Which 802.11 wireless standard has the greatest rate of data throughput?

The 802.11ac standard offers the greatest data throughput among the listed options. This standard, commonly referred to as Wi-Fi 5, operates predominantly in the 5 GHz frequency band and can support theoretical maximum speeds of up to 3.5 Gbps under optimal conditions.

Key features of 802.11ac that contribute to its high throughput include wider channel bandwidths (up to 160 MHz), the use of advanced modulation techniques (256-QAM), and the incorporation of multiple-input and multiple-output (MIMO) technology that allows multiple data streams to be transmitted simultaneously. These enhancements enable more efficient use of the spectrum and significantly increase data transfer rates compared to earlier standards.

In contrast, the other standards fall short in terms of maximum throughput—802.11b has a maximum speed of 11 Mbps, 802.11g reaches up to 54 Mbps, and 802.11n offers speeds up to 600 Mbps when utilizing MIMO effectively. Therefore, 802.11ac clearly stands out as the most capable standard for achieving high data throughput in wireless networking scenarios.