By Teresa von Fuchs
Monday, June 25, 2007
Wi-Fi Alliance Authorized Test Laboratories began testing the latest in Wi-Fi gear for interoperability certification. Wi-Fi Certified 802.11n draft 2.0 products are due in stores this summer. Products based on the new IEEE 802.11n draft deliver up to five times the throughput and up to twice the range of those based on previous standards. New products have already been tested for interoperability across vendors, adherence to security protocols and backward-compatibility with Wi-Fi Certified 802.11n a/b/g products.
"With the advancements offered by 802.11n, Wi-Fi takes center stage as a key technology for networked digital home applications such as streaming high-definition video and interactive gaming," said Kurt Scherf, vice president and principal analyst with Parks Associates in a statement from the Wi-Fi Alliance. "Because Wi-Fi is so easy to use, and certification means different brands of gear work together, we expect the momentum to continue. There will be substantial implementation of 802.11n Wi-Fi in certain consumer electronics products."