CertiGuide to Network+  9  Chapter 0001:  LAN Cabling

Fiber-Optic Connectors 1 2 3 IX  Combining Cable Technologies

Begin with b

The first x in 802.11 begins with the “b”asic standard, 802.11b. Birthed in the latter half of the 1990’s, it was ratified by the IEEE in 1999. This wireless standard opened up Ethernet to wireless connectivity at 11Mbps, faster than original Ethernet, but not as fast as Fast Ethernet. This standard works on the unlicensed frequency range of 2.4Ghtz. This is the same frequency that Bluetooth, microwave ovens, and consumer/commercial wireless audio/video products, including many cordless phones, operate at. A wise wireless person would be on the lookout for interference from other devices in this frequency range.

The working group for wireless networking didn’t rest on its laurels and formed other groups to enhance 802.11. The “a”dvanced standard was released at the same time as the b standard. The two different standards are not meant to speak with each other. 802.11a operates at a frequency just above 5Ghz and “turbo’s” wireless networking to 54Mbps. While initially most equipment available from retail outlets followed the 802.11b standard, recently 802.11a hardware has become more available. Look for deployment of 802.11a WiFi to increase in the future.

After much bellyaching 802.11x got an “e”xcellent handle. The 802.11e standard is not about ‘speeds and feeds’ and has everything to do with improving the performance of the existing wireless (sometimes called WIFI) throughput. The technical details of what e does are beyond the scope of this publication, and the end result is that e can also be thought of as efficient. It improves how it handles time sensitive data such as audio and video, signal reflection, selective re-transmission and polling. All this improves performance for any network traffic that is sensitive to time. Generically, addressing time issues in networking is defined as QoS or Quality of Service, which we’ll discuss later when describing a specific set of networking technologies known as TCP/IP. The e standard can be applied to either a or b. It is expected to be offered in the g standard, seen next.

While “a” is turbo, and “b” is widely available, the two don’t talk to each other. The 802.11g standard is not as fast as “a,” however it is faster than “b,” and is backwards compatible to “b.”

Fiber-Optic Connectors 1 2 3 IX  Combining Cable Technologies