Close
  • Latest News
  • Artificial Intelligence
  • Big Data and Analytics
  • Cloud
  • Networking
  • Cybersecurity
  • Applications
  • IT Management
  • Storage
  • Sponsored
  • Mobile
  • Small Business
  • Development
  • Database
  • Servers
  • Android
  • Apple
  • Innovation
  • Blogs
  • PC Hardware
  • Reviews
  • Search Engines
  • Virtualization
Read Down
Sign in
Close
Welcome!Log into your account
Forgot your password?
Read Down
Password recovery
Recover your password
Close
Search
Logo
Logo
  • Latest News
  • Artificial Intelligence
  • Big Data and Analytics
  • Cloud
  • Networking
  • Cybersecurity
  • Applications
  • IT Management
  • Storage
  • Sponsored
  • Mobile
  • Small Business
  • Development
  • Database
  • Servers
  • Android
  • Apple
  • Innovation
  • Blogs
  • PC Hardware
  • Reviews
  • Search Engines
  • Virtualization
More
    Home Latest News
    • Mobile

    Faster Wi-Fi Standard Offers No “G” Whiz

    By
    eWEEK EDITORS
    -
    June 13, 2003
    Share
    Facebook
    Twitter
    Linkedin

      The IEEEs approval of the final draft of the 802.11g specification on Thursday was in many ways a non-event. Vendors have been shipping devices based on the draft specification for months, and most say that the specification has changed little. The minor tweaks that were created to enhance compatibility with the slower but far more common 802.11b standard should be addressable with a flash upgrade from any of the major vendors. Of course, this process could prove cumbersome for any organization that was enough of an early adopter to deploy multiple 802.11g access points, but those IT departments were asleep at the console if they didnt realize the risk of working with a draft specification before implementation.

      802.11g doesnt represent the first higher-speed wireless LAN. That distinction went to 802.11a, which will still beat 802.11g in most real-world conditions, particularly since neither standard is quite as fast as you might believe. Furthermore, the limited speed of cable modems and consumer DSL will keep the higher speeds of 802.11g from improving shared broadband in the home.

      That said, 802.11g should prove an excellent bridge to a faster generation of network flexibility for almost all laptops with Wi-Fi cards today. By maintaining compatibility with the 802.11b standard deployed in many wireless LANs, hotels, Starbucks and even McDonalds, 802.11g does not require users to choose between high speed and compatibility.

      802.11g could well become the 100Base-T of wireless networking. Just like 100Base-T is still used extensively on 10Base-T networks, many 802.11g clients will be connecting to 802.11b access points for the foreseeable future. However, it remains to be seen if 802.11a will become the wireless equivalent of HPs 100VG AnyLAN. This one-time contender for the future of twisted-pair Ethernet lost in the marketplace even though many thought it was the better solution. At least one Wi-Fi pioneer thinks the battle is already over; Apple CEO Steve Jobs has said he believes that 802.11a is doomed to failure.

      The supply-side prospects for “g” seem to outweigh any possible demand-side factors for now. Indeed, Apple has replaced 802.11b with 802.11g across its PowerBook line, and you can expect other notebook vendors to follow suit since the only drawback is the greater cost of the new standard; this disadvantage should fade as volume increases. The real question, though, is whether a leading application will emerge for “g.” Running multiple audio streams around a network may be one candidate, but video will probably be better served by the faster 802.11a.

      Because of the relative lack of interference within the 5-GHz band in which 802.11a operates, vendors are pushing it toward the enterprise while recommending 802.11g for the home. However, just the reverse could happen. With a speed thats more than fast enough for most tasks these days and backward compatibility, corporations will certainly find 802.11g attractive. Meanwhile, consumer-electronics companies seeking to pioneer networked video outside the scope of the PC—as Moxi Digital sought to do— could attempt to minimize interference with 802.11a.

      Ross Rubin is editor of the Ziff Davis Wireless Supersite.

      More from Ross Rubin:

      eWEEK EDITORS
      eWeek editors publish top thought leaders and leading experts in emerging technology across a wide variety of Enterprise B2B sectors. Our focus is providing actionable information for today’s technology decision makers.
      Get the Free Newsletter!
      Subscribe to Daily Tech Insider for top news, trends & analysis
      This email address is invalid.
      Get the Free Newsletter!
      Subscribe to Daily Tech Insider for top news, trends & analysis
      This email address is invalid.

      MOST POPULAR ARTICLES

      Latest News

      Zeus Kerravala on Networking: Multicloud, 5G, and...

      James Maguire - December 16, 2022 0
      I spoke with Zeus Kerravala, industry analyst at ZK Research, about the rapid changes in enterprise networking, as tech advances and digital transformation prompt...
      Read more
      Applications

      Datadog President Amit Agarwal on Trends in...

      James Maguire - November 11, 2022 0
      I spoke with Amit Agarwal, President of Datadog, about infrastructure observability, from current trends to key challenges to the future of this rapidly growing...
      Read more
      IT Management

      Intuit’s Nhung Ho on AI for the...

      James Maguire - May 13, 2022 0
      I spoke with Nhung Ho, Vice President of AI at Intuit, about adoption of AI in the small and medium-sized business market, and how...
      Read more
      Cloud

      IGEL CEO Jed Ayres on Edge and...

      James Maguire - June 14, 2022 0
      I spoke with Jed Ayres, CEO of IGEL, about the endpoint sector, and an open source OS for the cloud; we also spoke about...
      Read more
      Applications

      Kyndryl’s Nicolas Sekkaki on Handling AI and...

      James Maguire - November 9, 2022 0
      I spoke with Nicolas Sekkaki, Group Practice Leader for Applications, Data and AI at Kyndryl, about how companies can boost both their AI and...
      Read more
      Logo

      eWeek has the latest technology news and analysis, buying guides, and product reviews for IT professionals and technology buyers. The site’s focus is on innovative solutions and covering in-depth technical content. eWeek stays on the cutting edge of technology news and IT trends through interviews and expert analysis. Gain insight from top innovators and thought leaders in the fields of IT, business, enterprise software, startups, and more.

      Facebook
      Linkedin
      RSS
      Twitter
      Youtube

      Advertisers

      Advertise with TechnologyAdvice on eWeek and our other IT-focused platforms.

      Advertise with Us

      Menu

      • About eWeek
      • Subscribe to our Newsletter
      • Latest News

      Our Brands

      • Privacy Policy
      • Terms
      • About
      • Contact
      • Advertise
      • Sitemap
      • California – Do Not Sell My Information

      Property of TechnologyAdvice.
      © 2022 TechnologyAdvice. All Rights Reserved

      Advertiser Disclosure: Some of the products that appear on this site are from companies from which TechnologyAdvice receives compensation. This compensation may impact how and where products appear on this site including, for example, the order in which they appear. TechnologyAdvice does not include all companies or all types of products available in the marketplace.

      ×