You are now entering the PC Anatomy portal

802.11a is an older Wi-Fi standard that uses the 5 GHz frequency band and supports a theoretical maximum speed of 54 Mbps. Released in 1999, it uses Orthogonal Frequency Division Multiplexing (OFDM) technology but is not compatible with the 2.4 GHz 802.11b standard. Because it operates at a higher frequency, its range is shorter than 802.11b, but it offers a significant advantage due to less interference from other devices in the 5 GHz band, making it more suitable for business networks.

Key features of 802.11a:

Frequency: 5 GHz band

Speed: Theoretical maximum of 54 Mbps, with typical real-world throughput in the mid-20 Mbps range

Modulation: Orthogonal Frequency Division Multiplexing (OFDM)

Range: Shorter range than 802.11b/g due to the higher frequency, which results in signals being more readily absorbed by physical obstructions

Interference: Operates in a less congested frequency band than the 2.4 GHz band used by 802.11b/g, leading to less interference and potentially higher speeds in practice

Compatibility: Not compatible with 802.11b, but many modern devices support both 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz bands (dual-band)