Which Wi-Fi standard operates in the 5 GHz band with a maximum data rate of 54 Mbps?

Which Wi-Fi standard operates in the 5 GHz band with a maximum data rate of 54 Mbps?

• A. 802.11b
• B. 802.11a
• C. 802.11g
• D. 802.11n

Answer: (B)

The standard that uses the 5 GHz band and reaches up to 54 Mbps is 802.11a. It was designed to operate in the 5 GHz spectrum, using OFDM modulation to achieve a maximum data rate of 54 Mbps with 20 MHz channels. The other widely known standards stay in the 2.4 GHz band—802.11b at up to 11 Mbps, and 802.11g at up to 54 Mbps but still in 2.4 GHz—so they don’t meet the 5 GHz requirement. While 802.11n can also operate in 5 GHz, its top speeds are much higher than 54 Mbps, thanks to MIMO. So the combination of 5 GHz operation and a 54 Mbps ceiling points to 802.11a.

The standard that uses the 5 GHz band and reaches up to 54 Mbps is 802.11a. It was designed to operate in the 5 GHz spectrum, using OFDM modulation to achieve a maximum data rate of 54 Mbps with 20 MHz channels. The other widely known standards stay in the 2.4 GHz band—802.11b at up to 11 Mbps, and 802.11g at up to 54 Mbps but still in 2.4 GHz—so they don’t meet the 5 GHz requirement. While 802.11n can also operate in 5 GHz, its top speeds are much higher than 54 Mbps, thanks to MIMO. So the combination of 5 GHz operation and a 54 Mbps ceiling points to 802.11a.