Wi-Fi Alliance Announces More than 90 Draft 802.11n Products Wi-Fi Certified

(Business News & Technology News, 25 Sep 2007)

The Wi-Fi Alliance has announced that more than 90 next-generation 802.11n draft 2.0 products have been Wi-Fi CERTIFIED since the organization's testing program began just three months ago. This first wave of products, which include access points, laptop computers, routers and wireless networking cards, enable consumer and enterprise users to select from a growing number of interoperable next-generation Wi-Fi gear.

"Wi-Fi is a pervasive wireless technology used by more than 350 million people at more than 200,000 public hotspots, millions of homes and businesses worldwide," said Wi-Fi Alliance Senior Director Karen Hanley. "Wi-Fi CERTIFIED 802.11n draft 2.0 products are transforming the wireless landscape by combining increased throughput and range in products that have passed rigorous tests for interoperability. We expect the rate of adoption of next-generation Wi-Fi will continue to accelerate in new devices and multi-media applications."

802.11n enables Wi-Fi networks to do more, faster, and over a larger area. ABI Research forecasts more than 90 percent of Wi-Fi chipset shipments will support 802.11n in 2012. "For many, 802.11n will revolutionize the way Wi-Fi is deployed and enjoyed, enabling larger data-heavy applications, including video," said Phil Solis, principal analyst at ABI Research. "At the same time we expect that many people who have not previously tried Wi-Fi will, substantially growing the market."

802.11n is based on the MIMO (Multiple-Input-Multiple-Output) air interface technology, which employs multiple receivers and transmitters to transport two or more data streams simultaneously in the same frequency channel. Wi-Fi CERTIFIED 802.11n draft 2.0 products can achieve data rates of up to 300Mbps, providing the best wireless connection available for enterprise and home networks alike—delivering the range, bandwidth, and performance today's multimedia applications and products require.

Companies that have been first to achieve 802.11n draft 2.0 certifications include the following:

- Accton Technology Corp.
- Apple Inc.
- Atheros Communications
- AsusTek Computer Inc.
- AzureWave Technologies Inc.
- Belkin International Inc.
- Broadcom Corp.
- Buffalo Technology Inc.
- Cisco Systems Inc.
- Conexant Systems Inc.
- D-Link Corp./D-Link Systems Inc.
- Edimax Technology
- Fujitsu Computer Systems Corp.
- Hewlett-Packard Development Co.
- Intel Corp.
- Lenovo
- Linksys
- Marvell Technology Group Ltd
- Metalink
- NEC Corp.
- Netgear
- Planex Communications Inc.
- Ralink Technology Corp.
- Realtek Semiconductor Corp.
- SMC Networks Inc.
- Sony Corp.
- Toshiba America Inc.
- Z-com Inc.

Consumer and enterprise users should look for the Wi-Fi CERTIFIED logo or certification validation when purchasing 802.11n draft 2.0 products. Wi-Fi CERTIFIED products are tested for interoperability, adherence to Wi-Fi Protected Access (WPA2) security protocols and backward compatibility with 802.11a/b/g. Wi-Fi Multimedia (WMM) quality of service is also part of the testing program, helping to ensure the best user experience with applications such as voice, video and gaming. This testing and the Wi-Fi CERTIFIED "seal of approval" indicate to Wi-Fi users that their Wi-Fi CERTIFIED products have been tested to work together.

The Wi-Fi Alliance plans to certify products based on the final version of the 802.11n standard once ratified by the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE).

Click here for a list of all Wi-Fi CERTIFIED 802.11n draft 2.0 products and white papers on 802.11n technology