Wi-Fi Protocol Support
Note
This document is automatically translated using AI. Please excuse any detailed errors. The official English version is still in progress.
IEEE 802.11 is a series of wireless local area network (WLAN) standards defined by IEEE. These standards specify how wireless network devices communicate at the physical layer (PHY) and the medium access control layer (MAC). With the development of the Internet of Things, mobile internet, and high-bandwidth applications, the 802.11 protocol family continues to introduce new amendments to increase transmission rates, enhance security performance, optimize roaming experience, and reduce power consumption.
This section is used to introduce the various standards of the IEEE 802.11 protocol and the support status of the ESP32 series chips for each standard.
Table of Contents
IEEE 802.11 Protocol Standards
Physical Layer / Wi-Fi Generation Standards
The physical layer standards define the underlying transmission characteristics of Wi-Fi, including the working frequency band, modulation method, channel bandwidth, and maximum theoretical rate.
802.11 Standard |
Wi-Fi Generation |
Frequency Band |
Maximum Physical Layer Rate |
Brief Description |
|---|---|---|---|---|
802.11 |
2.4 GHz |
2 Mbps |
Original standard, defined DSSS and FHSS modulation methods. |
|
802.11b |
2.4 GHz |
11 Mbps |
Introduced CCK encoding, greatly improving transmission rate and stability. |
|
802.11a |
5 GHz |
54 Mbps |
First introduced OFDM technology, avoiding the crowded 2.4 GHz band. |
|
802.11g |
2.4 GHz |
54 Mbps |
Introduced OFDM technology into 2.4 GHz, maintaining compatibility with 11b. |
|
802.11n |
Wi-Fi 4 |
2.4 GHz / 5 GHz |
600 Mbps |
Introduced MIMO (Multiple Input Multiple Output) and 40 MHz bandwidth, greatly increasing the rate. |
802.11ac |
Wi-Fi 5 |
5 GHz |
3.4 Gbps |
Supports 80/160 MHz bandwidth and 256-QAM, designed for high throughput. |
802.11ax |
Wi-Fi 6/6E 1 |
2.4 GHz / 5 GHz / 6 GHz |
9.6 Gbps |
Introduced OFDMA and supports uplink and downlink MU-MIMO, optimizing concurrent performance in high-density scenarios. |
802.11be |
Wi-Fi 7 |
2.4 GHz / 5 GHz / 6 GHz |
46 Gbps |
Supports 320 MHz bandwidth and 4096-QAM, achieving extremely high throughput (EHT). |
Note
1 : Wi-Fi 6E supports the 6 GHz band, Wi-Fi 6 does not.
MAC Layer Standards
The MAC layer standard optimizes management frames, security control, and resource allocation to solve the problems of collision when multiple devices access, delay during roaming, and security of data transmission, which is the core to improve the Wi-Fi user experience.
802.11 Standard |
Function |
Brief Description |
|---|---|---|
802.11e |
QoS / WMM |
Introduces Quality of Service mechanism, prioritizing real-time traffic such as voice and video. |
802.11i |
Security |
Defines an enhanced security architecture (such as WPA2), using AES encryption to protect data. |
802.11k |
Wireless Resource Measurement |
Allows clients to request nearby AP reports, assisting in making faster roaming decisions. |
802.11r |
Fast Roaming |
Fast BSS switching, reducing handshake delay during roaming through pre-authentication. |
802.11v |
Network Assisted Roaming |
Allows the network side to guide clients to switch to an AP with lighter load or better signal. |
802.11w |
Management Frame Protection |
Provides integrity protection for management frames, defending against DoS attacks on management traffic. |
802.11h |
DFS/TPC |
Dynamic Frequency Selection and Transmit Power Control, mainly used for 5 GHz radar avoidance. |
802.11d |
Country/Region Spectrum Adaptation |
Enables devices to automatically switch available physical channels according to the regulations of different countries. |
Other Standards
802.11 Standard |
Function |
Brief Description |
|---|---|---|
802.11s |
Mesh Self-Organizing Network |
Defines the path selection and automatic topology construction protocol of wireless mesh networks. |
802.11p |
Vehicle Networking (DSRC) |
Designed specifically for vehicular environments, supporting short-range reliable communication under high-speed movement. |
802.11ah |
HaLow |
Operates in the Sub-1 GHz band, with ultra-long distance and extremely low power consumption characteristics. |
802.11ad |
60 GHz WiGig |
Operates in the 60 GHz band, providing ultra-high-speed short-range wireless connections of several Gbps. |
802.11ay |
Enhanced WiGig |
The evolution of 11ad, supporting higher bandwidth, multi-stream transmission, and longer distances. |
802.11u |
Intercommunication with Cellular Networks |
Supports external network discovery and automatic authentication (Passpoint / Hotspot 2.0). |
802.11mc |
RTT Precise Positioning |
Introduces Fine Timing Measurement (FTM), achieving meter-level accuracy indoor positioning. |
802.11ai |
Fast Initial Connection |
Fast Initial Link Setup (FILS), significantly shortening the time of association and scanning. |
802.11aq |
Enhanced Service Discovery |
Allows clients to query the services provided by the AP (such as printing, display) before association. |
ESP Chip Wi-Fi Protocol Support Situation
Physical Layer / Wi-Fi Generation Standard |
MAC Layer Standard |
|
|---|---|---|
ESP32 |
IEEE 802.11b/g/n |
IEEE 802.11e/i/k/r/v/w/h/d |
ESP32-C2 |
IEEE 802.11b/g/n |
IEEE 802.11e/i/k/r/v/w/h/d |
ESP32-C3 |
IEEE 802.11b/g/n |
IEEE 802.11e/i/k/r/v/w/h/d |
ESP32-C5 |
IEEE 802.11a/b/g/n/ac/ax (Supports 5 GHz) |
IEEE 802.11e/i/k/r/v/w/h/d |
ESP32-C6 |
IEEE 802.11b/g/n/ax |
IEEE 802.11e/i/k/r/v/w/h/d |
ESP32-C61 |
IEEE 802.11b/g/n/ax |
IEEE 802.11e/i/k/r/v/w/h/d |
ESP32-S2 |
IEEE 802.11b/g/n |
IEEE 802.11e/i/k/r/v/w/h/d |
ESP32-S3 |
IEEE 802.11b/g/n |
IEEE 802.11e/i/k/r/v/w/h/d |
ESP32-S31 |
IEEE 802.11b/g/n/ax |
IEEE 802.11e/i/k/r/v/w/h/d |
ESP32-E22 |
IEEE 802.11a/b/g/n/ac/ax (Supports 6 GHz) |
IEEE 802.11e/i/k/r/v/w/h/d |
ESP8266 |
IEEE 802.11b/g/n |
IEEE 802.11e/i/k/r/v/w/h/d |