Drag a concept onto its matching description — or click a concept then click the description.
Concepts
Matches
2.4 GHz, 11 Mbps
5 GHz, 54 Mbps
2.4 GHz, 54 Mbps
2.4/5 GHz, 600 Mbps
5 GHz, 6.9 Gbps
CCNA Network Infrastructure and Connectivity Practice Question
Drag and drop the 802.11 standards on the left to their correct frequency band and maximum throughput on the right.
⚠ Common exam trap
A common trap is confusing 802.11a with 802.11g because both have 54 Mbps throughput, but they operate in different frequency bands. Remember that 802.11a uses 5 GHz exclusively, while 802.11g uses 2.4 GHz.
Answer choices
Why each option matters
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
✓
802.11b: 2.4 GHz, 11 Mbps
Each 802.11 standard operates in specific frequency bands and has a maximum theoretical throughput. 802.11a uses 5 GHz at 54 Mbps, 802.11b uses 2.4 GHz at 11 Mbps, 802.11g uses 2.4 GHz at 54 Mbps, 802.11n uses both 2.4 and 5 GHz up to 600 Mbps, 802.11ac uses 5 GHz up to 6.9 Gbps, and 802.11ax uses 2.4, 5, and 6 GHz up to 9.6 Gbps.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
- ✓
802.11b: 2.4 GHz, 11 Mbps
Why this is correct
The 802.11b standard is validly paired with the 2.4 GHz band and an 11 Mbps data rate, using HR-DSSS with CCK modulation. It replaced the original 1/2 Mbps 802.11 DSSS physical layer and became the first widely adopted Wi-Fi. Because it shares the 2.4 GHz ISM band, it suffers interference from Bluetooth and microwaves, and its 25 MHz channel spacing yields just three non-overlapping channels.
- ✓
802.11a: 5 GHz, 54 Mbps
Why this is correct
This pairing is accurate because 802.11a was the first standard to use OFDM in the 5 GHz UNII bands and caps at 54 Mbps. The higher frequency causes greater path loss, so it yields shorter range than 2.4 GHz counterparts, but it occupies less congested spectrum. Despite being less common in home equipment, it forms the basis for later OFDM-based PHYs.
- ✓
802.11g: 2.4 GHz, 54 Mbps
Why this is correct
This option is correct because 802.11g brought OFDM to the 2.4 GHz band and achieved 54 Mbps, doubling the 11 Mbps of 802.11b. It remains backward compatible with older DSSS/CCK devices, but enabling protection mechanisms when mixed with those clients significantly reduces throughput. The 2.4 GHz band's limited three non-overlapping channels makes it more vulnerable to interference than 5 GHz.
- ✓
802.11n: 2.4/5 GHz, 600 Mbps
Why this is correct
The 802.11n amendment is correctly matched with dual-band operation at 2.4/5 GHz and a top data rate of 600 Mbps. It introduced MIMO, optional 40 MHz channels, packet aggregation, and shorter guard intervals, allowing four spatial streams to reach that ceiling. Its key distinction is that it is the first standard to support both ISM and U-NII bands with high-throughput operation.
- ✓
802.11ac: 5 GHz, 6.9 Gbps
Why this is correct
802.11ac's correct characteristics are 5 GHz-only operation and a maximum theoretical throughput of 6.9 Gbps through 160 MHz channels, eight spatial streams, MU-MIMO, and 256-QAM. It deliberately avoids the 2.4 GHz band entirely, enabling clean wide channels and downlink multi-user transmission. This speed is achieved only with the full eight-stream Wave 2 implementation; typical enterprise APs deliver far less.
Go deeper
Related to this question
Learn chapter
Ethernet Standards
Key term
Basic Service Set Identifier
A Basic Service Set Identifier (BSSID) is the unique hardware address that identifies a specific wireless access point or a group of wireless devices communicating together.
Key term
Throughput
Throughput is the rate at which data is successfully transferred from one point to another over a network, typically measured in bits per second.
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