Mountain View, CA, April 29, 2003 - The Wi-Fi Alliance announced today that the first round of products has successfully completed Wi-Fi Protected Access interoperability testing. This eagerly anticipated security solution replaces the existing WLAN security solution called Wired Equivalent Privacy (WEP).
This is the third Wi-Fi product certification developed by the Wi-Fi Alliance since the program began in March of 2000. The previous two certifications were for products based on the IEEE 802.11a and 802.11b standards. In addition, the Wi-Fi Alliance is also developing a fourth certification testing program for IEEE 802.11g products. To date, over 650 products from 120 companies have received Wi-Fi certification.
With this first round of Wi-Fi Protected Access product certifications, strong, standards-based interoperable security is available for Wi-Fi networks, said Dennis Eaton, Chairman of the Wi-Fi Alliance. This is the best interoperable security solution for todays enterprise and home users. Businesses will find Wi-Fi Protected Access to be both scalable and manageable. Consumers will find it easier to install while offering an unprecedented level of security for their home network.
The first Wi-Fi Protected Access-enabled products will be available in May, and later this year Wi-Fi Protected Access support will be required in selected Wi-Fi CERTIFIED™ PC and PC peripheral products. We also anticipate that many vendors with Wi-Fi CERTIFIED™ products on the market today will offer software upgrades to their products. Users considering the purchase of a Wi-Fi product with Wi-Fi Protected Access security can go to the Wi-Fi Alliance Web site and look at the products capability label to determine if it has Wi-Fi Protected Access support, continued Eaton.
Capabilities Label
Wi-Fi Protected Access certification is identified by a new element on the capabilities label and on the Wi-Fi Alliance Web site.
First Wi-Fi Protected Access Certified Products
The following products have had their IEEE 802.11b component certified for Wi-Fi Protected Access:
- Atheros AR5BCB-00025A - AR5001X+ 802.11a/b/g CardBus Reference Design Board
- Atheros AR5BAP-00025A - AR5001AP 802.11a/b/g Access Point
- Broadcom 802.11g Access Point Reference Design - BCM94306-GAP
- Broadcom 802.11g CardBus Reference Design - BCM94306CB
- Cisco Access Point AIR-AP1230B
- Intel PRO/Wireless 2100 LAN 3B Mini-PCI Adapter
- Intersil PRISM 2.5 Reference Design PCMCIA Card ISL37300P
- Intersil PRISM Access Point Development Kit ISL36356A
- Symbol Wireless Networker CompactFlash Wireless LAN Adapter Model LA-4137
The term Wi-Fi Protected Access refers to products that have been certified for interoperability by the Wi-Fi Alliance when using this security technology. Products that have not received Wi-Fi certification by the Alliance are not permitted to use these terms when describing their security features.
Wi-Fi Protected Access is a subset of the IEEE (Institute for Electrical and Electronics Engineers) 802.11i amendment to the 802.11 standard. Wi-Fi Protected Access differs in only three primary aspects from 802.11i: peer-to-peer support, pre-authentication, and a new cipher used to encrypt the data. A source for additional information on this security solution can be found at: http://www.wi-fi.org/OpenSection/protected_access.asp.
See Wi-Fi at N+I Vegas and Wireless Japan 2003
Wi-Fi-based wireless LANs will be on display at N+I Vegas 2003 (Las Vegas Convention Center, Wi-Fi Pavilion, Booth # 7055, Central Hall 4) April 29-May 1, 2003 and EXPO COMM Wireless Japan 2003 (Tokyo International Exhibition Center, Tokyo Big Sight, Booth # 751), Tokyo, Japan, July 16-18, 2003.
About the Wi-Fi Alliance
The Wi-Fi Alliance (formerly WECA) is a nonprofit organization formed in 1999 to certify interoperability of IEEE 802.11 products and to promote Wi-Fi as the global, wireless LAN standard across all market segments.
The Wi-Fi Alliance has instituted test suites that define how member products are tested to certify that they are interoperable with other Wi-Fi CERTIFIED™ products. These tests are conducted at an independent laboratory.
Membership in the Wi-Fi Alliance is open to all companies that support the 802.11 family of standards. The Wi-Fi Alliance now comprises over 175 members from the worlds leading companies. These companies offer over 650 Wi-Fi CERTIFIED™ products. For more information, please visit www.wi-fi.org.