With the potential to deliver up to five times the throughput and up to twice the range of previous-generation Wi-Fi gear, products based on the new 802.11n draft 2.0 standard can do more than ever before. Consumers will soon be able to take advantage of whole-home coverage and content-rich applications such as streaming high-definition video, online gaming with multiple users on a single network, and speedy file transfer of photos, music, and more. Enterprise users will be able leverage 802.11n products to increase network capacity and improve robustness.
Wi-Fi certification will ease the purchase process by delivering 802.11n draft 2.0 products that have been tested for industry-wide interoperability, the very latest security protection, and backward compatibility with previous generations of Wi-Fi gear.
"We are proud of the achievement of our member companies in developing this breakthrough certification program," said Wi-Fi Alliance managing director Frank Hanzlik. "This milestone means that consumers and business users alike can feel confident that the 802.11n products they buy will deliver the user experience they require."
"With the arrival of Wi-Fi Certified 802.11n draft 2.0 products, we end the practice of uncertain claims of Wi-Fi draft compliance by independent vendors," said Ken Dulaney, vice president and distinguished analyst in Gartner Research. "Consumers can now purchase products with improved performance and be assured of interoperability. Prospective buyers should understand that the Wi-Fi Alliance will provide future certification for the eventual 802.11n final specification and assess their own timeframe for a movement to 802.11n."
"Wi-Fi Certified 802.11n is a game-changing milestone for Wi-Fi technology that enables the truly networked home," added Hanzlik. "With the advancements of 802.11n, Wi-Fi is the very best technology to connect computing, communication and entertainment devices. It can enable the entire family to access exciting content throughout the home, while further extending the key productivity advantages of Wi-Fi in the business setting."
Wi-Fi Certified 802.11n technology holds wide consumer appeal and will propel users to use next-generation applications more frequently. Recent research from Wi-Fi Alliance and Kelton Research indicates that 78% of US Wi-Fi users are interested in upgrading their Wi-Fi systems in order to gain improved range and/or throughput. Moreover, nearly 70% of the Wi-Fi users polled indicated that a faster Wi-Fi connection would prompt them to use multimedia applications such as video and gaming more frequently.
The following companies supply the products used in the interoperability test bed, and have the first devices to become Wi-Fi Certified:
* Atheros XSPAN with SST Draft 2.0 802.11n Dual-Concurrent 2.4/5GHz Router with Atheros AR7100 Series Wireless Network Processor
* Atheros XSPAN with SST Draft 2.0 802.11n Dual-Band 2.4/5GHz Card Bus
* Broadcom Intensi-Fi 802.11n Router: BCM94705GMP
* Broadcom Intensi-Fi 802.11n Card: BCM94321MC123
* Cisco Access Point
* Intel Wireless WiFi Link 4965AGN
* Marvell TopDog WLAN solutions (Station Card)
* Marvell TopDog WLAN solutions (Access Point)
* Ralink MIMObility RT2800PD Chipset featuring the RT2860 802.11n 2T3R MAC/BBP and the RT2850 802.11n Dual Band RFIC
* Ralink MIMObility RT2800PD Access Point
* In addition, WildPackets OmniPeek Workgroup Pro is included as a test bed software tool.
