What are 'supported rates' in wireless terminology?

• A. Capabilities advertised to the other side
• B. Maximum CPU clock
• C. VLAN tagging rates
• D. Link negotiation frequencies

Answer: (A)

In wireless terminology, supported rates are the data speeds a device can operate at, and they are shared with the other device during the association/probe process. This list, carried in the 802.11 management frames as the Supported Rates (and Extended Supported Rates) information elements, tells the peer which speeds the device can handle and which ones must be supported for basic operation (the basic rates). By advertising these capabilities, both ends can agree on a common set of rates to use, enabling compatibility and optimal performance.

Other options don’t fit because they describe unrelated concepts: maximum CPU clock is a hardware spec not about wireless link capabilities; VLAN tagging rates pertain to Ethernet frame handling, not wireless data-rate negotiation; and “link negotiation frequencies” isn’t a standard term for what a device advertises about its wireless speeds.