WiFi Standards (IEEE 802.11)

Wi-Fi generations, speeds, and frequencies.

The IEEE 802.11 family defines wireless networking, and the Wi-Fi Alliance's generation numbers (Wi-Fi 1 through Wi-Fi 7) map each standard to a consumer-friendly name. 802.11n brought 2.4 and 5 GHz, 802.11ac added the 5 GHz-only sixth generation, 802.11ax (Wi-Fi 6/6E) added the 6 GHz band, and 802.11be (Wi-Fi 7) is the current flagship standard.

Every new generation pairs a higher maximum data rate with better efficiency in crowded environments. The practical difference between generations shows up in real-world throughput, latency, and client capacity far more than in the theoretical maxima printed on boxes: Wi-Fi 5 (802.11ac) is fine for most browsing, Wi-Fi 6 (802.11ax) matters when many devices share an access point, and Wi-Fi 7 (802.11be) targets multi-gigabit links and low-latency workloads.

Keep this table handy when evaluating access points, client devices, or the Wi-Fi claims on spec sheets.

Standard	Wi-Fi Name	Max Speed	Freq	Year
802.11b	Wi-Fi 1	11 Mbps	2.4 GHz	1999
802.11a	Wi-Fi 2	54 Mbps	5 GHz	1999
802.11g	Wi-Fi 3	54 Mbps	2.4 GHz	2003
802.11n	Wi-Fi 4	600 Mbps	2.4 + 5 GHz	2009
802.11ac	Wi-Fi 5	6.9 Gbps	5 GHz	2014
802.11ax	Wi-Fi 6 / 6E	9.6 Gbps	2.4 + 5 + 6 GHz	2019/2021
802.11be	Wi-Fi 7	46 Gbps	2.4 + 5 + 6 GHz	2024

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the current WiFi standard?

Wi-Fi 7 (IEEE 802.11be) is the current flagship standard. Wi-Fi 6 and Wi-Fi 6E (IEEE 802.11ax) remain the mainstream choices for enterprise and consumer devices, and Wi-Fi 5 (IEEE 802.11ac) is still widely deployed. Most current access points are Wi-Fi 6/6E with Wi-Fi 7 models arriving for high-density and multi-gigabit deployments.

What are the WiFi generations?

The Wi-Fi Alliance numbers each 802.11 standard as a generation: Wi-Fi 1 (802.11b), Wi-Fi 2 (802.11a), Wi-Fi 3 (802.11g), Wi-Fi 4 (802.11n), Wi-Fi 5 (802.11ac), Wi-Fi 6 and 6E (802.11ax), and Wi-Fi 7 (802.11be). Each generation added speed and efficiency: 802.11n introduced MIMO, 802.11ac brought wider channels, 802.11ax added OFDMA for crowded networks, and 802.11be targets multi-gigabit links.

Which WiFi standard has the fastest maximum speed?

Wi-Fi 7 (802.11be) has the highest theoretical maximum, around 46 Gbps, using 320 MHz channels in the 6 GHz band, 4K QAM, and multi-link operation. Real-world throughput is far lower, typically 2-5 Gbps depending on client hardware, distance, and channel width.

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