Wi-Fi has come a long way since 1999, when wireless networks topped out at just 11 Mbps. Today, Wi-Fi 7 supports theoretical multi-gigabit speeds, wider channels, and simultaneous connections across multiple frequency bands. But faster downloads are only part of the story. Each generation has changed how wireless devices communicate, share bandwidth, handle interference, and perform on crowded networks.

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This interactive Wi-Fi evolution timeline traces the development of wireless networking from Wi-Fi 1 through Wi-Fi 7, along with the expected arrival of Wi-Fi 8 (IEEE 802.11bn). Compare Wi-Fi generations by maximum theoretical speed, IEEE 802.11 standards, 2.4 GHz, 5 GHz and 6 GHz frequency bands, channel widths, and modulation techniques. Explore how technologies such as MIMO, MU-MIMO, OFDMA, 4096-QAM, and Multi-Link Operation have shaped modern wireless connectivity.

Use the interactive charts, speed comparisons, spectrum diagrams, and technical specifications to see what changed between generations—and what the next Wi-Fi standard is expected to bring.

Wi-Fi Evolution — Gutenberg-safe Interactive Charts

Wi-Fi Evolution

Interactive timeline · 1999 to 2028

The Wi-Fi evolution

Nine generations of wireless LAN, from 11 Mbps to multi-gigabit links. See what each step added, which bands it uses, and how much faster it is than the first.

9generations

28years of standards

3frequency bands

23 Gbps*Wi-Fi 7 single-band peak

Scroll

01Generations on the road

Click a pin to inspect a generation. Pins follow the year order, and packets travel the road from the first standard to the latest.

Charts are available in static mode. Enable the companion JavaScript for interactive controls.

On smaller screens, swipe sideways inside the timeline to view every generation.

Wi-Fi 1Pioneer

802.11b

1999

2.4 GHz22 MHzDSSS / CCK

The first mass-market Wi-Fi: 11 Mbps on the crowded 2.4 GHz band.

Band: 2.4 GHz only, shared with Bluetooth and microwave ovens.

Peak link rate

11Mbps

1× baseline

Band2.4 GHz

Channel22 MHz

ModulationDSSS / CCK

Bits per symboln/a

What it added

Brings wireless LAN to laptops, routers and access points.
Uses DSSS with CCK coding to reach 11 Mbps.
Starts vendor interoperability testing, the roots of the Wi-Fi certification program.

Baseline: every multiplier on this page is measured against 11 Mbps.

02Peak speed by year

Log scale: each gridline is 10× faster. Hover the curve for details. The dashed segment is an estimate for Wi-Fi 8.

Swipe sideways inside the chart to explore the full timeline.

03Speed race

Peak link rate on a linear scale, so the gap is obvious. Wi-Fi 1 is a sliver next to Wi-Fi 7.

Wi-Fi 1802.11b · 2.4 GHz

11 Mbps1× baseline

Wi-Fi 2802.11a · 5 GHz

54 Mbps4.9×

Wi-Fi 3802.11g · 2.4 GHz

54 Mbps4.9×

Wi-Fi 4802.11n · 2.4 + 5 GHz

450 Mbps41×

Wi-Fi 5802.11ac · 5 GHz

1.3 Gbps118×

Wi-Fi 6802.11ax · 2.4 + 5 GHz

5 Gbps455×

Wi-Fi 6E802.11ax · 2.4 + 5 + 6 GHz

5 Gbps455×

Wi-Fi 7802.11be · 2.4 + 5 + 6 GHz

23 Gbps*2,091×

Wi-Fi 8802.11bn · Expected 2.4 + 5 + 6 GHz

No figuren/a

0510152025 Gbps

Swipe sideways to compare all generations without shrinking the bars.

Linear scale, 0 to 25 Gbps. Wi-Fi 8 has no speed in the source infographic, so its lane is a dashed placeholder. *Wi-Fi 7’s 23 Gbps is the single-band maximum.

04Spectrum bands

Where each generation operates. More spectrum means wider channels and more of them, which is a major part of the speed story.

2.4 GHzsince Wi-Fi 1 · 1999

Crowded: shared with Bluetooth and microwaves

5 GHzsince Wi-Fi 2 · 1999

Many more channels

6 GHzadded with Wi-Fi 6E · 2020

Wide channels, far less crowded

2.4 GHz

3 GHz

4 GHz

5 GHz

6 GHz

7 GHz

Swipe sideways to inspect the frequency bands and labels.

Generation	2.4 GHz	5 GHz	6 GHz	Max channel
Wi-Fi 1 · 802.11b				22 MHz
Wi-Fi 2 · 802.11a				20 MHz
Wi-Fi 3 · 802.11g				20 MHz
Wi-Fi 4 · 802.11n				40 MHz
Wi-Fi 5 · 802.11ac				160 MHz
Wi-Fi 6 · 802.11ax				160 MHz
Wi-Fi 6E · 802.11ax				160 MHz
Wi-Fi 7 · 802.11be				320 MHz
Wi-Fi 8 · 802.11bn				Not specified

Band edges are typical US allocations. Wi-Fi 6E keeps 2.4 and 5 GHz from Wi-Fi 6 and adds 6 GHz. Wi-Fi 8 entries are expected, not final.

05Modulation: more bits per symbol

Each step adds bits per symbol, so the same airtime carries more data. Denser constellations need a cleaner signal, so range falls as speed rises.

64-QAMWi-Fi 2, 3 and 4 · 6 bits per symbol

256-QAMWi-Fi 5 · 8 bits per symbol

1024-QAMWi-Fi 6 and 6E · 10 bits per symbol

4096-QAMWi-Fi 7 · 12 bits per symbol

06Features that changed the game

The protocol techniques behind the speed jumps. Hover a card to light it up.

MIMO

Several antennas send several spatial streams on the same channel, multiplying throughput.

Wi-Fi 4 · 2009

OFDMA

Splits a channel into resource units so one transmission can serve many clients at once.

Wi-Fi 6 · 2019

MU-MIMO

Beams separate streams for several clients in parallel. Wi-Fi 5 handled downlink; Wi-Fi 6 added uplink.

Wi-Fi 5 · 2014

TWT

Target Wake Time lets devices sleep on a schedule, saving battery and cutting contention.

Wi-Fi 6 · 2019

MLO

Multi-Link Operation lets one device use 2.4, 5 and 6 GHz links together, not one at a time.

Wi-Fi 7 · 2024

Puncturing

Skips a damaged slice of a wide channel instead of dropping the whole channel.

Wi-Fi 7 · 2024

Beamforming

Focuses signal energy toward a client, improving range and reliability.

Wi-Fi 4 → 5

320 MHz

Doubles the widest channel from 160 MHz to 320 MHz for higher peak rates.

Wi-Fi 7 · 2024

07Generation gallery

Tilt a card with your mouse. Click a card to load it into the timeline.

1999 · 2.4 GHz

Wi-Fi 1

802.11b

11Mbps

Wireless LAN goes mainstream

22 MHzDSSS / CCK

1999 · 5 GHz

Wi-Fi 2

802.11a

54Mbps

OFDM on 5 GHz

20 MHzOFDM 64-QAM

2003 · 2.4 GHz

Wi-Fi 3

802.11g

54Mbps

OFDM on 2.4 GHz

20 MHzOFDM 64-QAM

2009 · 2.4 + 5 GHz

Wi-Fi 4

802.11n

450Mbps

MIMO and 40 MHz channels

40 MHzOFDM 64-QAM

2014 · 5 GHz

Wi-Fi 5

802.11ac

1.3Gbps

Gigabit Wi-Fi on 5 GHz

160 MHz256-QAM

2019 · 2.4 + 5 GHz

Wi-Fi 6

802.11ax

5Gbps

OFDMA, TWT, 1024-QAM

160 MHz1024-QAM

2020 · 2.4 + 5 + 6 GHz

Wi-Fi 6E

802.11ax

5Gbps

Opens the 6 GHz band

160 MHz1024-QAM

2024 · 2.4 + 5 + 6 GHz

Wi-Fi 7

802.11be

23Gbps

MLO, 320 MHz, 4096-QAM

320 MHz4096-QAM

2028 (est.) · Expected 2.4 + 5 + 6 GHz

Wi-Fi 8

802.11bn

TBDspeed not given

Expected 2028 successor

Not specifiedNot specified

08Spec sheet

Click a row to load that generation into the timeline.

Gen	Standard	Year	Bands	Peak rate	Max channel	Headline feature
Wi-Fi 1	802.11b	1999	2.4 GHz	11 Mbps	22 MHz	Wireless LAN goes mainstream
Wi-Fi 2	802.11a	1999	5 GHz	54 Mbps	20 MHz	OFDM on 5 GHz
Wi-Fi 3	802.11g	2003	2.4 GHz	54 Mbps	20 MHz	OFDM on 2.4 GHz
Wi-Fi 4	802.11n	2009	2.4 + 5 GHz	450 Mbps	40 MHz	MIMO and 40 MHz channels
Wi-Fi 5	802.11ac	2014	5 GHz	1.3 Gbps	160 MHz	Gigabit Wi-Fi on 5 GHz
Wi-Fi 6	802.11ax	2019	2.4 + 5 GHz	5 Gbps	160 MHz	OFDMA, TWT, 1024-QAM
Wi-Fi 6E	802.11ax	2020	2.4 + 5 + 6 GHz	5 Gbps	160 MHz	Opens the 6 GHz band
Wi-Fi 7	802.11be	2024	2.4 + 5 + 6 GHz	23 Gbps*	320 MHz	MLO, 320 MHz, 4096-QAM
Wi-Fi 8	802.11bn	2028 (est.)	Expected 2.4 + 5 + 6 GHz	Not specified	Not specified	Expected 2028 successor

*Wi-Fi 7’s 23 Gbps is the single-band maximum from Wikipedia; the infographic gives no Wi-Fi 7 speed. Wi-Fi 4’s 450 Mbps is the infographic figure (Wikipedia lists 600 Mbps at 4×4, 40 MHz). The Wi-Fi 6E “6×8” MU-MIMO entry is shown as printed.

09Sources and notes

Wikipedia: Wi-FiGeneration table, peak rates and channel widths Wi-Fi AllianceGeneration names and certification program IEEE 802.11 working groupAmendments a, b, g, n, ac, ax, be and bn Spec sheet notesWhere figures differ from Wikipedia, and why

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The Wi-Fi evolution

01Generations on the road

802.11b

What it added

02Peak speed by year

03Speed race

04Spectrum bands

05Modulation: more bits per symbol

06Features that changed the game

MIMO

OFDMA

MU-MIMO

TWT

MLO

Puncturing

Beamforming

320 MHz

07Generation gallery

Wi-Fi 1

Wi-Fi 2

Wi-Fi 3

Wi-Fi 4

Wi-Fi 5

Wi-Fi 6

Wi-Fi 6E

Wi-Fi 7

Wi-Fi 8

08Spec sheet

09Sources and notes

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