802.11r WiFi roaming standard approved

While 802.11n has been stuck in endless certification hell for years, the IEEE keeps cranking out additional wireless standards -- the latest is 802.11r, which allows devices to move from access point to access point with less than 50ms in downtime, even for authenticated connections. That's quick enough to keep a voice call alive, which should make the next generation of VoIP phones and other devices that much more flexible when support arrives -- let's hope that's soon.

[waiownsyou @ Aug 29th 2008 2:07AM]

At the rate they're going, they're going to run out of letters in the alphabet!

[phanbouy @ Aug 29th 2008 2:11AM]

At the rate I'm laughing, I could run out of oxygen!

[Calvin @ Aug 29th 2008 2:14AM]

that's what i'm thinking.

what i'm also thinking is: how do they decide what letter is next? like it went from a to b to g to n to r.

[zomg0t @ Aug 29th 2008 2:18AM]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/IEEE_802.11#Standard_and_amendments

[Seanross @ Aug 29th 2008 2:30AM]

IEEE 802.12? :)

[Andrew @ Aug 29th 2008 10:29AM]

Capital letters? ;-)

[JOATMON @ Aug 29th 2008 1:49PM]

They go to double letters. 802.11aa already exists (wikipedia needs to be updated), 802.11ab will be the next. 802.1 is already up to 802.1aw

[sexycommando @ Aug 29th 2008 2:18AM]

r for roaming
n for ... never getting finalized

[Stephen Heaps @ Aug 29th 2008 2:36AM]

Lmfao :).

[strang @ Aug 29th 2008 2:37AM]

I sorta hope they would. Buying into a "draft" is never cool.

[TavisJohn @ Aug 29th 2008 4:25AM]

LMAO I was just going to ask "What happened to O, P, & Q?" But that answers that!

[Ron @ Aug 29th 2008 2:40AM]

to move from access point to access point :S

Fun when 99% is secured :s

[Wwhat @ Aug 29th 2008 11:40AM]

It says 'even when authenticated', so I guess the idea is that you have some company which has a network of wifi which you signed up for and as you travel it hops from tower to tower.
Obviously they did not design the standard for your stealing bandwidth from your neighbours on the go :)

[Flashpoint @ Aug 29th 2008 3:04AM]

This is RIDICULOUS.

802.11r for roaming?

Ummmm....when I roam in a call, I'M ON THE PHONE WITH THE PERSON !

[phanbouy @ Aug 29th 2008 3:06AM]

oh boy... where would i start with this one?

[[e-mail] @ Aug 29th 2008 3:26AM]

WOOOW!!!!!!

[michas_pi @ Aug 29th 2008 4:56AM]

r for ridiculous

[Rejhuraman @ Aug 29th 2008 4:04AM]

Hope this becomes sooner than we hope!

[)law( @ Aug 29th 2008 3:23AM]

it's all you phanbouy it's all you :-)

[L.Rawlins @ Aug 29th 2008 3:53AM]

I'd like to know if this will function akin to Microsofts Virtual Wi-Fi project, in that this standard would allow multiple connections rather than just singular switching one-for-one.

If I'm walking down the street and my mobile picks up on four open hotspots, I'd very much like it to be able to split it's load between all of the available access points. 'Bandwidth torrenting' if you like. In urban environments especially, the saturation of hotspots in close quarters of each other would then not only blanket the region, but also potentially ramp up the speed as my device shares out the load equally between all access points in reasonable range.

I'd need a battery the size of a house maybe... but still, it would be interesting to see if this could improve the mobile experience.

[Wwhat @ Aug 29th 2008 11:42AM]

So you want every person to saturate his entire hotspot area? Uhm.. is that a good idea? What if you are the second person to arrive in that area? Did you ever think about that?

[sjdurfey @ Aug 29th 2008 5:56PM]

it would be a security & privacy nightmare. in that scenario when you can connect up to n available networks, anybody can setup an access point and easily find their way onto your device and copy away! wireless devices only connect to 1 access point for a reason.

[sjdurfey @ Aug 29th 2008 6:34PM]

this would be a security & privacy nightmare. there are reasons why a wireless device can only authenticate to 1 access point.

[peacefulpony @ Aug 29th 2008 4:44AM]

all we want is the more powerful successor of wifi. Something that can maintain a connection across the house without losing it because your girlfriend farted loudly.

[Max @ Aug 29th 2008 4:43AM]

Yes, indeed. It is called WiMAX

[N3XuS @ Aug 29th 2008 4:44AM]

Your girlfriend farts out microwaves?....Oh dear God!

[Wwhat @ Aug 29th 2008 11:44AM]

I wonder what kind of beans she had, netbeans?

[David Landrum @ Aug 29th 2008 5:22AM]

802.11arrr!

[James @ Aug 29th 2008 6:32AM]

Hey, it's not talk like a pirate day yet! I cant wait either =D

[JOATMON @ Aug 29th 2008 2:31PM]

The group developing 802.11r, TGr, did happen to meet on September 21, 2007 on which day they were "TG arrrr!"

Also, the following email was sent out on that day:

Ahoy!

The scurvy dogs TG arrr have finished pillagin' and plunderin' and are weighin' anchor. If I catch any of you not following me orders, it's the cap'n's daughter for you!

[Eric @ Aug 29th 2008 9:26AM]

Like the product codes in our ancient billing mainframe, they'll soon have to start using ASCII symbols instead

802.11Ʊ

[Wwhat @ Aug 29th 2008 11:50AM]

Weird, I wiki'ed the reason for the number part and noticed that 802.13 is not used, how can a modern technological committee (IEEE802) be superstitious like that? Seems silly, but perhaps it explains something, they are afraid of finalising draft-n because a medium or gypsy said it would bring bad luck.

[harley @ Aug 29th 2008 1:54PM]

i like this, i wonder if it is a software upgrade to existing equipment. i have tmobile along with uma, and this would make the handoffs from the access points in my house go rather smoothly.

[sjdurfey @ Aug 29th 2008 6:00PM]

no, it wont be a software upgrade to allow the use of this standard. you cant use 802.11n with 802.11g hardware can you?

[sjdurfey @ Aug 29th 2008 6:36PM]

blah, my first post never showed up, so i re-posted 45 min later, and NOW the first post shows up! they posting system really needs an upgrade.