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Wi-Fi Alliance's Wi-Fi EasyMesh Certification Aims To Standardize Mesh Networks (pcworld.com)
The Wi-Fi Certified EasyMesh program that the Wi-Fi Alliance announced today promises to do for mesh networks what the Alliance has long done for wireless networking gear in general: Assure consumers that they can build out wireless home networks without worrying if one brand of device will be compatible with another. From a report: The emergence of mesh networking somewhat undermined that effort, because every manufacturer pursued its own path. Wi-Fi is still Wi-Fi, so you don't need to worry that your smartphone, or media streamer, or home security camera will connect to your wireless router, regardless of brand. But if you buy a Linksys Velop router today, for example, you can buy only Linksys Velop access points if you want to expand your network to cover more areas of your home later. EasyMesh promises to bring to mesh networks the same interoperability assurances that conventional routers have long offered.
The standard defines the protocol and technical details. The alliance defines the legal framework that lets vendors cheaply implement the standard, without worrying about touching each others' patents, or exposing themselves to other liabilities. It also allows vendors to gain the marketable feature of a "works with other brands" logo, and the legal ability to sue others that use that logo without actually being compatible.
In a perfect world where everyone was honest and patient and only implemented standards perfectly, business alliances wouldn't add anything. In this world, however, they add a legal and political safety net for vendors.
You do not have a moral or legal right to do absolutely anything you want.
WiFi Alliance adds interoperability. Complying with the IEEE standard does not guarantee that, as the current situation with mesh networks, and the mid-1990s wireless networking situation demonstrate. There are too many optional things for the standard to cover, so until someone makes some standard subsets with conformance tests, no two manufacturers are going to implement things the same way.