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802.11a Last modified: Tuesday, August 26, 2008
An extension to 802.11 specification developed by the IEEE for wireless LAN (WLAN) technology. 802.11 specifies an over-the-air interface between a wireless client and a base station or between two wireless clients. The 802.11a specification uses an orthogonal frequency division multiplexing encoding scheme rather than FHSS or DSSS and provides up to 54 Mbps in the 5GHz band. See 802.11 for a complete overview of the 802.11x family of specifications. Also see the "Wireless LAN Standards chart" in the Quick Reference section of Webopedia. See also "How Wireless Networks Work" in the Did You Know... section of Webopedia.
802.11 Alphabet Soup What do all those letters mean? 802.11a: An Excellent Long Term Solution Since the debut of 802.11a products in 2001, network managers have been struggling with whether to install 802.11b or 802.11a. Here's why you should strongly consider the use of 802.11a for your next wireless LAN deployment. Did You Know... How Wireless Networks Work A wireless network or Wireless Local Area Network (WLAN) serves the same purpose as a wired one . to link a group of computers. Because "wireless" doesn't require costly wiring, the main benefit is that it's generally easier, faster and cheaper to set up. Minimizing 802.11 Interference Issues RF interference will continue to plague current and future 802.11b implementations unless an adequate site survey is conducted - preferably prior to actual network installation. Sizing Up Your WLAN This tutorial tells you what you need to know about what you need to have - in terms of APs - for your WLAN to actually work. The BIG Question: 802.11a or 802.11b? Both 802.11b and 802.11a have distinct merits and appropriate applications. A WLAN expert shows how to make the best decision for particular needs. Webopedia's "Did You Know...?" Section Use this Webopedia knowledge section for an in-depth overview of specific technologies and occurrences in the areas of Computer Science, The Internet, and Computer Hardware and Software. Webopedia's Quick Reference Section Use this Webopedia reference section for information on common Internet and computer facts and occurrences. Wi-Fi Planet 802.11 news, commentary and information. Wi-FiHotSpotList.com Search this directory for Wi-Fi hotspots in your region.	Related Categories Communications Standards Networking Standards Wireless Computing Related Terms 802.11 802.11b 802.11e 802.11g 802.11n 802.1x AP base station DSSS FHSS IEEE OFDM roaming Wi-Fi wireless WLAN Shopping 802 11a Products Compare Products,Prices and Stores Shop by Category: Wireless Adapters 1 Model Matches Wireless Access Points 1 Model Matches