This chapter is from the book
This chapter is from the book
This chapter is from the book
802.11a, 802.11b, or 802.11g?
Most of the information here holds true for the newer, faster Wi-Fi5 (802.11a) equipment as well. However, while 802.11a offers faster maximum speed than 802.11b (54 megabits per second rather than 11), 802.11a equipment has a shorter range, about 60 feet.
The shorter range of 802.11a means you'll need to purchase more access points than you would with an 802.11b network. That's a significant concern, considering 802.11a equipment is a newer technology, and more pricey than older 802.11b hardware (see Table 3.1). That price difference won't mean much to companies that need the fastest wireless networking equipment available, but it will likely keep most home users buying 802.11b equipment.
Table 3.1. Features of 802.11b, 802.11a, and 802.11g
|
Top Speed |
Approximate Range |
Pros |
Cons |
|
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
802.11b |
11 mbps |
150 feet |
Good for simple Internet, file, and printer sharing |
Less speedy than 802.11a or 802.11g |
|
802.11a |
54 mbps |
60 feet |
Band means less interference from cordless phones and Bluetooth devices that use the 2.4GHz band |
More expensive than 802.11b hardware |
|
802.11g |
54 mbps |
About 10 percent less than 802.11b |
Fast & compatible with widely adopted 802.11b |
Newer technology is always more expensive. Can suffer from electronic devices that use the 2.4 GHz band, such as cell phones |
Most home users will benefit from the relatively low cost of 802.11b wireless networking hardware, and its speed should suffice for home Web surfing, file sharing, and printing. Office users who need to connect laptops for roaming around the office might be more interested in 802.11a or 802.11g equipment for its speed in copying large files, such as databases, photographic images, and video files.