Wi-Fi Standards (802.11a to Wi-Fi 7 Comparison)

Compare Wi-Fi standards from 802.11a, b, g, n, ac, and ax (Wi-Fi 4 to 7) by year, frequency band, max theoretical speed, and key features. A free reference that answers "what's the difference between Wi-Fi generations?" with a search filter.

Last updated: 2026-09-17

Wi-Fi Standards Comparison Table

Generation	IEEE Standard	Year	Frequency Band	Max Theoretical Speed	Key Feature	Current Status
Wi-Fi 1	802.11b	1999	2.4 GHz	11 Mbps	The earliest consumer Wi-Fi standard, using the 2.4 GHz band at up to 11 Mbps — a pioneer for wireless LAN adoption in offices and homes.	Support in new devices from major manufacturers has largely ended; it remains only for legacy compatibility.
Wi-Fi 2	802.11a	1999	5 GHz	54 Mbps	Standardized around the same time as 802.11b but uses the 5 GHz band, giving it more directional, less interference-prone signals at the cost of shorter range.	The first standard to use the 5 GHz band, but few devices supported it at the time, so adoption stayed limited.
Wi-Fi 3	802.11g	2003	2.4 GHz	54 Mbps	Stayed on the same 2.4 GHz band as 802.11b but sped up to 54 Mbps while keeping backward compatibility with 802.11b.	A fairly widespread standard — some inexpensive 2.4 GHz-only devices still rely on it today.
Wi-Fi 4	802.11n	2009	2.4/5 GHz	600 Mbps	Introduced MIMO (spatial multiplexing with multiple antennas) for the first time, supporting both 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz, reaching up to 600 Mbps.	Still the de facto minimum baseline, widely used in many inexpensive IoT and embedded devices today.
Wi-Fi 5	802.11ac	2014	5 GHz	6.9 Gbps	5 GHz-only, adding MU-MIMO (simultaneous streaming to multiple devices) and wider channels (up to 160 MHz), pushing the theoretical max to 6.9 Gbps.	Adopted by most smartphones and laptops from 2015 onward, and still widely in active use today.
Wi-Fi 6	802.11ax	2019	2.4/5 GHz	9.6 Gbps	Introduced OFDMA (simultaneous divided transmission to multiple devices), improving real-world speed and latency in crowded environments, reaching a theoretical 9.6 Gbps.	Operates on both the 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz bands, well suited to dense apartment buildings and offices.
Wi-Fi 6E	802.11ax	2021	2.4/5/6 GHz	9.6 Gbps	An extension of Wi-Fi 6 that keeps the same technology but adds access to the newly opened 6 GHz band.	The 6 GHz band is less crowded than the existing 2.4/5 GHz bands, but both the router and device must support it.
Wi-Fi 7	802.11be	2024	2.4/5/6 GHz	46 Gbps	The latest standard, supporting Multi-Link Operation (simultaneous use of multiple bands) and channels up to 320 MHz wide, reaching a theoretical 46 Gbps.	The newest standard, with compatible devices only starting to appear in late 2024 — widespread adoption is still ahead.

Understanding the Differences Between Wi-Fi Standards

Have you ever compared router or smartphone spec sheets and struggled to tell "Wi-Fi 6," "802.11ac," and "5 GHz support" apart? Wi-Fi standards are part of the IEEE 802.11 family and were originally identified by a letter suffix assigned in the year they were ratified (a, b, g, n, ac, ax, be, and so on). Since 2018, the Wi-Fi Alliance has also promoted a simpler generational naming scheme — "Wi-Fi 4," "Wi-Fi 5," and so on — to make things easier for everyday consumers. Because both naming systems are still used side by side, it is easy to get confused without a reference that maps one to the other.

This tool lists each standard's ratification year, frequency band, maximum theoretical speed, and key technical features in one place, with a filter to narrow things down quickly. Use it to decide which standard actually matters when shopping for a router or device, or as a quick reference while studying for networking certifications.

How to Use the Wi-Fi Standards Table

Scan the full comparison table The table above lists Wi-Fi 1 through 7 (802.11a through be) with their generation, ratification year, frequency band, and max theoretical speed. Start by getting a sense of how the generations relate to one another.
Filter to narrow your search Type a generation name (e.g. "Wi-Fi 6"), a standard name (e.g. "802.11ac"), or a feature keyword (e.g. "MIMO") into the search box to show only matching rows.
Compare band and speed If you already know which standard your router or device supports, compare the frequency band and max theoretical speed columns to estimate how much of an upgrade a new device would give you.
Check current status Use the "Current Status" column for each row to see whether a standard is still actively used or already considered legacy, which helps when deciding whether to buy or reconfigure.

Tips for getting more out of it

Unless both the router and your phone or PC support the same generation (e.g. Wi-Fi 6), you will not get that generation's speed. Check both sides' supported standards before buying.
The 2.4 GHz band reaches farther through walls but is more prone to interference from microwaves and similar devices, so pick 5 GHz for speed and 2.4 GHz for range.
The 6 GHz band used by Wi-Fi 6E and 7 is now allowed for indoor use in many countries, but compatible routers and devices are still rare, so full adoption is still ahead.
The listed max speed is only a theoretical figure — actual throughput is typically much lower due to interference, the number of connected devices, and obstacles.
Even a single old 802.11b/g device connected to your network can drag down the effective speed for the whole network.

When This Table Comes in Handy

Comparing standards before buying a router

Routers at different price points support different Wi-Fi generations. Use the table to check the speed gap between generations and decide which standard fits your budget.

Checking what standard your device supports

Match a spec sheet entry like "IEEE 802.11ax" against the table to quickly see which Wi-Fi generation it corresponds to.

Diagnosing slow home Wi-Fi

If your connection feels slow, check which generation your router and device each support and compare them against the table to see whether an older standard is the bottleneck.

Studying for networking exams or training

Use the table as a reference while memorizing the ratification years and key technical features of each generation for certification exams or workplace training.

Glossary

MIMO: Multiple Input Multiple Output — a technique that uses several antennas to multiplex radio signals spatially. First introduced in Wi-Fi 4 (802.11n), it achieves higher speeds than a single-antenna connection.
MU-MIMO: Multi-User MIMO — technology that lets one router send data to several devices at the same time. Supported starting with Wi-Fi 5 (802.11ac), it improves real-world throughput when many devices are connected at once.
OFDMA: Orthogonal Frequency-Division Multiple Access — a technique that splits a single wireless channel into smaller pieces so multiple devices can be served simultaneously. Introduced in Wi-Fi 6 (802.11ax), it reduces latency in crowded environments.
Channel bonding: A technique that combines multiple wireless channels into one wider channel. Wider bonded channels raise the theoretical max speed but also make the connection more susceptible to interference from other signals.
Frequency bands (2.4 GHz, 5 GHz, 6 GHz): The radio bands Wi-Fi uses to transmit data. 2.4 GHz travels farther through walls but is more prone to interference from microwaves and similar devices, while 5 GHz and 6 GHz are faster but weaker against obstacles.
Multi-Link Operation (MLO): A feature introduced in Wi-Fi 7 that lets a single device use the 2.4 GHz, 5 GHz, and 6 GHz bands simultaneously, improving both connection stability and speed.
Backward compatibility: The ability of newer-standard devices to still communicate with older-standard ones. Wi-Fi generally preserves backward compatibility, but a mixed network gets dragged down to the speed of its oldest connected standard.

Frequently Asked Questions

Wi-Fi 6E is an extension of Wi-Fi 6 that uses the same underlying technology but adds access to the newly opened 6 GHz band. The 6 GHz band suffers less interference from other signals, but both the router and the device need to support it.

An old standard is one factor, but interference, obstacles like walls, and the number of simultaneously connected devices also play a big role. Checking your router's generation and channel settings first helps narrow down the cause.

5 GHz is better if you prioritize speed, while 2.4 GHz is better if you prioritize range and stability through walls. Many routers have band steering that switches between the two automatically.

Since compatible routers and smartphones only started appearing in late 2024, it will likely take several years for prices to come down and for Wi-Fi 7 to become widespread in ordinary homes.

Besides slow speeds, security patches are often no longer provided for older routers, which raises the risk of known vulnerabilities being exploited. Consider replacing a router that is several years old or more.

Side Note — Where the Name "Wi-Fi" Came From and How Generation Names Work

The name "Wi-Fi" is often said to stand for "Wireless Fidelity," but it is actually a made-up term with no real meaning — a brand name the Wi-Fi Alliance coined to echo the sound of "Hi-Fi." The dry technical name IEEE 802.11 was hard for consumers to remember, so a catchy nickname was chosen instead.

In 2018, the Wi-Fi Alliance introduced a generational naming scheme calling 802.11n and later standards "Wi-Fi 4," "Wi-Fi 5," and "Wi-Fi 6." The earlier 802.11a/b/g standards later came to be commonly called "Wi-Fi 1 through 3" as well, but note that this is not official Wi-Fi Alliance branding — it is an informal usage that spread for the sake of clarity.

What drives the performance gains across generations is the evolution of multiplexing technologies like MIMO, OFDMA, and MU-MIMO, which let multiple antennas and frequencies be used simultaneously. Rather than simply raising frequencies, the accumulated ingenuity of sharing limited radio resources efficiently among multiple devices is what has driven perceived speed improvements.

The 6 GHz band, usable starting with Wi-Fi 6E, is like an "empty highway" compared to the 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz bands, which are crowded with Bluetooth devices, microwaves, and countless nearby routers. That said, compatible devices will take time to spread, so multiple generations of standards are likely to coexist for a while.

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