The list below covers off the 802.11 standards and what they mean:

802.11-1997

The first standard, providing a data rate up to 2 Mbps in the 2.4GHz frequency. It provided a range of a whopping 66 feet of indoors (330 feet outdoors), so if you owned one of these routers, you probably only used it in a single room.

802.11a

The first “letter” following the June 1997 approval of the 802.11 standard, this one provided for operation in the 5GHz frequency, with data rates up to 54Mbps. Counterintuitively, 802.11a came out later than 802.11b, causing some confusion in the marketplace because eople expected that the standard with the “b” at the end would be backward compatible with the one with the “a” at the end.

802.11b

Released in September 1999, it’s most likely that your first home router was 802.11b, which operates in the 2.4GHz frequency and provides a data rate up to 11 Mbps. Interestingly, 802.11a products hit the market before 802.11a, which was approved at the same time but didn’t hit the market until later.

802.11g

Approved in June 2003, 802.11g was the successor to 802.11b, able to achieve up to 54Mbps rates in the 2.4GHz band, matching 802.11a speed but within the lower frequency range.

802.11n (Wi-Fi 4)

The first standard to specify MIMO, 802.11n was approved in October 2009 and  allows for usage in two frequencies – 2.4GHz and 5GHz, with speeds up to 600Mbps. When you hear wireless LAN vendors use the term “dual-band”, it refers to being able to deliver data across these two frequencies.

802.11ad

Approved in December 2012, 802.11ad is very fast – it can provide up to 6.7Gbps of data rate across the 60 GHz frequency, but that comes at a cost of distance – you achieve this only if your client device is situated within 3.3 meters (only 11 feet) of the access point.

802.11ac (Wi-Fi 5)

Current home wireless routers are likely 802.1ac-compliant and operate in the 5 GHz frequency space. With Multiple Input, Multiple Output (MIMO) – multiple antennas on sending and receiving devices to reduce error and boost speed – this standard supports data rates up to 3.46Gbps. Some router vendors include technologies that support the 2.4GHz frequency via 802.11n, providing support for older client devices that may have 802.11b/g/n radios, but also providing additional bandwidth for improved data rates.

802.11ax (Wi-Fi 6)

Known as High Efficiency WLAN, 802.11ax aims to improve the performance in WLAN deployments in dense scenarios, such as sports stadiums and airports, while still operating in the 2.4GHz and 5GHz spectrum. The group is targeting at least a 4X improvement in throughput compared to 802.11n and 802.11ac., through more efficient spectrum utilization. Approval is estimated to be in July 2019.

802.11ah

Also known as Wi-Fi HaLow, 802.11ah defines operation of license-exempt networks in frequency bands below 1GHz (typically the 900 MHz band), excluding the TV White Space bands. In the U.S., this includes 908-928MHz, with varying frequencies in other countries. The purpose of 802.11ah is to create extended-range Wi-Fi networks that go beyond typical networks in the 2.4GHz and 5GHz space (remember, lower frequency means longer range), with data speeds up to 347Mbps. In addition, the standard aims to have lower energy consumption, useful for Internet of Things devices to communicate across long ranges without using a lot of energy. But it also could compete with Bluetooth technologies in the home due to its lower energy needs. The protocol was approved in September 2016 and published in May 2017.

 

IoT is the internet of things. Smart devices connected wirelessly together, such as lighting or applicances. Simple application and low risk. But what is IIoT? IoT uses Bluetooth, WiFi or specific 802.14.5 based radios, for ZigBee for example, for a localised network.

Vendors like Ruckus and Aruba are supporting BLE and ZigBee in their new WiFi6 Access Points.

Like IoT, IIoT is designed for Industrial applications- hence the additional I. It has been developed to handle more critical machines using more sensitive and precise sensors for industries like Defence, Healthcare, Energy to name a few.

Cambium Networks IIoT range of products support a range of protocols over their own low frequency radio equipment.

 

Your application will depend on what wireless range of products you will need to consider. If you are integrating smart devices onto your WiFi network you will need to make sure that your Wireless networks supports the required protocols.

Got good cabling but your network is still slow?

There is a good chance your networking equipment is probably not what it could be. To explain this, lets draw a parallel between your cabling and equipment, and cars and roads.

Roads are your network cabling infrastructure, if the road is old and worn out, or not well made, it does not matter what you try to drive fast on it, you will struggle.

New roads are smooth and designed to get you there quicker, old roads are full of holes, dangerous and not conducive to safe speed.

Cars are like your network equipment, or active equipment. I can guarantee that a base model low cost car will not get to the destination anywhere nearly as quick as a high end more expensive car, no matter how good the road is. Why? It just does not have the power or handling to go fast. This is not the cars fault, it was built to a price and performance specification.

So if you are having issues and it’s not the cabling, chances are you are trying to push either older slower switches or access points, or you probably didn’t get the right specification for what you need.

We can help. With access to multitudes of vendors we can find you the right equipment to make your network fly. Have a look at our PRODUCTS page for a few of the ranges we support.

 

Telstra have launched their IoT network, leveraging off their exisiting mobile phone coverage.

Telstra IoT Web Site

It works using their own Captis Pulse device with inbuilt SIM and antenna to connect to the IoT netowork with the device visible back at their Cloud service, the Telstra Wireless M2M Control Centre.

Here is a link to their Captis IoT module specification sheet where you will see it has 2 digital inputs and runs on a Lithium battery.

Something to consider for remote location that are covered by the Telstra network. You can register for more information HERE

Just quickly the new WiFi standard, 802.11ax WiFi6) brings big differences to 80211ac including MU-MIMO or Multi User MIMO (Multiple Input Multiple Output). 802.11ac allows for this in the download direction, to the end points, and only in 5GHz, where as 802.11ax allows the AP to also receive from multiple stations on different spatial streams in both 2.4 and 5GHz.

Now WiFi6E also includes the 6GHz band, which currently has been used in Australia for long distance microwave transmissions. The new WiFi band has a lot of channel space available. Infact per the image below it looks like we will never again have to struggle to get a channel that isn’t congested. Now that image is for USA and doesn’t necessarily apply to Australia just yet.

Vendors are rushing to bring WiFi6 and WiFi6E AP’s and routers to market but there don’t seem to be many compatible end user devices capable of justifying the investment just yet. If you are forced to upgrade right now, consider it, but if you already have investment in 802.11ac, you don’t have to worry. When these chipsets are shipping in devices as standard, thats when an upgrade to 6E might be worth it, but for now, a well installed 802.11ac nework will be the best way to go for now as all devices will be able to operate on a new WiFi6 networks when you do upgrade.

 

 

Powerline is a way to network in your house without running data cables or messing around with your WiFi. It works by using the power cabling you already have.
You can get them with WiFi extenders built in to quickly increase the coverge and speed of your WiFi in low signal areas.
Have a look at the chart below and contact us for for installation services

Fixed license, class license, Apparatus license…what does it all mean?

Here are a few links to simplify the confusion from the ACMA web site.

CLASS LICENSE – you don’t need a license.

APPARATUS LICENSE – a license per transmitter

FIXED LICENSE – What does and doesn’t need a license (note the high power 5.8GHz inclusion)

FIXED LICENSE – here are the details of how the transmitter can operate

RADIOFREQUENCY PLAN – If you are keen, here is the entire ACMA radio frequency plan for all spectrum

 

 

You need bandwidth over a short distance in an area that has a lot of 5GHz congestion and the idea of paying for a microwave license, especially in a major capital city scares you?

24GHz is a frequency band you can use, subject to some ACMA guidelines, to establish a 1-2Gbps link between two sites up to 5km apart.

This is definately a solution worth pursuing with a number of vendors providing solutions like SAF, Ubiquiti and Mimosa

CONTACT US to discuss if 24GHz will help you overcome your connectivity issues.