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IEEE Approves Revision of Wireless LAN Standard

Posted by Soulskill on from the we-live-in-exciting-times dept.

An anonymous reader writes "IEEE announced the publication of IEEE 802.11-2012, which defines the technology for the world's premier wireless LAN products. The new IEEE 802.11-2012 revision has been expanded significantly by supporting devices and networks that are faster and more secure, while offering improved Quality of Service and improved cellular network hand-off. The standard's relevance continues to expand with the emergence of new applications, such as the smart grid, which augments the facility for electricity generation, distribution, delivery and consumption with a two-way, end-to-end network for communications and control."

11 of 61 comments (clear)

  1. Paywalled Standards?? WTF??!!! by CanHasDIY · · Score: 4, Insightful

    OK, so how, precisely, are we to adhere to IEEE standards when viewing the standard is FUCKING PAYWALLED?

    Seriously, folks, this culture of pay-to-play needs to be shut down. When you can't even read a fucking standard which will affect the entire industry without some asshole demanding payment, the system is broken.


    WTF ever happened to public domain?

    --
    An enigma, wrapped in a riddle, shrouded in bacon and cheese
    1. Re:Paywalled Standards?? WTF??!!! by yuhong · · Score: 2

      Last time I checked, 6 months after publication it becomes open access and public via GetIEEE802.

    2. Re:Paywalled Standards?? WTF??!!! by CanHasDIY · · Score: 2

      Don't give 'em credit too soon - being right doesn't matter if the individual fails to recognize why.

      --
      An enigma, wrapped in a riddle, shrouded in bacon and cheese
    3. Re:Paywalled Standards?? WTF??!!! by X0563511 · · Score: 2

      I'd bet Tim and a few of the other early visionaries might disagree with you.

      --
      For large sets, this will be our guide even unto death, for the LORD will work for each type of data it is applied to...
    4. Re:Paywalled Standards?? WTF??!!! by tlhIngan · · Score: 5, Informative

      OK, so how, precisely, are we to adhere to IEEE standards when viewing the standard is FUCKING PAYWALLED?

      Seriously, folks, this culture of pay-to-play needs to be shut down. When you can't even read a fucking standard which will affect the entire industry without some asshole demanding payment, the system is broken.

      WTF ever happened to public domain?

      Actually, all IEEE 802 stadanrds are freely available. The reason you have to pay $5 right NOW is if you want it right now. If you want, you can wait 6 months and get it for free.

      The IEEE, like many other orgnaizations (including ISO) have paid standards, and most stndards require payment. It was just the popularity of 802.11 that the IEEE decided to open access to the 802 standard track for everyone. Of course, since the people who want the standard early are all the manufacturers trying to get a leg up on each other, the IEEE offers a brief exclusionary period so those who pay for early access get it. Everyone else too cheap to pay can wait (and delay their product by 6 months).

      Nothing at all unusual - Google does it with Android - want access to the latest Android code, and license "with Google"? You gotta join the OHA and sign a ton of agreements.

      About the only truly open standard spec I can remember is USB. Everything else is paywalled. IEEE's Get802 program is probably one of the few times the IEEE has opened up standards to public viewing - most other standards are closed paywall only.

      Heck, the PCI spec was supposed to be free and open (but paywalled) and some guy went to post them online under that thought. He was forced to remove it.

      Of course, just because it's in the standard doesn't make it free of patent agreements. 802.3 (Ethernet) is still patented, and implementing GigE means having to pay HP for use of auto-MDIX patents. And that's really what happens in standards committees - a lot of back and forth over who can get their patents in the spec. It's why Apple has trouble with nano-SIM (Nokia, RIM oppose it, because it means Apple would pay less in FRAND, even if Apple gives away nano-SIM for free). The best technical stuff rarely comes out of standards - it's all politicking on who can get their patents in, backroom deals, etc.

    5. Re:Paywalled Standards?? WTF??!!! by LDAPMAN · · Score: 2

      While it is certainly the most common transport, there is nothing that requires the use of ethernet for the internet. It's quite possible to get by without it.

    6. Re:Paywalled Standards?? WTF??!!! by Another,+completely · · Score: 2

      Internet Protocol (IP) starts at layer 3. Ethernet is layer 2. Internet Protocol is about connecting local networks together into a big network, and it is independent of how that local network manages the local point-to-point transport. I can have a site running only ATM, and connect it to the Internet with no problem at all. I don't feel this is being picky, since it's exactly the reason that IP has been so successful.

      802.11 (the original subject) is just one of the ways that you might choose to run a local network, and its success doesn't come particularly from any close links to IP, so far as I'm aware. I think its successful because it's good at local wireless data transport, but it's not necessary to run the Internet.

  2. Re:Does this technology involve patents . . . ? by Trepidity · · Score: 4, Informative

    This is just a wrap-up standard formalizing a bunch of extensions to the previous standard, such as 802.11.n, so the patent situation is roughly the same as what it's been for 802.11 for the past years. Which is that, yes, there are patents on various things, though the situation is not 100% clear.

    There is a semi-standard licensing pool, the Via WiFi license pool, that claims to hold most of the relevant patents. But Netgear at least partly won its case after they shipped some products that didn't pay to license the Via pool. But balancing that win, Australia's national research organization seems to be successfully claiming relevant patents.

    --
    10 PRINT CHR$(205.5+RND(1)); : GOTO 10
  3. Re:Anybody Got a WG Final Draft? by Lunix+Nutcase · · Score: 2

    You don't need a subscription. You can buy the pdf for 5 dollars.

  4. Re:Does this technology involve patents . . . ? by GIL_Dude · · Score: 2

    I don't have any way of knowing. Apparently the standard is copyrighted and you have to purchase a copy from the site (or have a subscription). Crazy that things that are supposed to be standards can't be viewed (legally) for free.

  5. I paid the $5 by Rob+from+RPI · · Score: 4, Informative

    It's not worth it. It's a high level overview, and it's only 38 pages. I care deeply about the changes in it, and this doesn't mention ANY of the new important things that was meant to happen (eg, better adhoc). So, it's a bit of a let down, actually.

    --Rob

    --
    Schlock Mercenary.