Wireless Network Standards
What are the differences between 802.11b, 802.11a, 802.11g, and 802.11n wireless LANs? Are the standards beneficial in the field of wireless networking or do they limit new technologies?
There are different standards to wireless technology that could in the near future limit the way the wireless technology runs and also limit the amount of power the wireless industry could have. The 802.11 standards are how fast data can be transferred from that type of hardware. For example 802.11a uses the same core protocol as the original standards. This standard operates at 5 GHz and allows up to a raw 54 Mb/s. Now, on the other hand, 802.11b allows a maximum of 11 Mb/s. These types of devices operate at 2.4 GHz ranges that receive a lot of interference with other things such as microwaves and baby monitors. These standards limit the speed that data can be transferred across them. This could limit technology. Although from about 1997 until now (2009) wireless technology has come a long way.
Within the future it is believed that different standards will develop due to the fact that the world always has had the fastest and best technology out there. Overall these standards may hold back new technologies, but within time the new technologies will develop new standards themselves in order to operate at faster data rates and different frequencies.
