On Fri, 19 Jun 2009 15:49:25 -0700 "Mark Henigan"
<os2-wireless_users@2rosenthals.com> wrote:
>I'm attempting to select a T43p and am concerned that
>I don't really understand 802.11 compatibility. It is
>obvious that a machine with 802.11abg hardware is
>compatible with wireless connection points/routers/etc
>that use any of these protocols. But, if a laptop is
>stated to have only 802.11g would it be able to connect
>to other hardware that was only 802.11b compatible, for
>example? In otherwords, can the 802.11abg fall back to
>the other protocols on its own, while the 802.11g would
>depend on the other end of a connection to include its
>protocol?
>
Hi, Mark. 802.11g is fully backward compatible with 802.11b. Thus while it
is possible to configure an access point (access point, mind you, *not*
usually a client card) to deny 802.11b clients (or even 802.11g clients),
in order for the unit to be certified by the Wi-Fi Alliance as an 802.11g
device it *must* have the capability of accepting 802.11b clients as well
as 802.11g.
So, any client card which states that it is 802.11g is - by definition -
also 802.11b compatible (same radio; in the 2.4GHz spectrum, and both
utilize the exact same channels).
802.11a is another matter. This uses a different frequency altogether, in
the 5GHz band, and as such utilizes a completely separate radio.
HTH!!
___
Lewis G Rosenthal
Rosenthal & Rosenthal, LLC
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