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Wi-Fi Channels and Devices

 
Wireless Local Area Networks (WLANs) come in many flavors not just the most common WiFi at 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz bands. See below different standards, frequency bands, and applications supported by common WLAN devices.
 
WLAN Standard and Frequency Bands
WLAN Band Frequency Range Band Name WLAN Standard Typical Application
0 54 - 698 MHz1 TV White Spaces (TVWS) IEEE 802.11af (WhiteFi) Rural wireless networks more
1 < 1 GHz2 Sub-1 GHz (S1G) (excluding TVWS) IEEE 802.11ah (HaLow) IoT Application more
2 2.4 GHz (2400 - 2483.5 MHz in the U.S.) ISM (Industrial Scientific & Medical) IEEE 802.11ax (Wi-Fi 6) (High Efficiency), and IEEE 802.11n (Wi-Fi 4) (High Throughput - HT) (also includes 802.11b/g - Wi-Fi 3/2). Most common WiFi network more
3 3.6 GHz (3650 - 3700 MHz)3 3.6 GHz IEEE 802.16d/e (WiMax) Fixed wireless access links. Now used for CBRS applications more
4 4.9 GHz and 5 GHz 4.9 GHz (Public Safety), 5 GHz (UNII)

IEEE 802.11ax (Wi-Fi 6) (High Efficiency), and IEEE 802.11ac (Wi-Fi 5) (Very High Throughput - VHT) (also includes 802.11a/n)

 High speed, moderate range WiFi networks more
5 6 GHz (5925 - 7125 MHz in the U.S.) 6 GHz IEEE 802.11ax (Wi-Fi 6E) (High Efficiency) For the overall improvements to Wi-Fi 6 in dense environments more
6 60 GHz (57.5 - 64 GHz in the U.S.) Millimeter-Wave (mmWave) IEEE 802.11ad (WiGig) (DMG - Directional Multigigabit) Very high speed, short-range wifi networks more

1. Typically upper UHF bands 470 - 698 MHz.

2. Typically 900 MHz ISM band

3. Note the 3550 MHz to 3700 MHz bands is now part of the CBRS (Citizens Broadband Radio Service) band learn more

 

Compare Wi-Fi Antennas
 
 

Sub 1 GHz (Wi-Fi HaLow, IEEE 802.11ah) Devices               

Wi-Fi HaLow enables a variety of new power-efficient use cases for the Internet of Things (IoT) applications in the Smart Home, connected car, and digital healthcare, as well as industrial, retail, agriculture, and Smart City environments.

 

Learn more about Wireless IoT: Go

Search HaLow devices in our Wireless Device Database and find compatible antennas and signal boosters for the particular device: Go
 
 

2.4 GHz (Wi-Fi 4/6, IEEE 802.11n/ax) Devices               

Most WiFi devices operate in the 2.4 GHz unlicensed band.

 

Wi-Fi 6 (IEEE 802.11ax) provides for enhanced uplink and downlink OFDMA, 8x8 MU-MIMO (Multi-user MIMO) and 1024 QAM, among other enhancements. Search Wi-Fi 6 devices in our Wireless Device Database to find compatible antennas, antenna kits, signal boosters, and other wireless site infrastructure accessories: Go

 

Search Wi-Fi 6 devices (IEEE 802.11ax): Go
 
 

3.65 GHz (WiMax, IEEE 802.16d/e) Devices               

Typically use for fixed wireless access. Mobile WiMax (IEEE 802.16e) superseded by 4G LTE in the U.S.

 

Search CBRS devices in our Wireless Device Database and find compatible antennas and signal boosters for the particular device Go
 
 

5 GHz (Wi-Fi 4/5, IEEE 802.11n/ac) Devices               

The unlicensed 5 GHz band is less congested than the 2.4 GHz band and has a larger spectrum allowing for higher speeds. For example, whereas 2.4 GHz 802.11n devices operate in 20 MHz band (or optionally on 40 MHz bands), 5 GHz 802.11ac devices can operate in 80 MHz and 160 MHz bands.

 

Search for your particular device in our Wireless Device Database to find compatible antennas, antenna kits, signal boosters, and other wireless site infrastructure accessories.

Search Wi-Fi 4 devices (IEEE 802.11n): Go

Search Wi-Fi 5 devices (IEEE 802.11ac): Go
 
 

6 GHz (Wi-Fi 6E, IEEE 802.11ax) Devices                

This is a Wi-Fi 6 enhancement that extends support to the 6GHz spectrum (covers 5925 - 7125 MHz in the U.S.). Devices with this capability offer faster wireless speeds and lower latencies. Like Wi-Fi 6, 6E also supports OFDMA which allows for different resource units to be allocated to multiple client stations connecting to an access point. Application areas include corporate offices, shopping malls, schools, and dense residential apartments.

 

See devices supporting Wi-Fi 6E and sample antennas for this application.

 
 

60 GHz (WiGig, IEEE 802.11ad) Devices               

The 60 GHz frequency band is also known as the millimeter wave (mmWave) band because signals with frequencies > 30 GHz have wavelengths of less than 10 mm. Although the range of such devices is severely limited by path loss (the higher the frequency the higher the path loss and at 60 GHz even worse because of oxygen absorption), the mmWave band typically offer huge bandwidths allowing for very high speeds. For example, the 60 GHz band in the United States provides 6.95 GHz of bandwidth from 57.05 GHz to 64 GHz.

 

Search WiGig devices in our Wireless Device Database: Go
 

 

 

 

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