Questions tagged [802.11]

IEEE 802.11 is a set of standards for implementing wireless local area network (WLAN) computer communication in the 2.4, 3.6 and 5 GHz frequency bands.

The 802.11 family consists of a series of over-the-air modulation techniques that use the same basic protocol. The most popular are those defined by the 802.11b and 802.11g protocols, which are amendments to the original standard. 802.11-1997 was the first wireless networking standard, but 802.11b was the first widely accepted one, followed by 802.11g and 802.11n. 802.11n is a new multi-streaming modulation technique. Other standards in the family (c–f, h, j) are service amendments and extensions or corrections to the previous specifications.

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Is it better to use a crowded 2.4GHz Wi-Fi channel 1, 6, 11 or "unused" 3, 4, 8, or 9?

I understand that 2.4GHz Wi-Fi channels overlap, and that the most popular non-overlapping set of channels in the US is 1, 6, and 11. Generally, my signal strength on channels 1, 6, and 11 are much stronger than my neighbors' on the same channel. …
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If there are 13 Wifi channels, can I only use 13 Wifi devices on the same room?

As wikipedia reference, 802.11 standards (which defines Wi-fi networks) tell us that wireless networks works with 13 different channels on OFDM (depending on the release, a, b, g or n). From this I was wondering, if I have more than 13 machines on…
Diogo
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Why use wifi channels other than 1, 6 or 11?

Wifi channels 1, 6 and 11 do not overlap. However, any channel in between them does. e.g. channel 3 would use some of the frequency band of channel 1 & 6, and channel 9 would use some of the frequency band of channel 6 & 11. Why would one choose to…
hookenz
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Can long range Wi-Fi work if one end of the connection is not using a high-gain antenna?

I am trying to understand how long range Wi-Fi works. As far as I know, Wi-Fi consists of Tx and Rx. When a laptop is connected to an access point (AP), the laptop is able to receive data from the AP (Rx) and also transmit data back to the AP…
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Is wireless n only faster than mixed mode?

I thought wireless n is backwards compatible with g and b (and wireless g is backwards compatible with b)? If this is so, why do many home routers have settings to specify "wireless n only"? I have heard using wireless n only is faster than allowing…
northerner
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linux-compatible 802.11ac usb-adapter chipset

Are there any 802.11 usb-chipsets that have linux drivers available? There are plenty of 802.11ac usb-adapters shipping already, but all I have seen only had windows support.
Zulakis
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Why is the 6 GHz band not working with my Wi-Fi 6 card?

I've recently installed an Intel Wi-Fi 6 AX210 controller to test 6 GHz wireless networks. The specifications clearly say that the device supports 2.4, 5 and 6 GHz bands, but the iw list shows that all 6 GHz frequencies are…
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What is the current version of the 802.11r standard

I'm looking for WiFi mesh standards (802.11s, 802.11r, 802.11k, 802.11v). For example I have found 802.11r-2008 on IEEE's site (here). The page says that the standard is superceded, but it doesn't point to what superceded it. I have searched for…
Kyle Sweet
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Why do I see Ethernet II protocol in Wireshark in wireless connection?

I have a small network in my home that consists of one network device named airties rt-205 and clients. Clients connect to this device via wireless and send its packet to the internet through this device. I know that 802.11x protocol is used in…
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What's the difference between a wifi access point and station?

I noticed that my (rooted) modem has some hidden modes for wifi. It has the default(and only setting without rooting) wireless access point, but it also has the settings repeater, ad-hoc, and station. What I'm really curious about is this station…
Earlz
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Windows 10 does not detect Wi-Fi as metered connection

I want Windows Wi-Fi client to detect wireless connection as metered connection. I found that 802.11 protocol supports vendor-specific information elements (IEs). Those IEs are injected into beacon and probe response wireless frames. I found that…
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How do I force 2.4 GHz Wi-Fi on Mac OS X v10.10 (Yosemite)?

I would like to force 2.4 GHz Wi-Fi on my MacBook Air, because where I am currently, everyone is on 5 GHz, and it has been clogged up, so it’s really slow.
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Is there a limit to how many separate wifi networks can successfully and securely operate within a given (building) area without interference issues?

I work for a multifamily housing developer. We build apartments. In this case, we are building a facility with about 600 beds (~220 separate housing units). The density is that of a typical apartment complex in a sub-metropolitan area. There are 4…
boulder_ruby
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How to tell if I'm using 802.11AC?

I have an ASUS USB-AC53 wireless adapter, with a Netgear 6300v2. The speeds are OK. There is 2 drywall walls separating the computer from the router, and only about 20ft. The signal strength and all is fine, but in Windows when I view the wireless…
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802.11ac mixed with 802.11g devices- will this cause slowdowns?

I'm looking to upgrade to 802.11ac on my home wifi network, and have noticed that most airplay certified wireless speakers only contain 802.11g chips. Will including one or more of these 11g devices cause problems or slowdowns with the 802.11ac data…
Dave
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