This is the fourth Wi-Fi product certification developed by the Wi-Fi Alliance since the program began in March of 2000. Previous certification programs were for products based on IEEE 802.11a and 802.11b (including dual band products) and Wi-Fi Protected Access. To date, over 795 products from 110 companies have received Wi-Fi certification.
Many companies and market segments have been waiting until products based on the final IEEE 802.11g standard amendment were certified for interoperability by the Wi-Fi Alliance. That day has come, said Frank Hanzlik, Managing Director of the Wi-Fi Alliance. Until now, interoperability and performance have been uncertain for pre-standard IEEE 802.11g products. As of today, customers can get the interoperability and performance benefits associated with Wi-Fi Alliance product certification.
For the past three years, the Wi-Fi Alliance has been certifying amendments to the IEEE 802.11 standard. The growing number of amendments, including IEEE 802.11g, and the vendors use of different chipsets within the same product line continue to highlight the importance of the Wi-Fi interoperability certification for consumers and enterprises. Public access services such as Wi-Fi ZONEs (www.wi-fizone.org) use equipment from several different vendors. Wi-Fi certification assures that people who visit locations using Wi-Fi CERTIFIED™ equipment will be able to get connected whether they use 802.11b, 802.11g or dual band 802.11a/g products.
Initial testing included eight products from six companies four access points and four PC cards. These products are based on chipsets from four different silicon suppliers. Wi-Fi CERTIFIED™ IEEE 802.11g products will be identified by a new element on the capabilities label on packaging and on the Wi-Fi Alliance Web site.
First Wi-Fi CERTIFIED™ IEEE 802.11g Products
The following products have received interoperability certification from the Wi-Fi Alliance for IEEE 802.11g functionality:
Atheros AR5001X+ Universal 802.11a/b/g Wireless Network Adapter
Broadcom 54g AP Reference Design BCM94306-GAP
Intersil PRISM Duette PCMCIA Adapter Model ISL39000C
Intersil PRISM Duette Access Point Developers Kit Model ISL39300A
Melco AirStation 54Mbps Wireless Notebook Adapter-g Model# WLI-CB-G54(A)
Proxim ORiNOCO AP-600b/g
TI TNET1130 WLAN Cardbus Reference Design
TI TNETWA622-g10-DP Access Point Reference Design
See Wi-Fi at Wireless Japan 2003
Wi-Fi-based wireless LANs will be on display at 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 them as the global, wireless LAN standard across all market segments.
The Wi-Fi Alliance has instituted a test suite that defines 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 180 members from the worlds leading companies. These companies offer over 795 Wi-Fi CERTIFIED™ products. For more information, please visit www.wi-fi.org.
Press and analyst contact:
C. Brian Grimm
Wave Communications for the Wi-Fi Alliance
910.686.0870
briang@wavecoms.com
