Both wired and wireless networks can be very hard to understand since many parameters work together and have different meanings.
Some of those parameters are also WiFi standards, and in this article, we will try to tell you as much as we can about them in a more objective, generalized way.
Have you been wondering what a WiFi standard is and which WiFi standard am I using? This article is where you will find your answer!
WiFi standards can generally be understood as descriptions of the capabilities of WiFi hardware, its bandwidth, data transfer speeds, and frequency. Depending on your device and operating system, there are several ways to learn what WiFi standard you’re using.
A General Understanding of Wifi Standards
To better understand WiFi standards, we need to separate them historically by how they were developed and characterized.
The most common name for a WiFi standard that you will encounter is IEEE 802.11. The Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers(IEEE) set this standard in 1997, updating it regularly every few years.
The different types of WiFi standards as determined by the IEEE
The universal 802.11 standards have received updates throughout the years in the form of letters. Each letter describes the generation of WiFi standards, and since 2018, the WiFi Alliance has changed the names of these standards for easier identification.
Below we will cover all of the standards chronologically and by their characteristics.
The 802.11 standard, released in 1997
This is the first and oldest WiFi standard, which operates on the 2.4GHz radio frequency. It has two different transmission speeds of 1 and 2Mbps, depending on how the data traveled through the frequency.
This standard has been outdated for many years and is way too slow to cover traffic demands by modern devices.
The 802.11a and 802.11b standards, called WiFi 1 and 2, were released in 1999
The 802.11a is the first WiFi standard to have a 5GHz bandwidth, with data transfer speeds of up to 54Mbps. With this bandwidth size, it was hoped that there would be less network interference between devices, but it lacked coverage.
802.11b was also introduced the same year as a counterpart to 802.11a with significant coverage but at lower speeds. This WiFi standard operated at a 2.4GHz bandwidth and had a data transfer rate of up to 11Mbps.
The 802.11g standard, also called WiFi 3, was released in 2003
In 2003, the 802.11g standard allowed 2.4GHz bandwidth devices to have data transfer speeds of up to 54Mbps. This technology was revolutionary and gained quick acceptance.
The 802.11n standard, also called WiFi 4, was released in 2009
This was the most popular WiFi standard until two years ago because it could operate on the same network at 2.4GHz and 5GHz, providing transfer speeds of up to 600Mbps.
The 802.11ac standard, also called WiFi 5, was released in 2014
The most widely used WiFi Standard today is the 802.11ac standard, which provides coverage for both 2.4GHz and 5GHz bandwidths while allowing for data transfer rates of up to 1.300Mbps or 1.3Gbps.
The 802.11ax standard, also called WiFi 6, was released in 2019
This is the newest and still evolving standard, which also operates on both bandwidths and has data transfer capabilities of staggering 10Gbps.
Read more: What Is a WiFi Dongle?
How to Find Which WiFi Standard Am I Using
Now that we’ve given you a general overview of all the WiFi standards in chronological order let’s look at how you can find the standard of your WiFi network, depending on your device.
Checking the WiFi standard on a Windows device
If you’re using an 11, 10, or earlier version of Windows on your computer, there are several ways to check the WiFi standard.
In Windows 10 or 11, go into the “Settings” menu and search for “Network and Internet”. Select the “WiFi” option from that panel and choose “Hardware Properties”. A list will appear here, and the parameter to look for is “Protocol”, which will describe your current WiFi standard.
You can do the same through the “Device Manager” menu by right-clicking your device’s network adapter and choosing “Properties.”
An alternative way is to use the command prompt and request a version of the WiFi drivers and all the other WiFi information. To do this, select the “cmd” icon in your start menu, and write “netsh wlan show drivers” before pressing Enter. Under the options that appear, search for the one that says “Radio types supported,” which shows the WiFi standard you are using.
Checking the WiFi standard on a macOS device
To check your WiFi standard using your mac, you only need to hold the Option key and press the WiFi icon in the menu bar. This will expand the window, showing you all the network parameters, including the PHY or Physical layer of the device, together with the WiFi standard.
Checking the WiFi standard on a Linux device
If you’re using Linux, then using its command terminal will give you information about your current WiFi standard.
Simply type “sudo lshw -C network”, and all the hardware information about the network devices will appear. Then, look for a description parameter named wireless interface, containing the product information and serial number. You can use that information to search and find the WiFi standard on the web.
Checking the WiFi Standard on Android or iOS-based devices
Unfortunately, there is not yet an option implemented on Android and iOS that allows you to view your network’s WiFi standard. However, you can use third-party apps to determine the standard, and “WiFi Analyzer” is a good choice.
You can also check what WiFi standards your phone supports by searching for them online. GSMArena.com is a good website to find all the useful information about smartphones you can imagine.
Read more: What Is a Hidden Network?
Conclusion
We hope this article will prove helpful and that finding which WiFi standard am I using will be easy after following our instructions. Besides, you now also have a general understanding of all the different WiFi standards and will be able to help others with this problem as well.