Attack of the 802.11n WiFi

No, don’t worry. We’re not being harmed by the (802.)11n wireless radio radiation or something likes that, if that was what in your mind when you read the title up there. I’m just still in the atmosphere of Star Wars Episode II: “Attack of the Clones” movie, that was played again on one of the local tv studio here in Indonesia.

What I really meant was that the WiFi types we used everyday: 11a, 11b & 11g, are being replaced aggressively with 11n. Perhaps some of you have already bought 11n Access Point (AP) or Wireless Router (WR), and you must’ve familiar with 11n if you own new laptop. Because modern laptops have an embedded 11n chipset in them; such as MacBook Air, ThinkPad X300, etc.

But most of the current models of 11n APs & WRs are still limited to minimum features that can bring out the best of 11n real potentials. Wireless device manufactures are facing difficulties because of the fall-back compatibility to the old WiFi types, which the root of the problems is simply caused by incompatible old firmwares with the new 11n standards.

To solve above issue, wireless manufacturers have injected upgradeable firmware via software update. Like Aruba Networks new AP-124BG & AP-125BG, those both products are made to ease users’ transition into 11n network. Although the upgrade will be charged with an additional fee, volume-based. That can be seen from the specs, which I’d say exceed from other competitor’s products:

• Can be configured not just as wireless access gateway, but also as intrusion detector & nodes for secure wireless mesh network.
• Aruba’s new mobile remote AP software that enabled VPN IPSec tunnel for two-ways communication to data center’s control switch.
• Above particular software can integrates into Microsoft’s MMC for network management in large / enterprise companies
• A splitter feature for limiting remote access through VPN to data center server.
• New 802.1af Power over Ethernet (PoE).
• Gigabit ports.

All network administrators will appreciate above features, which advance their capability to take more control over vast networks. But to indulge into this 11n technology advantages, we should change the old WiFi types & upgrade the whole system also with new 11n type devices. The costs for this transition will rise to the roof, which is why companies are reluctant to change into 11n WiFi network.
But it’s unavoidable, aside from the fact that 11n is the future of better WiFi; wireless manufacturers are pushing the 11n WiFi type to become the new standard in their wireless products. So, the real question is are we ready for the transition? And I’ve said this many times before, it’s best for Palm to adopt the 11n WiFi type into their next smartphones. Are you prepared for the attack, Palm?

Source is from Oliver Rist's article at PC Mag.

[blogged with my Treo 750v]