80211bgn

802.11bgn is a shorthand reference to the family of IEEE 802.11 wireless LAN standards that may be implemented together in a device to operate in the 2.4 GHz band. It is commonly advertised on consumer Wi‑Fi routers and network adapters as compatibility with 802.11b, 802.11g, and 802.11n networks.

802.11b, ratified in 1999, uses DSSS with the CCK modulation scheme and provides throughput up to 11 Mbps. 802.11g, ratified in 2003, uses OFDM and raises the maximum to 54 Mbps while still operating in the 2.4 GHz band. 802.11n, ratified in 2009, introduces multiple-input multiple-output (MIMO) and supports much higher throughputs, with a theoretical maximum up to 600 Mbps when using four spatial streams and 40 MHz channels; in practice many devices achieve far lower rates. 802.11n can operate in 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz, making it a dual-band technology in many implementations.

Devices labeled b/g/n are backward compatible: a client that supports n can fall back to b or g rates if the network does not support higher speeds, and an 802.11n access point will typically allow legacy clients to connect.

Security is provided by higher-layer protocols such as WPA2; older WEP is deprecated due to weak security.

Operating in the crowded 2.4 GHz band, 802.11bgn networks can suffer interference from other devices and from channel reuse limits. They remain widespread in legacy and budget equipment, though newer standards like 802.11ac and 802.11ax offer higher performance on the 5 GHz band and additional bands.