Editing IEEE 802.11 (section)

===802.11n===
{{Main|IEEE 802.11n-2009}}

802.11n is an amendment that improves upon the previous 802.11 standards; its first draft of certification was published in 2006. The 802.11n standard was retroactively labelled as '''Wi-Fi 4''' by the Wi-Fi Alliance.<ref name="Wi-Fi Alliance® introduces Wi-Fi 6">{{cite web|url=https://www.wi-fi.org/news-events/newsroom/wi-fi-alliance-introduces-wi-fi-6|title=Wi-Fi Alliance® introduces Wi-Fi 6}}</ref><ref name="Shankland">{{Cite web |url=https://www.cnet.com/news/wi-fi-alliance-simplifying-802-11-wireless-network-tech-names/ |title=Here come Wi-Fi 4, 5 and 6 in plan to simplify 802.11 networking names - The Wi-Fi Alliance wants to make wireless networks easier to understand and recognize |last=Shankland |first=Stephen |date=2018-10-03 |website=[[CNET]] |access-date=2020-02-13}}</ref> The standard added support for [[multiple-input multiple-output]] antennas (MIMO). 802.11n operates on both the 2.4&nbsp;GHz and the 5&nbsp;GHz bands. Support for 5&nbsp;GHz bands is optional. Its net data rate ranges from 54&nbsp;Mbit/s to 600&nbsp;Mbit/s. The IEEE has approved the amendment, and it was published in October 2009.<ref name=80211nPR>{{cite web |url=http://standards.ieee.org/announcements/ieee802.11n_2009amendment_ratified.html |title=IEEE-SA - News & Events |website=[[IEEE Standards Association]] |access-date=2012-05-24 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100726095111/http://standards.ieee.org/announcements/ieee802.11n_2009amendment_ratified.html |archive-date=2010-07-26 }}</ref><ref name=802.11-2009>{{cite book |publisher=[[IEEE-SA]] |date=29 October 2009 |doi=10.1109/IEEESTD.2009.5307322 |isbn=978-0-7381-6046-7 |title=IEEE Standard for Information technology-- Local and metropolitan area networks-- Specific requirements-- Part 11: Wireless LAN Medium Access Control (MAC)and Physical Layer (PHY) Specifications Amendment 5: Enhancements for Higher Throughput }}</ref> 

Prior to the final ratification, enterprises were already migrating to 802.11n networks based on the Wi-Fi Alliance's certification of products conforming to a 2007 draft of the 802.11n proposal. Early Intel WiFi cards were not compatible with the final standard. Many rival access points and cards also did not support 5&nbsp;GHz at all.{{cn|date=December 2024|reason=Both Intel and 5 GHz limitations need support}}