802.11n is an industry standard from the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) for local area Wi-Fi network communications, ratified in 2009. The standard replaced the older Wi-Fi technologies 802.11a, 802.11b, and 802.11g, but was replaced by 802.11ac in 2013 and by 802.11ax (Wi-Fi 6) in 2019. 802.11ay (Wi-Fi 7) is next.
Wi-Fi Evolution | 802.11 Standards Explained
Each standard is faster and more reliable than the previous one, and is usually also backwards compatible.
The packaging of each Wi-Fi device you purchase will state which of these standards the device supports.
802.11n uses multiple wireless antennas in tandem to transmit and receive data. The related term MIMO (multiple input, multiple output) refers to the ability of 802.11n and similar technologies to coordinate multiple simultaneous radio signals. 802.11n supports up to four simultaneous streams. MIMO increases both the range and throughput of a wireless network.
