802.11n Certification Booming

One year after the launch of its Wi-Fi Certified 802.11n testing program, the Wi-Fi Alliance reported that more than 1,100 products have been certified for the high-speed ultra robust wireless technology.

The certification process has recorded 127 phones as Wi-Fi Certified, which represents 20% of handsets certified in the last 12 months, the Wi-fi Alliance said this week as it released figures for the 802.11n products. The trade association also said the newest tally represents 251 consumer electronics products that have been awarded the Wi-Fi Certified designation.

The figures released also found that dual-based products -- in the 2.4 and 5GHz bands -- are on the rise. The Wi-Fi Alliance said that 143 products can support both 2.4 and 5 GHz operations concurrently.

Earlier, there had been some question how 802.11n would fare in the enterprise marketplace. The Wi-Fi Alliance numbers indicate that IT managers are demanding the 802.11n technology for its range, robustness and performance capacity. A total of 157 enterprise-grade infrastructure devices have achieved the coveted Wi-Fi Certified designation since the program was unveiled a year ago. Enterprise-grade access points support operation in either 2.4 or 5 GHz.

Suppliers of the 802.11n technology are finding that many IT enterprise installations are moving to the technology. "Legacy 802.11 a/b/g wireless LANs were not designed to serve the high densities of mobile devices entering the enterprise, especially when coupled with latency-sensitive multimedia applications," said Wilson Craig, a spokesperson for Aruba Networks in an email. "It's critical that users consider the advanced functionality of the networks they choose, and that they include leading application monitoring and control capabilities in addition to solid security. Upgrading to 802.11n is a start."

ABI Research has predicted that nearly 60% of Wi-Fi products sold in 2010 will include 802.11n technology.

"From televisions to mobile phones and points in between," said Kelly David-Feiner, Wi-Fi Alliance's marketing director, "Wi-Fi now connects a majority of consumer electronics."

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