Glossary: Networking Beyond the Basics

Wi-Fi standards (802.11)

Also written: 802.11, IEEE 802.11, Wi-Fi 5, 802.11ac, Wi-Fi 6, 802.11ax, Wi-Fi 6E, Wi-Fi 7, 802.11be, Wi-Fi 8, 802.11bn

The IEEE 802.11 family of Wi-Fi versions, each with a simple name: Wi-Fi 5 (802.11ac, 5 GHz only), Wi-Fi 6 (802.11ax, copes better with many devices), Wi-Fi 6E (Wi-Fi 6 on the 6 GHz band), Wi-Fi 7 (802.11be, current, with channels up to 320 MHz and multi-link) and Wi-Fi 8 (802.11bn, still a draft, expected around 2028). A link runs at the newest standard both ends support.