Most WiFi Routers use channel 6 as the default channel. I created this channel spectrum to show
why you should change the default to channel 1 or 11 to avoid potential conflicts. Notice how
channel 6 overlaps all other channels except 1 and 11.
Wireless-A (802.11a)
802.11a transmits at 5GHz and can move up to 54 megabits of data per second. It also uses orthogonal frequency-division multiplexing (OFDM), a more efficient coding technique that splits that radio signal into several sub-signals before they reach a receiver. This greatly reduces interference.
Operates at the frequency of 5GHz, which is less crowded than 2.4GHz where telephones and microwaves may cause interference. Although the speed is up to 54Mbps, the maximum range is only 75 feet. Wireless-A is incompatible with both Wireless-B and G because it operates at a different frequency.
Wireless-B (802.11b)
802.11b is the slowest and least expensive standard. For a while, its cost made it popular, but now it’s becoming less common as faster standards become less expensive. 802.11b transmits in the 2.4 GHz frequency band of the radio spectrum. It can handle up to 11 megabits of data per second, and it uses complimentary code keying (CCK) coding.
Operates on the 2.4GHz frequency band and can transmit data at speeds of up to 11Mbps within a range of up to 100-150 feet. Wireless range can be affected by reflective or signal-blocking obstacles, such as mirrors, walls, devices and location, whether indoors or outdoors.
Wireless-G (802.11g)
802.11g transmits at 2.4 GHz like 802.11b, but it’s a lot faster — it can handle up to 54 megabits of data per second. 802.11g is faster because it uses the same OFDM coding as 802.11a.
Features the same benefits as Wireless-B, but offers 5X the speed at up to 54Mbps. Wireless-G currently offers the best combination of performance and value. Wireless-G is compatible with Wireless-B equipment, but you will lose the higher performance speeds of Wireless-G.
Wireless-N (draft 802.11n)
802.11n is the newest standard that is widely available. This standard significantly improves speed and range. For instance, although 802.11g theoretically moves 54 megabits of data per second, it only achieves real-world speeds of about 24 megabits of data per second because of network congestion. 802.11n, however, reportedly can achieve speeds as high as 140 megabits per second.
The current generation of high-speed wireless networking, capable of delivering the range and capacity to support today’s most bandwidth-hungry applications like streaming video. Wireless-N builds on the previous wireless standards by adding multiple-input multiple-output (MIMO) technology. Wireless-N is a draft standard, meaning The Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers has not yet adopted it. However, computer manufacturers and many other companies are marketing products with the expectation that it will soon become the new standard.
Dual-Band Wireless-N (draft 802.11n)
Dual-band routers are compatible with both 2.4GHz and 5GHz frequencies. Non-concurrent dual-band routers only allow usage in one of the frequency bands during set up and configuration. In a concurrent (or simultaneous) dual-band router both radio bands work at the same time, substantially expanding the available channel bandwidth and allowing more data flow.
