IEEE 802

What Does IEEE 802 Mean?

IEEE 802 is an Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) standard set that covers the physical and data link layers of the Open Systems Interconnection (OSI) model. It defines standards and protocols for wired local area networks (WLAN), metropolitan area networks (MAN) and wireless networks; defines characteristics, operating procedures, protocols and services for networks that carry variable sized packets and specifies the development and handling of compatible devices and equipment.

Techopedia Explains IEEE 802

IEEE 802 subdivides the data link layer into sublayers, namely the logical link control (LLC) and media access control (MAC) layers, which provide protocol multiplexing and a multi-access mechanism, respectively.

IEEE 802 is comprised of standards with separate working groups that regulate different communication networks, including IEEE 802.1, 802.3, 802.11 and 802.15.