IEEE's 802 standards are not always the most intuitive to navigate. Browse through our guide to quickly familiarize yourself with the different standards that pertain to networking.

1. 802.1: Bridging and Network Management
802.2: Logical Link
802.3: Ethernet
802.4: Token Bus
802.5: Defines the MAC layer for a Token Ring
802.6: MANs (DQDB)
802.7: Broadband LAN using Coaxial Cable
802.8: Fiber Optic TAG
802.9: Integrated Services LAN
802.10: Interoperable LAN Security
802.11: Wi-Fi
802.12: 100BaseVG
802.13: Unused
802.14: Cable Modems
802.15: Wireless PAN
802.15.1: Bluetooth Certification
802.15.2: IEEE 802.15 and IEEE 802.11 Coexistence
802.15.3: High-Rate Wireless PAN
802.15.4: Low-Rate Wireless PAN
802.15.5: Mesh Networking for WPAN
802.15.6: Body Area Network
802.16: WMANs
802.17: Resilient Packet Ring
802.18: Radio Regulatory TAG
802.19: Coexistence TAG
802.20: Mobile Broadband Wireless Access
802.21: Media Independent Handoff
802.22: Wireless Regional Area Network
LAN/MAN bridging and management.
Covers management and the lower
sub-layers of OSI Layer 2, including
MAC-based bridging (Media Access
Control), virtual LANs and port-based
access control.
Commonly referred to as the LLC or
Logical Link Control specification.
The LLC is the top sub-layer in the
data-link layer, OSI Layer 2.
Interfaces with the network Layer 3.
"Grandaddy" of the 802
specifications. Provides
asynchronous networking using
"carrier sense, multiple access with
collision detect" (CSMA/CD) over
coax, twisted-pair copper, and fiber
media. Current speeds range from
10 Mbps to 10 Gbps.
The original token-passing standard
for twisted-pair, shielded copper
cables. Supports copper and fiber
cabling from 4 Mbps to 100 Mbps.
Often called "IBM Token-Ring."
"Superseded **Revision of 802.1D-1990
edition (ISO/IEC 10038). 802.1D
incorporates P802.1p and P802.12e. It
also incorporates and supersedes
published standards 802.1j and 802.6k.
Superseded by 802.1D-2004."
Withdrawn Standard. Withdrawn
Date: Feb 07, 2003. No longer
endorsed by the IEEE.
Withdrawn PAR. Standards project
no longer endorsed by the IEEE.
Withdrawn PAR. Standards project
no longer endorsed by the IEEE.
Superseded **Contains: IEEE Std
802.10b-1992.
Wireless LAN Media Access Control
and Physical Layer specification.
802.11a,b,g,etc. are amendments to
the original 802.11 standard.
Products that implement 802.11
standards must pass tests and are
referred to as "Wi-Fi certified."
Withdrawn PAR. Standards project
no longer endorsed by the IEEE.
Short range (10m) wireless
technology for cordless mouse,
keyboard, and hands-free headset at
2.4 GHz.
- Extension of network coverage
without increasing the transmit power
or the receiver sensitivity
- Enhanced reliability via route
redundancy
- Easier network configuration
- Better device battery life
This family of standards covers Fixed and
Mobile Broadband Wireless Access methods
used to create Wireless Metropolitan Area
Networks (WMANs.) Connects Base Stations
to the Internet using OFDM in unlicensed
(900 MHz, 2.4, 5.8 GHz) or licensed (700
MHz, 2.5 – 3.6 GHz) frequency bands.
Products that implement 802.16 standards
can undergo WiMAX certification testing.
IEEE working group description
IEEE 802.18 standards committee
IEEE 802.19 Coexistence Technical
Advisory Group
IEEE 802.20 mission and project scope
IEEE 802.21 mission and project scope
IEEE 802.22 mission and project scope
Reserved for Fast Ethernet development
IEEE 802.15.3-2003 is a MAC and PHY
standard for high-rate (11 to 55 Mbit/s)
WPANs.
IEEE 802.15.3a was an attempt to
provide a higher speed Ultra wideband
PHY enhancement amendment to IEEE
802.15.3 for applications which involve
imaging and multimedia.
A body area network (BAN), also
referred to as a wireless body area
network (WBAN) or a body sensor
network (BSN), is a wireless network
of wearable computing devices.
IEEE 802.15 is a working group of
the Institute of Electrical and
Electronics Engineers (IEEE) IEEE
802 standards committee which
specifies wireless personal area
network (WPAN) standards. It
includes seven task groups.
DISBANDED
INACTIVE
INACTIVE
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DISBANDED
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DISBANDED
NOT USED
Token bus was standardized by IEEE
standard 802.4. It is mainly used for
industrial applications.
100BaseVG is a 100 Mbit/s Ethernet
standard specified to run over four
pairs of category 3 UTP wires (known
as voice grade, hence the "VG").
Task group two addresses the
coexistence of wireless personal area
networks (WPAN) with other
wireless devices operating in
unlicensed frequency bands such as
wireless local area networks
(WLAN).
IEEE 802.15.4-2003 (Low Rate
WPAN) deals with low data rate but
very long battery life (months or even
years) and very low complexity.
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