In the seemingly never ending process, the IEEE Working Group has approved Draft 2 of 802.11n. Draft 2 adds two frequencies, 20MHz and 40MHz, both used for compatibility with legacy devices. The changes should be easy to implement on existing Draft N devices such as Apple’s recently released AirPort Extreme.
While the approval of the Draft 2 standard does bring 802.11n closer to final ratification, a long road is still ahead. The IEEE expects a Draft 3 later this year, but most likely won’t approve it until 2008. After that, no further revisions are expected. However, the final ratification of 802.11n will not occur until March of 2009.
Am I the only one who is sick of all these changes? Just ratify the standard. Devices are already being made; altering the spec is only going to cause incompatibilities between products. Incompatibilities will cause a major headache for end users, far outweighing any benefits the frequency alterations bring.
4 Comments
Who tells manufacturers to make products before it gets ratified? The headaches are because companies are greedy and want to sell you new stuff. They don’t care if its non firmware updatable. You’ll just be forced to buy a new one.
Don’t you remember this with 56k modems? The k56flex and US Robotics X2 chipset? Then eventually called V.90? It was a headache then, and people don’t learn. The IEEE takes its time, for what reason? I don’t know, but who cares. 802.11g is fine for me.
Consumers do. There is currently a demand for WiFi products with longer range and greater speed. HDTV over home networks would be next to impossible without faster throughput.
I beg to differ. The headaches are because companies can’t agree on a set standard. I guarantee you if you buy a Linksys N router now, the final N standard Linksys router will be compatible with it. On the other hand, the D-link final N router will not.
This problem has occured even in the ratified spectrum with companies not agree on Speedboost technology, dual-channel, Wireless Distributed System, etc.
You are defenitly not the only one. It seems like it takes ages to agree on a standard. Shame on the manufactorers for taking so long to agree on a standard, not for making what we want! If they continue like this 802.11n will be passed by WiMax and never make a serious entry on the market. Wimax wil be in pilot soon in Amsterdam already.
But then: I also ordered a 802.11n device already. Expect to recieve it this week.
I keep reading that since draft 2 received 83% of a positive vote by the committees approving wireless “N”, that it is highly unlikely that there will be hardware changes when they go from draft 2 to draft 3. I guess there are no guarantees on this, but it sure seems ridiculous that it’s taking them this long to come up with a standard. Manufacturers are not installing wireless “N” adapters into their equipment due to this nonsense. For instance, the PS3, iPod Touch/iPhone, VoIP IP phones, and several other devices are still being produced with wireless G because who knows what’s going to happen with the hardware. If they could at least lock down the hardware, then people could purchase the devices and upgrade when the final firmware is released.
How likely is it that the hardware is going to change at this point? Especially when you consider the 83% positive vote. The D-Link DIR-655 is looking awfully good right now.
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