Advanced-N refers to wireless network devices that use 802.11n protocols, providing improved transfer speeds and connectivity reliability. Intel uses this term to differentiate between different types of hardware, with Ultimate-N also used. Advanced-N devices use MIMO antennas and can operate on two different bands, providing increased connectivity. Some devices are also designed with WiMax compatibility. Transfer speeds may vary depending on hardware specifications, but 802.11n transfer rates are generally faster than previous generations and are backwards compatible.
Advanced-N is a term used by some companies, notably Intel®, to refer to wireless network devices that use the 802.11n protocols as agreed upon by the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE). These protocols have greatly improved transfer speeds and connectivity reliability over previous generations of wireless protocols, such as 802.11g wireless protocols. The addition of the term “Advanced” simply indicates different levels of wireless devices manufactured by Intel®, just like the use of the term “Ultimate-N”. Advanced-N uses multiple-input multiple-output (MIMO) antennas and can operate on two different bands, allowing for higher transfer rates and greater connectivity.
The “N” in Advanced-N refers to wireless protocols used by devices labeled with this descriptor. The IEEE 802.11 protocols were established – and will likely continue to be used for some time – to ensure usability among hardware manufacturers and developers. Different generations of wireless hardware are generally identified by the protocols they are developed to meet, with earlier generations labeled as 802.11a, 802.11b, and 802.11g. Development of the 802.11n protocols has greatly improved over previous generations, and those wireless devices advertised as “Advanced-N” typically use these protocols.
Intel® is a major user of the “Advanced-N” nomenclature and uses it to differentiate between different types of hardware using 802.11n protocols with other features that also increase transfer speeds. The term “Ultimate-N” is also used by Intel® and different products advertised as using different types of 802.11n protocols often indicate differences in speed and connectivity. In general, however, the 802.11n protocols established the use of MIMO antennas which had a huge increase in speed due to the increase in signal input and output potential. Using both the 5 gigahertz (GHz) and 2.4 GHz bands also provides increased connectivity to other wireless N devices.
Some Advanced-N devices are also designed with WiMax compatibility, which is a secondary type of wireless signal used in some devices. WiMax uses microwave signals to send data wirelessly, and devices designed with 802.11n and WiMax connectivity are able to connect to more wireless networks and devices. Actual transfer speeds for different Advanced-N devices may vary, depending on each device’s hardware specifications, so anyone interested in such devices should pay attention to the details. In general, however, 802.11n transfer rates are faster than previous generations, and Wireless N devices are backwards compatible with previous wireless generations.
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