Network Computing is part of the Informa Tech Division of Informa PLC

This site is operated by a business or businesses owned by Informa PLC and all copyright resides with them. Informa PLC's registered office is 5 Howick Place, London SW1P 1WG. Registered in England and Wales. Number 8860726.

Wi-Fi Alliance Affirms Core Wi-Fi CERTIFIED 802.11n Program Tests Will Not Change for September Update

AUSTIN, Texas, July 23 /PRNewswire/ -- The Wi-Fi Alliance has
announced that it will not change the baseline requirements of its
802.11n certification program, and plans to make only small optional
additions to coincide with the finalization of the 802.11n standard
later this year. The updated test program will preserve
interoperability with more than 600 Wi-Fi CERTIFIED 802.11n draft 2.0
products released since June 2007, while adding testing for some
optional features now included in the standard. This validation of the
existing certification program comes as the IEEE 802.11n standard is
set for final approval within IEEE this September. Product testing to
the updated certification is expected to begin in late September.

"Wi-Fi CERTIFIED 802.11n draft 2.0 products have seen wide
acceptance across consumer and enterprise markets. It's clear our
decision to deliver a draft program has served the interests of the
market and Wi-Fi end users the world over," said Edgar Figueroa,
executive director of the Wi-Fi Alliance. "The finalization of the
802.11n standard presents an opportunity for us to reaffirm our
certification program and to implement additional testing of optional
features while preserving interoperability."

"Interoperability across draft and final 802.11n-based products is
what really matters as this certification program evolves to mirror
developments in the market," said Phil Solis, practice director at ABI
Research. "The Wi-Fi Alliance led the industry in 2007 by introducing
its 802.11n draft 2.0 program, and is striking the right balance now by
adding a few features without sacrificing compatibility with
previously-certified products."

The 11n certification program will add support for interoperability
testing of some optional features in the approved 802.11n standard.
Because all Wi-Fi CERTIFIED draft 2.0 products meet the core
requirements of - and interoperate with - the updated program, they
will be eligible to use the approved 802.11n logo without retesting.

ABI Research forecasts 11n shipments to reach 45 percent this year
and grow to nearly 60 percent in 2012. The more than 600 products
certified for draft 802.11n include computers, consumer electronics
such as televisions and media servers, and consumer networking devices.
Wi-Fi CERTIFIED 802.11n draft 2.0 has also extended deeply into the
enterprise segment, with more than 100 enterprise-grade access
point/switch devices certified since 2007.

  • 1