Multi-protocol frame format

Communication apparatus, comprising:

• a transceiver configured to transmit and receive signals over a wireless channel in accordance with both a first communication protocol and a second communication protocol, the first communication protocol defining a nominal communication throughput and a nominal range, the second communication protocol being backward-compatible with the first communication protocol, and the second communication protocol having a first variant having an extended communication throughput, which is greater than the nominal communication throughput, and a second variant having an extended range, which is greater than the nominal range;
• and
• a communication controller, which is configured to generate data frames for transmission by the transceiver, including frame headers in a header format that is compatible both with the first communication protocol and with both the first and second variants of the second communication protocol, the header format defining first fields having respective first values provided to support the first variant and second fields having respective second values provided to support the second variant.