Introduction
For most of us, WiFi is a normal part of life. Not only does it allow us to stay connected at home and in public places like coffee shops and airports, but it also makes our smartphones, tablets, laptops, and other devices more convenient and usable.
You might be surprised to learn that the newest version of WiFi (WiFi 6) was released just last year!
Although the general population has a basic understanding of WiFi technology, most people have no idea how WiFi works or what different types exist out there today. In this article we’ll explore some common questions about WIFI and WIFI types.
WIFI types
- WiFi 4
WiFi 4 is has been around since the late 1990s and is commonly known as 802.11n or 802.11g.
In 2009, the IEEE approved the 802.11n wireless networking standard. It included several new features designed to improve performance and reduce power consumption.
However, it works at only one speed: 54 Mbps (megabits per second).
In 2003, the IEEE approved the 802.11g wireless networking standard that operates at 54 Mbps as well but also supports a slower speed of 11 Mbps—a third as fast as WiFi 4’s maximum theoretical throughput of 300 Mbps (megabytes per second).
Wi-Fi 4 is still the most common Wi-Fi standard, but it is quickly losing popularity
WiFi 4 is still the most common WiFi standard, but it is quickly losing popularity. Known as 802.11n or 802.11g, this type of WiFi has been around since 2003 and can reach speeds of 130 Mbps (megabits per second). It’s not uncommon to see a router with both support for 802.11n—also called 2.4GHz band—and 5GHz band—also known as 5GHz band or 5GHz frequency range.
As wireless networks have evolved over time and become more complex, users have demanded faster data transfer rates that WiFi 4 cannot deliver because of its limitations:
- interference from other electronic devices in your home
- poor performance at longer distances
- limited bandwidth capacity when many devices are connected at once
Because these issues have become increasingly problematic over time, we now look forward to newer versions like WiFi 5 which promise much greater speed improvements than anything currently available today!
- WiFi 5
WiFi 5 is more commonly known as 802.11ac and first became available in 2013.
It’s faster than previous WiFi standards, so you’ll notice a difference when you’re connected to it.
WiFi 5 uses multiple antennae, MIMO (multiple input, multiple output), and beamforming for better coverage and performance in crowded places.
This technology has been around for years, but until now it’s only been used with wired connections like Ethernet cables or power lines; now that WiFi 5 brings the same technology to wireless networks all over your home or office building at speeds up to 4 Gbps (with compatible devices).
WiFi 5 offers faster speeds than WiFi 4, increased capacity and an improved user experience compared to WIFI 4, It also offers increased range, which means you can use it in more places.
- WiFi 6
WiFi 6 became available in 2019 and is also known as 802.11ax.
It’s a faster wireless standard that promises to improve internet connection speeds, especially when multiple devices are connected at the same time.
The new standard uses more channels than previous versions of WiFi.
This means more data can be transferred at the same time, making it ideal for video streaming and gaming or any application where you want fast connectivity without lags or delays.
Many high end phones and laptops are already compatible with Wi-Fi 6,
but not all devices support the standard yet
You may have noticed that your new phone or laptop is compatible with WiFi 6 (or 802.11ax), but that doesn’t mean it has been fully implemented yet.
The technology is still rolling out, and not all devices support it yet.
For example, if you have a very new laptop from Apple or Samsung (released within the last year) that supports 802.11ax and runs on a recent version of macOS or Windows 10, then you should be able to use WiFi 6 in your home.
But if you have an older device, such as an iPhone X or Pixel 3a XL released in 2019—these phones support 802.11ax but aren’t quite ready for prime time yet; they’ll need some more time before they function properly on this faster network standard..
- WIFI 7
The next generation of Wi-Fi (Wi-Fi 7) will likely be released by the end of 2022. In addition to offering faster speeds, increased range and capacity for homes, offices, and public places alike, it will be backward compatible with all previous Wi-Fi standards.
You can expect to see many new advancements come to fruition with each new release of a Wi-Fi standard (like from previous generations).
Wi-Fi 6 will be faster than Wi-Fi 5.
Wi-Fi 6 will have better range than Wi-Fi 5.
Wi-Fi 6 will have more capacity than Wi-Fi 5.
Wi-Fi 6 will have better security than Wi-Fi 5
WIFI keeps getting better!
The first generation of wifi was 802.11b, which was released in 1999 and had a maximum speed of 11Mbps. This is the slowest and most basic type of wireless internet connection that you can get at home or in your office. The second generation was 802.11a, which has a maximum speed of 54Mbps (megabits per second). The third generation was 802.11g, which has a maximum speed of 54Mbps but also needs to be paired with another device using 802.11b or g to connect to the internet—so it’s not really its own separate ecosystem like all other generations after it were able to stand on their own two feet from the beginning without needing additional hardware capabilities from earlier generations beforehand!
The fourth generation is known as 802.11n and uses MIMO technology (Multiple In-Multiple Out) so users can access multiple devices at once through one network without slowing down speeds too much even if they’re downloading big files on several devices simultaneously; this means less lag when streaming Netflix shows while downloading new apps onto your phone!
Fifth gen technologies include Bluetooth 5 LE support so now you’ll have no trouble connecting those old headphones again! And finally sixth gen technologies include new antennas that use beam forming instead of omnidirectional waves (which means sending signals straight forward instead). As far ahead as 2022 there were plans for an eighth generation wireless standard called WiGig 2040
Conclusion
We are not sure what the future holds for Wi-Fi 7, but we do know that our favorite standards will remain strong and relevant for years to come. Wifi is a wonderful technology that keeps us connected in ways we never could have imagined.