Wireless Communication Basics
Introduction
Wireless standards are a set of services and protocols that dictate how your Wi-Fi network (and other data transmission networks) acts. The most common wireless standards you will encounter are the IEEE 802.11 Wireless LAN (WLAN) & Mesh. The IEEE updates the 802.11 Wi-Fi standard every few years.These standards essential for the development and deployment of consumer electronics. They ensure that devices from different manufacturers can connect to the Internet or to a computer using a home network to provide access to digital content. These products include Internet connectivity using technologies such as Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, EDGE, or Ethernet.
The most common used WiFi standard in comsumer elecgtronics is is IEEE 802.11 b/g/n/ac.
The most common used short range standard is Bluetooth 5.x.
Background
The first wireless standard was developed in the 1990s, and since then, there have been a number of new standards released. The most popular wireless standard for consumer electronics is Wi-Fi, which is based on the IEEE 802.11 family of standards.
Other popular wireless standards for consumer electronics include Bluetooth, which is used for short-range communication between devices, and Zigbee, which is used for low-power, battery-powered devices.
IEEE 802.11 is part of the IEEE 802 set of local area network (LAN) technical standards, and specifies the set of media access control (MAC) and physical layer (PHY) protocols for implementing wireless local area network (WLAN) computer communication³.
The following IEEE 802.11 standards exist or are in development to support the creation of technologies for wireless local area networking ⁴:
- 802.11a: 54 Mbps standard, 5 GHz signaling (ratified 1999)
- 802.11b: 11 Mbps standard, 2.4 GHz signaling (1999)
- 802.11c: Operation of bridge connections (moved to 802.1D)
- 802.11d: Worldwide compliance with regulations for use of wireless signal spectrum (2001)
- 802.11e: Quality of service control (2005)
- 802.11f: Inter-access point protocol (2003)
- 802.11g: 54 Mbps standard, 2.4 GHz signaling (2003)
- 802.11h: Spectrum management (2004)
- 802.11i: Security enhancements (2004)
- 802.11j: Extensions for Japan (2004)
- 802.11k: Radio resource measurement enhancements (2008)
- 802.11l: Wireless LAN medium access control (MAC) and physical layer (PHY) specifications: Higher-Speed Physical Layer Extension in the 2.4 GHz Band (2009)
- 802.11m: Maintenance of the standard; odds and ends
- 802.11n: Multiple-input multiple-output antenna technology, up to four streams of data, up to 600 Mbps (2009)
- 802.11p: Wireless access in vehicular environments (WAVE) – DSRC
- 802.11q: VLAN support
- 802.11r: Fast roaming
- 802.11s: Mesh networking for wireless networks
- 802.11t: Wireless performance prediction
- 802.11u: Interworking with non-802 networks
- 802.11v: Wireless network management
- 802.11w: Protected management frames
- 802.11x: Port-based network access control
Design Details
Wireless standards are designed to meet the specific needs of consumer electronics. For example, Wi-Fi standards are designed to provide high data rates for streaming video and gaming, while Bluetooth standards are designed to provide low-power, short-range communication for devices like headsets and speakers.
Wireless standards also include security protocols to protect user data from unauthorized access. These protocols are constantly being updated to address new security threats.
Technical Details
Here are some of the technical details of wireless standards:
Frequencies: Wireless standards specify the frequencies that can be used for wireless communication. The most common frequencies used for consumer electronics are the 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz bands.
Data rates: Wireless standards specify the maximum data rates that can be achieved. The data rate is the speed at which data can be transferred between two devices.
Modulation techniques: Wireless standards specify the modulation techniques that can be used. Modulation is the process of converting digital data into a form that can be transmitted over a wireless medium.
Security protocols: Wireless standards specify the security protocols that must be implemented. Security protocols protect user data from unauthorized access.
Summary
Wireless standards are essential for the development and deployment of consumer electronics. They ensure that devices from different manufacturers can work together seamlessly, and that users can be confident that their data is secure.
The most popular wireless standard for consumer electronics is Wi-Fi, which is based on the IEEE 802.11 family of standards. Other popular wireless standards for consumer electronics include Bluetooth and Zigbee.
Wireless standards are constantly being updated to meet the evolving needs of consumer electronics. As new technologies emerge, wireless standards will continue to play an essential role in the future of consumer electronics.
Additional Information
Here are some additional resources that you may find helpful:
IEEE 802.11: https://www.ieee802.org/11/
Wi-Fi Alliance: https://www.wi-fi.org/
Bluetooth SIG: https://www.bluetooth.com/
Zigbee Alliance: https://www.zigbee.org/
The Most Common Wi-Fi Standards and Types, Explained - MUO. https://www.makeuseof.com/tag/understanding-common-wifi-standards-technology-explained/.
Consumer electronics - Wikipedia. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Consumer_electronics.
IEEE 802.11 - Wikipedia. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/IEEE_802.11.
802.11 Standards Explained: 802.11ax, 802.11ac, 802.11b/g/n ... - Lifewire. https://www.lifewire.com/wireless-standards-802-11a-802-11b-g-n-and-802-11ac-816553.