Chipmaker gets a jump on safer wireless
Published: 12 Mar 2002 18:09 GMT
American company Altheros Communications has begun shipping the first chipset to run part of the new 802.11g fast wireless LAN standard.
802.11g is a faster and more secure version of the more familiar wireless networking equipment used in a growing number of homes and offices. But the 802.11g is still in draft form, with a few questions remaining about what technologies to use. The standard itself won't be ratified until at least midyear.
Atheros chose to ship the chips now to gain a competitive advantage. An Atheros representative said the company also made the chips easy to upgrade in case the ratified standard is significantly different. The upgrades will be done free of charge, the representative said.
We want to make it very clear: (802.11g) is not done," said Atheros chief executive Rich Redelfs. "What we've essentially done is take the part of 'G' that we think is stable."
The release heats up the wireless networking standards battle. Nearly all wireless networks, which let people connect computers and other electronic devices without using wires, use the 802.11b standard.
802.11b transmits its signals in a crowded spectrum shared by transmissions from microwave ovens, security cameras and the growing number of Bluetooth products. Despite its shortcomings -- which include porous security against hackers -- Cisco Systems, Proxim and other wireless networking gear makers have enjoyed nearly eight straight quarters of double-digit growth in sales of 802.11b products.
Atheros was the first chipmaker to begin shipping silicon using the 802.11a standard, another approved wireless networking standard. These networks can ferry information at speeds five times faster than networks using 802.11b. 802.11a also broadcasts its signal over more channels than 802.11b networks. As a result, there is less interference because there are more channels to send information through.
Rival company Intersil had made the first announcement of an intended 802.11g chipset in January, but won't be sampling until next quarter. Intersil's chipset is 802.11g only, and the company claims that it will have a 30 percent range advantage over 802.11a systems while taking less power.
The battle between 802.11a and 802.11g has seen many conflicting statements, which will only be resolved in the field. Although the 802.11g 2.4GHz frequencies have a longer range in free air for a given power than 802.11a's 5GHz, different building materials -- and water -- absorb more 2.4GHz than 5GHz. And 802.11a can use more base stations than 802.11g, except in the UK and the Netherlands, the only two European countries permitting 802.11a, where a restriction on base station count is one of the compromises made to allow its use. 802.11g will suffer no such restrictions, as it uses the same frequency band as 802.11b.
The Atheros chips containing 802.11g began shipping on Monday to gear makers including Intel, Sony and Proxim. Most major manufacturers intend to make 802.11g equipment. Cisco said it would be releasing its version sometime next year.
ZDNet UK's Rupert Goodwins contributed to this story
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