Template:Wi-Fi generations

Wi-Fi generations
Generation IEEE
standard 		Adopted Maximum
link rate
(Mb/s) 		Radio
frequency
(GHz)
(Wi-Fi 0*) 802.11 1997 1–2 2.4
(Wi-Fi 1*) 802.11b 1999 1–11 2.4
(Wi-Fi 2*) 802.11a 1999 6–54 5
(Wi-Fi 3*) 802.11g 2003 2.4
Wi-Fi 4 802.11n 2009 6.5–600 2.4, 5
Wi-Fi 5 802.11ac 2013 6.5–6933 5[a]
Wi-Fi 6 802.11ax 2021 0.4–9608[1] 2.4, 5
Wi-Fi 6E 2.4, 5, 6[b]
Wi-Fi 7 802.11be exp. 2024 0.4–23,059 2.4, 5, 6[2]
Wi-Fi 8 802.11bn exp. 2028[3] 100,000[4] 2.4, 5, 6[5]
*Wi‑Fi 0, 1, 2, and 3 are named by retroactive inference.
They do not exist in the official nomenclature.[6][7][8]
  1. ^ "MCS table (updated with 80211ax data rates)". semfionetworks.com.
  2. ^ "Understanding Wi-Fi 4/5/6/6E/7". wiisfi.com.
  3. ^ Reshef, Ehud; Cordeiro, Carlos (2023). "Future Directions for Wi-Fi 8 and Beyond". IEEE Communications Magazine. 60 (10). IEEE. doi:10.1109/MCOM.003.2200037. Retrieved 2024-05-21.
  4. ^ "What is Wi-Fi 8?". everythingrf.com. March 25, 2023. Retrieved January 21, 2024.
  5. ^ Giordano, Lorenzo; Geraci, Giovanni; Carrascosa, Marc; Bellalta, Boris (November 21, 2023). "What Will Wi-Fi 8 Be? A Primer on IEEE 802.11bn Ultra High Reliability". arXiv:2303.10442.
  6. ^ Kastrenakes, Jacob (2018-10-03). "Wi-Fi Now Has Version Numbers, and Wi-Fi 6 Comes Out Next Year". The Verge. Retrieved 2019-05-02.
  7. ^ Phillips, Gavin (18 January 2021). "The Most Common Wi-Fi Standards and Types, Explained". MUO - Make Use Of. Archived from the original on 11 November 2021. Retrieved 9 November 2021.
  8. ^ "Wi-Fi Generation Numbering". ElectronicsNotes. Archived from the original on 11 November 2021. Retrieved 10 November 2021.
  1. ^ 802.11ac only specifies operation in the 5 GHz band. Operation in the 2.4 GHz band is specified by 802.11n.
  2. ^ Wi-Fi 6E is the industry name that identifies Wi-Fi devices that operate in 6 GHz. Wi-Fi 6E offers the features and capabilities of Wi-Fi 6 extended into the 6 GHz band.