WLAN 802.11a vs 802.11p-Difference between 802.11a,802.11p

This page compares WLAN 802.11a vs 802.11p and mentions difference between 802.11a and 802.11p.

The 802.11p standard is developed for vehicle to vehicle and vehicle to infrastructure communication. It operates in 5.9 GHz band and utilizes 75 MHz of frequency spectrum. It is also known by other names such as DSRC and WAVE. The network formed by 802.11p compliant devices is known as VANET. VANET stands for Vehicular Ad Hoc Network.

The IEEE 802.11p standard defines PHY and MAC layers while upper layers are defined by IEEE 1609. There are changes in 802.11p PHY/MAC layer compare to 802.11a PHY/MAC. It defines functions and services which help in operating 802.11p compliant stations in harsh and rapidly varying environments.


Specifications 802.11a 802.11p
Data rate 6, 9, 12, 18, 24, 36, 48, 54 Mbps 3, 4, 5, 6, 9, 12, 18, 24, 27 Mbps
Modulation BPSK, QPSK, 16QAM, 64QAM Same as 802.11a
Coding rate 1/2, 1/3, 3/4 Same as 802.11a
Number of subcarriers 52 52
OFDM symbol duration 4 µs 8 µs
Guard Time 0.8 µs 1.6 µs
Preamble duration 16 µs 32 µs
Subcarrier Spacing 0.3125 MHz 0.15625 MHz

802.11a, 802.11p related links

802.11a Physical Layer
Difference between 11a,11b,11g,11n
WLAN 11a,11b,11n,11ac frame structures

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