In a WLAN network, how many spatial streams can a single radio support at most according to the 802.11ac and 802.11ax protocols?

Question

Options

• A6
• B10
• C8
• D12

• A
  5% (3)
• B
  4% (2)
• C
  75% (41)
• D
  16% (9)

Explanation

Both 802.11ac (Wi-Fi 5) and 802.11ax (Wi-Fi 6/6E) define a maximum of 8 spatial streams per radio, making C the correct answer. Multiple-Input Multiple-Output (MIMO) technology allows a single radio to transmit on multiple independent spatial streams simultaneously, and the 802.11ac/ax specifications cap this at 8 to balance complexity and real-world hardware constraints.

• A (6) is wrong because it understates the spec - 6 is not a defined maximum in either standard.
• B (10) exceeds the defined limit; no ratified 802.11ac or 802.11ax specification supports 10 spatial streams per radio.
• D (12) similarly exceeds the cap; 802.11be (Wi-Fi 7) pushes toward 16 streams, but that's a different standard entirely.

Memory tip: Picture a stop sign (8 sides) hanging on a Wi-Fi router - "8 sides, 8 streams" for both Wi-Fi 5 and Wi-Fi 6. If you see answers above 8 for 802.11ac/ax, stop - they're traps referencing future or nonexistent standards.

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