802.11ac - Basics ======================== .. panels:: :container: container pb-4 :column: col-lg-12 p-2 :card: shadow .. panels:: :container: container pb-4 :column: col-lg-12 p-2 :card: shadow **What is IEEE 802.11ac?** 802.11ac is a wireless networking standard that operates in the 5 GHz band and supports high-throughput Wi-Fi, offering speeds up to several Gbps using advanced technologies like MU-MIMO and wider channels. .. panels:: :container: container pb-4 :column: col-lg-12 p-2 :card: shadow **When was 802.11ac introduced?** 802.11ac was officially approved in December 2013 by the IEEE. .. panels:: :container: container pb-4 :column: col-lg-12 p-2 :card: shadow **What frequency does 802.11ac use?** 802.11ac operates exclusively in the 5 GHz frequency band. .. panels:: :container: container pb-4 :column: col-lg-12 p-2 :card: shadow **What is the maximum speed of 802.11ac?** Theoretically, 802.11ac supports speeds of up to 6.9 Gbps with Wave 2 and 8 spatial streams. .. panels:: :container: container pb-4 :column: col-lg-12 p-2 :card: shadow **What is MU-MIMO in 802.11ac?** MU-MIMO (Multi-User MIMO) allows a router to transmit data to multiple devices simultaneously, improving efficiency and speed. .. panels:: :container: container pb-4 :column: col-lg-12 p-2 :card: shadow **What are Wave 1 and Wave 2 in 802.11ac?** Wave 1 supports up to 3 spatial streams and 80 MHz channels, while Wave 2 adds MU-MIMO and optional 160 MHz channels for higher throughput. .. panels:: :container: container pb-4 :column: col-lg-12 p-2 :card: shadow **Does 802.11ac support 2.4 GHz band?** No, 802.11ac is a 5 GHz-only standard. However, many dual-band routers support both 802.11n (2.4 GHz) and 802.11ac (5 GHz). .. panels:: :container: container pb-4 :column: col-lg-12 p-2 :card: shadow **What modulation does 802.11ac use?** It uses 256-QAM (Quadrature Amplitude Modulation) for increased data rates. .. panels:: :container: container pb-4 :column: col-lg-12 p-2 :card: shadow **What channel widths are supported in 802.11ac?** 802.11ac supports 20 MHz, 40 MHz, 80 MHz, and optional 160 MHz channel widths. .. panels:: :container: container pb-4 :column: col-lg-12 p-2 :card: shadow **Is 802.11ac backward compatible?** Yes, 802.11ac is backward compatible with 802.11a/n devices in the 5 GHz band. .. panels:: :container: container pb-4 :column: col-lg-12 p-2 :card: shadow **Does 802.11ac support beamforming?** Yes, 802.11ac includes support for standardized beamforming to focus signals toward specific devices for better performance. .. panels:: :container: container pb-4 :column: col-lg-12 p-2 :card: shadow **What is the typical range of 802.11ac?** The range is slightly less than 802.11n due to 5 GHz propagation limitations, but performance is superior at short distances. .. panels:: :container: container pb-4 :column: col-lg-12 p-2 :card: shadow **Is 802.11ac suitable for 4K streaming and gaming?** Yes, its high bandwidth and low latency make it ideal for streaming UHD content and online gaming. .. panels:: :container: container pb-4 :column: col-lg-12 p-2 :card: shadow **Which OSI layers does 802.11ac operate on?** 802.11ac operates at Layer 1 (Physical) and Layer 2 (Data Link) of the OSI model. .. panels:: :container: container pb-4 :column: col-lg-12 p-2 :card: shadow **Does 802.11ac improve battery life on devices?** Yes, by reducing transmission times through faster data rates, it can help reduce power usage on client devices. .. panels:: :container: container pb-4 :column: col-lg-12 p-2 :card: shadow **What security standards are supported by 802.11ac?** 802.11ac devices typically support WPA2 and WPA3, depending on firmware and OS support. .. panels:: :container: container pb-4 :column: col-lg-12 p-2 :card: shadow **What is the main advantage of 802.11ac over 802.11n?** 802.11ac offers significantly faster data rates, MU-MIMO support, wider channels, and improved spectral efficiency. .. panels:: :container: container pb-4 :column: col-lg-12 p-2 :card: shadow **Can 802.11ac routers support legacy devices?** Yes, if the router is dual-band or supports legacy modes, it can serve 802.11a/n devices as well. .. panels:: :container: container pb-4 :column: col-lg-12 p-2 :card: shadow **Is 802.11ac still in use today?** Yes, 802.11ac is widely used and supported in consumer and enterprise networks, although newer standards like 802.11ax are gaining popularity. .. panels:: :container: container pb-4 :column: col-lg-12 p-2 :card: shadow **Where can I find the official 802.11ac specification?** The IEEE 802.11ac specification can be accessed from the [IEEE Standards Store](https://standards.ieee.org). .. panels:: :container: container pb-4 :column: col-lg-12 p-2 :card: shadow Topics in this section, * :ref:`Learnings in this section <802_11ac_step1>` * :ref:`Terminology <802_11ac_step2>` * :ref:`Version Info <802_11ac_step3>` * :ref:`802_11ac Version&IEEE Details <802_11ac_step4>` * :ref:`802_11ac Basic Setup on Ubuntu using IPv4 <802_11ac_step5>` * :ref:`802_11ac Basic Setup on Ubuntu using IPv6 <802_11ac_step6>` * :ref:`802_11ac List of MAC features <802_11ac_step7>` * :ref:`802_11ac Medium Access Functions and their inner working <802_11ac_step8>` * :ref:`802_11ac Supported Frequency Bands in 802.11ac <802_11ac_step9>` * :ref:`802_11ac List of Physical Features <802_11ac_step10>` * :ref:`802_11ac Power Saving Mechanisms in IEEE 802.11ac <802_11ac_step11>` * :ref:`802_11ac Interoperability Mechanisms in IEEE 802.11ac <802_11ac_step12>` * :ref:`802_11ac End-User Products that support 802.11ac <802_11ac_step13>` * :ref:`802_11ac Protocol Packet Details <802_11ac_step14>` * :ref:`802_11ac Basic Features <802_11ac_step15>` * :ref:`Reference links <802_11ac_step16>` .. _802_11ac_step1: .. tab-set:: .. tab-item:: Learnings in this section * In this section, you are going to learn .. _802_11ac_step2: .. tab-set:: .. tab-item:: Terminology * Terminology .. _802_11ac_step3: .. tab-set:: .. tab-item:: Version Info * Version Info .. _802_11ac_step4: .. tab-set:: .. tab-item:: 802.11ac Version&RFC Details * rfc details .. _802_11ac_step5: .. tab-set:: .. tab-item:: 802.11ac Basic Setup on Ubuntu using IPv4 * setup .. _802_11ac_step6: .. tab-set:: .. tab-item:: 802.11ac Basic Setup on Ubuntu using IPv6 * setup .. _802_11ac_step7: .. tab-set:: .. tab-item:: 802.11ac List of MAC features * mac features .. _802_11ac_step8: .. tab-set:: .. tab-item:: 802.11ac Medium Access Functions and their inner working * Medium Access Functions and their inner working .. _802_11ac_step9: .. tab-set:: .. tab-item:: Supported Frequency Bands in 802.11ac * Supported Frequency Bands in 802.11ac .. _802_11ac_step10: .. tab-set:: .. tab-item:: 802.11ac List of Physical Features * List of Physical Features .. _802_11ac_step11: .. tab-set:: .. tab-item:: Power Saving Mechanisms in IEEE 802.11ac * Power Saving Mechanisms in IEEE 802.11ac .. _802_11ac_step12: .. tab-set:: .. tab-item:: Interoperability Mechanisms in IEEE 802.11ac * Interoperability Mechanisms in IEEE 802.11ac .. _802_11ac_step13: .. tab-set:: .. tab-item:: End-User Products that support 802.11ac * End-User Products that support 802.11ac .. _802_11ac_step14: .. tab-set:: .. tab-item:: Protocol Packet Details in 802.11ac * Protocol Packet Details .. _802_11ac_step15: .. tab-set:: .. tab-item:: Basic Features * Basic Features .. _802_11ac_step16: .. tab-set:: .. tab-item:: Reference links * Reference links