Your Detailed Guide to Wi-Fi Technologies
| 802.11b | 802.11g | Performance Enhanced* 802.11g | 802.11a/g | Non-Standard MIMO/Pre-N | 802.11n (proposed) | |
| Standards-Based, or Upgradeable to Future Standard | Yes | Yes | Varies | Yes | No | Yes |
| Maximum Data Rate | 11 Mbps | 54 Mbps | Up to 108 Mbps | 54 Mbps | 108 Mbps | >200 Mbps |
| Maximum Throughput | 5.5 Mbps | 24 Mbps | 37+ Mbps | 24+24 Mbps | 40 Mbps | 100 Mbps |
| Typical Range | Up to 300 feet | Up to 300 feet | Up to 300 feet | Up to 300 feet | Varies by brand | Unknown |
| Non-Overlapping Channels | 3 | 3 | 1 or 3 | 12/3 | 1 or 3 | Unknown |
| Frequency Band (must be same for compatibility) | 2.4 Ghz | 2.4 Ghz | 2.4 Ghz | 5 Ghz/2.4 Ghz | 2.4 Ghz | 5 Ghz/2.4 Ghz |
| Backward Compatibility | Compatible with 802.11b and g | Compatible with 802.11b and g | Compatible with 802.11b and g | Compatible with 802.11a, b and g | Compatible with 802.11b and g | Compatible with 802.11a, b and g |
| Security Setup | Manual or wizard | Manual, wizard or push button setup, varies by brand | Manual, wizard or push button setup, varies by brand | Manual, wizard or push button setup, varies by brand | Manual setup | Unknown |
* Also known as Speedbooster, 125 High Speed Mode, SuperG 108 | ||||||