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OPC Dictionary

IEEE 802.11

IEEE 802.11 (wireless Ethernet) is a family of standards for wireless LANs.

Protocol	Release Date	Operating Frequency	Typical Data Rate	Maximum Data Rate	Indoor Range
IEEE 802.11a	1999	5 GHz	23 Mbps	54 Mbps	35M (115 ft)
IEEE 802.11b	1999	2.4 GHz	4.3 Mbps	11 Mbps	38M (125 ft)
IEEE 802.11g	2003	2.4 GHz	19 Mbps	54 Mbps	38M (125 ft)
IEEE 802.11n	Not released	5 or 2.4 GHz	74 Mbps	540 Mbps	70M (230 ft)
IEEE 802.11y	Not released	3.7 GHz	23 Mbps	54 Mbps	50M (164 ft)

IEEE 802.11 enables users to establish a secure connection (including Authentication and Encryption) between the data source and destination. The number of companies that use IEEE 802.11 is quickly growing as cybersecurity issues associated with wireless communication are solved.

OPC communication can use Wireless Ethernet for its networking backbone. However, users must take special care to ensure that network reliability and Quality of Service (QoS) remain high, real-time data could be lost.

People often use the terms Wireless Ethernet and Wi-Fi interchangeably. However, this is technically incorrect because Wi-Fi is a brand name that the Wi-Fi Alliance owns.