Wi-Fi Alliance unveils first 802.11n Draft 2.0 products
By Nilay Patel 
posted May 16th 2007 8:29PM
posted May 16th 2007 8:29PM
You might remember that the 802.11n "Draft 2.0" specification was finally approved just a couple months ago, and since the final 802.11n standard is guaranteed to be compatible with that version, the Wi-Fi Alliance (the trade group that controls the Wi-Fi spec) has retooled the Wi-Fi logo and decided to start certifying products as "802.11n Draft 2.0 certified," in anticipation of the spec being formally released in 2008. There's only a few products on the list released today: router / card combos from Atheros, Broadcom, and Marvell; Cisco and Intel APs; and a chipset / router combo from Ralink. This is, of course, in contrast to the veritable cornucopia of products (hello, Santa Rosa) that meet the earlier draft-n spec, which the Alliance did not certify. While we understand the need for the Wi-Fi Alliance to somehow regulate the enormous number of possibly-incompatible draft-n implementations out there, we'd much rather it just hurry up and finish the 802.11n spec already -- it's been two and a half years. Peep the full list of Draft 2.0 certified products after the jump.-- Atheros XSPAN with SST Draft 2.0 802.11n Dual-Concurrent 2.4/5GHz Router with Atheros AR7100 Series Wireless Network Processor
-- Atheros XSPAN with SST Draft 2.0 802.11n dual-band 2.4/5GHz card bus
-- Broadcom Intensi-Fi 802.11n router: BCM94705GMP
-- Broadcom Intensi-Fi 802.11n card: BCM94321MC123
-- Cisco Access Point
-- Intel Wireless WiFi Link 4965AGN
-- Marvell TopDog WLAN solutions (station card)
-- Marvell TopDog WLAN solutions (access point)
-- Ralink MIMObility RT2800PD chip set featuring the RT2860 802.11n 2T3R MAC/BBP and the RT2850 802.11n Dual-Band RFIC
-- Ralink MIMObility RT2800PD access point
i understand the need for groups like them, but these guys and the W3C REALLY need to reorganize or something. technology moves WAY too fast for how quickly they 'allow' it to.
they didnt have time to finalise 'n' but they somehow found the time to create a logo and promote draft n, what a joke
yes andy, because you know, the engineers are the same guys that make the graphic design and are also key in promoting the use of the various standards.
What has hold down the spec is disagreement between companies in the alliance on how the specification should be implemented
'they' was a broad term, there is obviously a fundemental flaw in the organisation and implementation
I just hope all this new N stuff will help the Wi-Fi Alliance come to terms with the Confederation of Ethernet.
Of course, The vary day my old 802.11g router dies and I purchase a new "Draft N" router, I hear this news. I'll have to research and hope it uses a chipset that is in the new draft.
Actually that Intel Wireless WiFi Link 4965AGN seems to be the card used in the new santa rosa laptops.
http://www.reghardware.co.uk/2007/05/09/intel_launches_santa_rosa/
Better link, as The Register might not be the most trustworthy news site:
http://www.engadget.com/2007/05/09/intels-centrino-duo-and-centrino-pro-santa-rosa-chipsets-go-liv/
Great... this after I buy a few draft n network cards, cheap.
Folks, the Wi-Fi Alliance doesn't "control the Wi-Fi spec." The IEEE does. WFA is the organization that develops interoperability programs to test products. IEEE is a completely separate organization and never the twain shall meet.
Also, to be clear, the list above is what's in the interoperability test bed - the first of what will be literally hundreds of products to be certified over the next months.