At what rate are management frames sent to connected clients?

Management frames are sent at the lowest rate supported by the network. This approach ensures that all connected clients, regardless of their capabilities or signal strength, can reliably receive critical management information necessary for establishing and maintaining the connection. By utilizing the lowest supported rate, the network maximizes compatibility and maintains communication integrity across different devices within the Wi-Fi environment.

Management frames carry essential information such as authentication, association requests, and beacons, which are vital for network operation. If these frames were sent at the highest rate, devices that cannot support or detect those high rates would potentially miss important management communications, leading to connectivity issues. Hence, sending management frames at the lowest rate ensures that all clients are reached and the network is functioning efficiently.