What is the maximum theoretical data rate defined by the IEEE 802.11g wireless LAN standard?

Introduction / Context:
Each IEEE 802.11 wireless standard specifies a set of possible data rates that can be used on the air. The maximum theoretical data rate is often quoted when comparing standards such as 802.11b, 802.11g and 802.11n. While real world throughput is usually lower due to overhead and signal conditions, the standardised maximum provides a convenient way to distinguish technologies in exam questions.

Given Data / Assumptions:

We are concerned with the 802.11g standard.

The question asks for the maximum theoretical physical layer data rate, not real world throughput.

Common reference speeds include 11 Mbps for 802.11b and 54 Mbps for 802.11a and 802.11g.

Some proprietary modes may advertise higher speeds, but the question focuses on the standard itself.

Concept / Approach:
IEEE 802.11b supports up to 11 Mbps using DSSS modulation in the 2.4 GHz band. IEEE 802.11a supports up to 54 Mbps using OFDM modulation in the 5 GHz band. IEEE 802.11g brought OFDM to the 2.4 GHz band and also supports a maximum data rate of 54 Mbps under ideal conditions. Some vendors later introduced non standard channel bonding or turbo modes with higher numbers, but those fall outside the core IEEE 802.11g specification.

Step-by-Step Solution:
Recall that the main improvement of 802.11g over 802.11b is the jump from 11 Mbps to 54 Mbps in the same 2.4 GHz band. Check the options: 6 Mbps, 11 Mbps and 22 Mbps are lower data rates associated with various modulation schemes in 802.11a, 802.11b and some proprietary extensions. 54 Mbps appears both in 802.11a and 802.11g as the top standard data rate. Some vendors offered 108 Mbps modes by bonding channels or using proprietary features, but these are not part of the base IEEE 802.11g standard and typically require matching hardware. Therefore, the correct maximum data rate defined by 802.11g is 54 Mbps.

Verification / Alternative check:
Wireless textbooks and Wi-Fi Alliance materials list 802.11g as offering data rates from 1 Mbps up to 54 Mbps. The actual throughput available to applications is usually around half of that or less due to protocol overhead, shared medium contention and environmental factors. Despite this, 54 Mbps remains the official maximum physical rate, which is what exam questions refer to.

Why Other Options Are Wrong:
Option a, 6 Mbps, is one of the lower data rates supported by 802.11a and 802.11g but is not the maximum.

Common Pitfalls:
Option b, 11 Mbps, is the maximum for 802.11b, not 802.11g.
Option c, 22 Mbps, sometimes appears in proprietary enhancements to 802.11b or mixed environments but is not the official 802.11g top speed.
Option e, 108 Mbps with channel bonding, refers to vendor specific enhancements rather than the core IEEE 802.11g standard and should not be chosen in a standards based exam question.

Common Pitfalls:
Many learners confuse real throughput with theoretical data rate or assume that all 802.11 standards have similar maxima. Remember the simple mapping: 802.11b up to 11 Mbps, 802.11a and 802.11g up to 54 Mbps, and 802.11n and newer potentially much higher depending on channel width and spatial streams.

Final Answer:
The maximum data rate for IEEE 802.11g is 54 Mbps.