SonicWALL SonicPoint ACe - Frequency Bands and Channels

SonicWallSonicPointACeGettingStartedGuide
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Frequencybandsandchannels
Therearecurrentlyfivewidelyadoptedstandardsfor802.11wirelessnetworktypes:a,b,g,n,andac.802.11nand802.11acare
thenewestandhighestcapacitystandards,butolderclientdevicesmaynotbeabletoutilizethenewerstandards.
Differentfrequencybandsprovidevaryingsignalstrengthandqualityover
differentdistanceranges.Signalsinthe2.4GHzrange
tendtopassthroughphysicalbarriersbetterandcarryfartherthanthoseinthe5GHzrange,buttheydonotprovideashigha
datarate.Signalsinthe5GHzrangeprovidefasterdataratesforbetterthroughput,but
thesignalattenuatesfasterandisbest
suitedforopenspaces.
Wirelessstandards
802.11(x) Frequencystandard Maximumdatarate
802.11a 5GHz 54Mbps
802.11b 2.4GHz 11Mbps
802.11g 2.4GHz 54Mbps
802.11n 2.4GHzand5GHz 450Mbps
802.11ac 5GHz+multichannel+multipath 1.3Gbps
Strengthsandweaknessesof5GHzand2.4GHzsignals
5GHz 2.4GHz
Strength Higherspeed,
morechannels LongerRange,strongersignalpenetration
Weakness Limitedpenetrationofwalls,clientcompatibility Moresourcesofinterference