Equipment based on the IEEE 802.11 wireless-local-area-networking (WLAN) standards (first IEEE 802.11a and b and 802.11g in 2003) was used as a means of delivering simple web browsing and e-mail connectivity while travelling away from the home or office in such places as in airports, hotels, Internet cafes, and shopping malls. Since then, this equipment has moved into the home and home-office environments. Multiple devices now operate in unison with each other: laptop computers, smartphones, tablets, printers, game consoles, media servers, scanners, and remote screens and TV,s. In addition, we need access to all of our stored data, pictures, music and Videos from devices as remote storage devices that could include, network attached storage solutions (NAS), remote storage, smartphones or large screens in an auditorium, or now even cloud storage. Then we want to be able to share this information with friends and colleagues instantly. No we also want speeds that match a wired LAN connections, all without the physical cables. The IEEE 802.11x standards are steadily evolving to meet all of these needs and demands.
Fig. 1 shows this
This graphic provides an overview of the IEEE 802.11x standards family.
IEEE 802.11n was introduced in 2009, improving the maximum single-channel data rate from the 54 Mb/s of IEEE 802.11g to more than 100 Mb/s. It also introduced multiple-input multiple-output (MIMO), or “spatial streaming,” communications. As many as four separate physical transmit and receive antennas carry independent data, which is aggregated in the modulation/demodulation process. Projections call for even higher data throughput requirements in future home and office applications. To cater to these, two new IEEE project groups have been formed with the goal of providing “very high throughput” (VHT).
An example if this new technology come in the form of the ASUS RT-AC5300 Tri-Band Wireless Gigabit Router.
With built-in tri-band functionality, the RT-AC5300 Tri-Band Wireless AC5300 Gigabit Router from ASUS allows users to connect to one 2.4 GHz frequency and two separate 5 GHz frequencies. With two 5 GHz operating frequencies this router can support more users without sacrificing bandwidth or network performance. Along with tri-band connectivity, the RT-AC5300 supports the enhanced 802.11ac networking standard and offers a maximum wireless data throughput of up to 5334 Mbps. This enhanced Wi-Fi connectivity allows for low latency gaming, streaming of 4K multimedia content, downloading of large files, and much more. In addition to the 802.11ac networking standard, this router also supports 802.11a/b/g/n network standards making it easy to connect nearly any Wi-Fi enabled device to your network.On the outside of the RT-AC5300 you will find eight adjustable antennas featuring AiRadar beamforming technology supporting a transmission distance of up to 5,400 square feet (500 square meters). With beamforming technology the wireless signal is beamed directly to the connected device for a more focused, more reliable connection. This ASUS router not only beams the signals to your devices, it has the ability to support more devices without slowing down thanks to MU-MIMO technology. If a wired connection is what you desire, you can connect to any of the four Gigabit Ethernet ports. Dedicated link aggregation support provides enhanced data transfer speeds when a super fast Internet connection is required. Inside the RT-5300 you will find 128MB flash memory and 512MB of RAM to ensure the router operates smoothly when being pushed to the max.The USB-AC68 AC1900 Dual-Band USB 3.0 Wi-Fi Adapter from Asus lets you easily upgrade your desktop or notebook PC to 802.11ac dual-band Wi-Fi. With dual-band connectivity, you’ll be able to connect to the 5 GHz band for faster speeds. It supports up to 600 Mbps on the 2.4 GHz band and 1300 Mbps on the 5 GHz band. Furthermore, with 3×4 MIMO and b
