Many of us still remember the days when we used to connect a group of computers in one place or building, we needed Ethernet cables that extended in all directions to connect the devices, forming what is known as a Local Area Network (LAN). This scene has largely receded now after the emergence of wireless local networks known as Wi-Fi networks, which have replaced most of these cables. Computers, phones, watches, smart TVs, and smart speakers can now connect to the internet through Wi-Fi networks that are spread in homes, companies, hotels, airports, and even in streets of some cities that offer this service for free to travelers.
For some users, choosing the right device when needing to buy a Wi-Fi router or router is still complicated. They usually find themselves faced with a variety of options among different versions of Wi-Fi, which may not be clear to them, especially when terms like the code 802.11 followed by English letters (a, b, ac, ax, g, etc.) are used to name each type separately and differentiate between the different versions.
The Wi-Fi Alliance, which regulates Wi-Fi networks, recently proposed eliminating this confusion by replacing these complex labels for different Wi-Fi versions with newer, simpler labels. For example, when introducing the latest versions of Wi-Fi in the market, which are based on the IEEE 802.11be standard under the name Wi-Fi 7. What do labels like IEEE 802.11be mean? What are the main differences between the different existing versions of Wi-Fi? This is what we will discuss in the following paragraphs.
First: How do Wi-Fi Networks Work?
Wi-Fi technology uses radio waves to transmit information in the frequency range between 2.4 gigahertz and 5 gigahertz of the electromagnetic spectrum, based on the 802.11 (802.11) protocol established by the Wireless Internet Engineering Forum in 1999 to standardize Wireless LAN networks, which provide wireless internet access through a fixed line. The Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers is an American association that includes those who organize the different communication protocols in the electronics field around the world. Now let us explain how Wi-Fi networks work.
Simply, when your phone or laptop is connected to a Wi-Fi network through a router, and you start connecting to the internet, for example, using a search engine to search for something, the wireless adapter of the laptop or mobile phone first translates and converts the data into a radio signal, then starts transferring it using an antenna. The wireless router receives this signal and decrypts it, then retransmits the information to the internet service provider using regular Ethernet cables.
The router then receives the data packets coming from the internet network, translates it into a radio signal, before sending it back to the wireless adapter in the laptop or smartphone. In order for the search results to appear on the screen in the end. This process continues in both directions, thus transferring the information to and from the phone or laptop and achieving internet connection through a wireless local network, which is Wi-Fi.
The transmitters and signal converters used by Wi-Fi networks in routers are similar to their counterparts in different devices that rely on radio waves, such as wireless communication devices and mobile phones, in their ability to convert signals with a value of 1 or 0 into radio waves and vice versa. However, there are noticeable differences that distinguish Wi-Fi routers from other wireless radio devices. They send and receive radio waves in the frequency range between 2.4 gigahertz and 5 gigahertz, much higher frequencies than those used by mobile phone networks, wireless communication devices, and televisions. These higher frequencies allow the signal to carry more data.
Read also: What is the difference between 2.4GHz Wi-Fi and 5GHz Wi-Fi? Which one is better?
Second: Key Differences Between Wi-Fi Versions
The original version of Wi-Fi networks, which was first released in 1997, operated according to the 802.11 standard at a frequency of 2.4 gigahertz, and the maximum data transfer speed using this standard did not exceed 1 megabit per second. Data transfer standards wirelessly continued to evolve to improve data transfer speeds and add new features to subsequent versions of Wi-Fi networks related to matters such as frequency range, technology that allows users to smoothly transition from one wireless network to another, use of Wide Area Networks (WAN) within vehicles, and others.
Each developed standard was given a new label to define it composed of the name of the original standard plus one or more letters indicating the new version. For example, in 1999, two new standards for Wi-Fi networks were developed: the standard (802.11b) and the standard (802.11a). The standard 802.11b had wide adoption at that time, while the use of the standard 802.11a was limited, so 802.11b was considered the first enhanced version of Wi-Fi standards and was known as the first generation of Wi-Fi networks.
Standard 802.11b (First Generation Wi-Fi)
The 802.11b standard, as mentioned, was the first updated version of Wi-Fi technology that was originally based on the 802.11 standard. Both standards operated at the same 2.4 gigahertz frequency, so the 802.11b standard suffered from interference with other devices operating at similar frequencies such as microwave ovens and wireless phones. However, it distinguished by a higher data transfer speed than its predecessor, reaching 11 megabits per second, as this standard used Complementary Code Keying (CCK) transmission to improve speeds.
Standard 802.11a (Second Generation Wi-Fi)
This standard was developed shortly after the appearance of the first standard 802.11b to enjoy improved features and less interference. It operated at a frequency of 5 gigahertz and was able to transport data at a speed of up to 54 megabits per second, using Orthogonal Frequency-Division Multiplexing (OFDM), an efficient encryption technology that divides the radio signal into several sub-signals before it reaches the receiver to reduce interference with other wireless radio signals significantly and allow multiple devices such as mobile phones and tablets to connect to the wireless network simultaneously through a single wireless router.
Despite that, this version did not enjoy the same popularity as the previous version, which was cheaper, so its use was limited to some commercial applications before the use of both versions together decreased in favor of more advanced versions.
Standard 802.11g (Third Generation Wi-Fi)
The third version was developed in 2003 to combine the features of the previous two versions, operating at a frequency of 2.4 gigahertz like the first version, but with the capability of transferring data at speeds up to 54 megabits per second, as well as using Orthogonal Frequency-Division Multiplexing (OFDM) multiplexing technology, an encryption technique that efficiently divides the radio signal into several sub-signals like the second version, enabling the transfer of 11 megabits per second data. Data transfer speed.
The feature that distinguished this version was that it remained compatible with devices still using the first standard (802.11b), so that any user who owns a phone or laptop with an 802.11b standard, can connect to the internet through a wireless router operating with the (802.11g) standard, and vice versa, allowing any user with a router device operating according to the (802.11b) standard to connect to the internet if his phone operates according to the (802.11g) standard, but in both cases, the data transfer speed will not exceed 11 megabits per second, which is the data transfer speed of the 802.11b standard.
Standard 802.11n (Fourth Generation Wi-Fi)
