrity Protocol (TKIP) and Advanced Encryption Standard (AES).