Intel goes 802.11n as IEEE finalises spec.

Stuart Corner
Wednesday, 24 January 2007 02:14

IT Industry - Strategy

Intel has upgraded the wireless component of its Centrino Duo chips to support the new 802.11n wireless LAN technology, offering significantly better performance than 802.11a/b/g WiFi And the IEEE has announced finalisation of the 802.11n standard.

Intel claims that its new Intel Next-Gen Wireless-N technology will offer users up to five times the throughput and twice the wireless range compared to existing draft-N products, and thanks to lower power consumption will extend laptop battery life by about an hour.

Intel has also initiated the 'Connect with Centrino' program through which it has worked with wireless access point vendors to ensure compatibility and optimal performance when its products are used with their access points. "Intel's wireless-N product is certified to work with multiple APs and as these APs successfully pass Intel's rigorous real-world testing certification criteria, they will display a 'Connect with Centrino' identifier on their product packaging, allowing consumers a choice for connecting with more confidence," Intel said.

Intel said that Acer, Asus, Gateway and Toshiba would start to ship its 802.11n technology in laptops being distributed with Microsoft Windows Vista beginning in late January.
 
Meanwhile the IEEE 802.11n committee has approved the latest version of 802.11n dubbed draft version 1.10, it will be known as version 2.0 when it is released to the full IEEE 802.11n committee by the end of the month.

ComputerWorld quoted working group member, Bill McFarland, saying that concerns of all the contending parties who caused the original delays appear to be satisfied. Thee included the handset and handheld manufacturers that wanted more consideration given to low-power consumption and VoIP capabilities, consumer electronics manufacturers that wanted the standard to accommodate more than access points, and the major hardware network and chip manufacturers that wanted to put the 802.11n spec on a fast track to approval, the report said.

Products conforming to version 1.10, it is claimed, will be compatible with pre-802.11n products already on the market. McFarland was quoted saying that only a minor firmware upgrade would be required to ensure complete compatibility.

However while the functional specification might be finalised full approval will take some time and is not expected before early 2008.