IEEE Approves 802.11n Wi-Fi Standard

alphadogg writes "The IEEE has finally approved the 802.11n high-throughput wireless LAN standard. Bruce Kraemer, the long-time chairman of the 802.11n Task Group (part of the 802.11 Working Group, which oversees the WLAN standards), has sent out a notification to a listserv for task group members, which includes a wide range of Wi-Fi chip makers, software developers, and equipment vendors. A press release is available now as well. This process began in 2002."

Comments

Umm... ok, thanks.

[NitroWolf]

Gee thanks. Appreciate the timely response, Bruce. I'm glad the 802.11n Task Group was so on this project that they got the 802.11n standard finally approved years after all vendors have already been making products. Yeah, thanks.

Next time... I don't know... maybe define the standard in a reasonable time frame, not 5 years after the fact.

Re:Umm... ok, thanks.

[Brian Gordon]

It's the vendors that built products early not the IEEE that defined the standard late.

Still, it would be nice to know what's been delaying the final approval for so long.

Re:Umm... ok, thanks.

[NitroWolf]

They built the products early because the IEEE was dragging their feet on the final approval. The IEEE defined the standard exceptionally late - that's WHY the vendors built early. You've got the cause and effect totally reversed.

Re:Umm... ok, thanks.

[Anonymous Coward]

These task groups are run by individuals from the same companies that manufacturer the products. They all just didn't agree on one standard whether for technical reasons or corporate politics.

Yipee?

[flipper9]

So what? There have been Wireless-N products out now for quite a long time. Who gives a flippin' **** about the official approval of the format? It's not like the manufacturers will go back and update the firmware on the older devices. They'll just put out new products, brand them as "Official Wireless-N", and drop support for older equipment which may or not work as well.

Re:Yipee?

[CastrTroy]

Just because something is upgradeable doesn't mean that the vendor will actually release an upgrade in a timely fashion, or at all.

Re:Standards need to be free.

[The_Wilschon]

Agree. For a good example, see this blurb that has appeared in every version of the Scheme language standard:

We intend this report to belong to the entire Scheme community, and so we grant permission to copy it in whole or in part without fee. In particular, we encourage implementors of Scheme to use this report as a starting point for manuals and other documentation, modifying it as necessary.

That's how a standard should be.

Re:Speaking as a member of the IEEE

[RiotingPacifist]

Whats the rush? people can put out products on an interoperable standard they agree on through wifi allainace, WiMax or whatever. When IEEE standardises something I want that to mean, the shit run for sure, I would rather wait let vendors implement draft-n for 2 years than have another FUBAR in the standard like WEP in 802.11.

Crowded spectrum

[xmff]

Hopefully the 5GHz band does not become clogged up now that all the new shiny 11n gear hits the market :-/

Many 802.11n devices already jam the 2.4GHz range and render near 11g devices unusable with their multi channel stuff...

Re:Breaking Products

[owlstead]

FROM THE FUCKING ARTICLE AND A POST ABOVE.

For those who haven't read until the end of the boring article, let me just put in the last sentence:

"According to the Alliance, users can expect future Wi-Fi products to be fully compatible with todays products."

Moderators, wake up and read the actual article before modding anything up.

Nom du Keyboard indeed. Lire le Screen?