802.11e, 802.11n standards see action

NETWORK WORLD NEWSLETTER: JOANIE WEXLER ON WIRELESS IN THE
ENTERPRISE
10/17/05
Today's focus: 802.11e, 802.11n standards see action

Dear security.world@gmail.com,

In this issue:

* Wi-Fi standards demand attention
* Links related to Wireless in the Enterprise
* Featured reader resource
_______________________________________________________________
This newsletter sponsored by Nortel
Building the Mobile Enterprise Online Expo

The workplace is changing rapidly. Employees need to be
untethered from their desks while remaining connected and
accessible. This online event helps you solve your enterprise
mobility challenges by bringing together industry leaders,
including Nortel's CTO and CIO and RIM's VP Enterprise Systems,
to discuss the hottest topics in enterprise mobility. Broadcast
live to your desktop on Nov. 8, 2005. Register today!
http://www.fattail.com/redir/redirect.asp?CID=117413
_______________________________________________________________
IS WIMAX REALLY JUST AROUND THE CORNER?

With excitement building about WiMAX, you might be surprised
that, technically, no real WiMAX products are available yet.
That is, none that meet the 802.16 profile as defined by the
WiMAX Forum and certified compatible by the Forum's appointed
lab in Spain. Will there be products? Click here for more:
http://www.fattail.com/redir/redirect.asp?CID=117713
_______________________________________________________________

Today's focus: 802.11e, 802.11n standards see action

By Joanie Wexler

Wi-Fi QoS and next-generation, high-speed networking standards
have been grabbing the spotlight lately.

The long-coming Wi-Fi QoS standard was approved by the IEEE Task
Group E late last month and has been submitted for publication.
Meantime, once-warring camps with separate proposals for the
802.11n standard for 100M bit/sec-and-up Wi-Fi networking said
last week they have found common ground by forming a third
coalition with a compromise specification.

The packet-prioritization component of the 802.11e QoS standard
has long been complete; the scheduled access (SA) component,
which adds call admission control to Wi-Fi QoS, has now received
its final stamp of approval. SA turns a wireless access point
into a scheduler that determines how much time to allocate to
each associated client and whether there is enough capacity to
support a new client wishing to associate with it.

The standard might inspire the production of more
802.11a-capable voice handsets, which are currently scarce. VoIP
can benefit by 802.11a's many available channels from an
interference-avoidance standpoint. When implemented in
production Wi-Fi networks, 802.11e should improve the quality of
VoIP calls and interactive video over WLANs.

However, 802.11e's success also depends on related 802.11
standards aimed at hastening the time for certain functions to
take place between access points as users roam from one AP to
another, thereby reducing latency.

In the 802.11n arena, the newly formed Enhanced Wireless
Consortium (EWC) could break the technology impasse surrounding
competing standards proposals for high-speed Wi-Fi networking
based on multiple input/multiple output (MIMO) technology.

EWC last week announced its existence by introducing its own
specification, backed by 27 companies that include a healthy
cross-section of the competing World-Wide Spectrum Efficiency
(WWiSE) and TGn Sync groups.

EWC's goal is to achieve the majority support required by the
IEEE for a standard and also to form an "ecosystem" in which
high-performance WLAN products will interoperate across a
variety of brands and platforms ahead of standards. Among EWC's
members are Atheros, Broadcom, Cisco, Intel and Symbol
Technologies.

The top 5: Today's most-read stories

1. Symantec AntiVirus Scan Engine has serious bug
<http://www.networkworld.com/nlwir8478>
2. New WLAN group shakes up standards process
<http://www.networkworld.com/nlwir8880>
3. Windows 2000 vulnerability could lead to new outbreak
<http://www.networkworld.com/nlwir8757>
4. You won't find this book on Oprah's list
<http://www.networkworld.com/nlwir8480>
5. IETF effort promises fewer net failures
<http://www.networkworld.com/nlwir8479>

_______________________________________________________________
To contact: Joanie Wexler

Joanie Wexler is an independent networking technology
writer/editor in California's Silicon Valley who has spent most
of her career analyzing trends and news in the computer
networking industry. She welcomes your comments on the articles
published in this newsletter, as well as your ideas for future
article topics. Reach her at <mailto:joanie@jwexler.com>.
_______________________________________________________________
This newsletter sponsored by Nortel
Building the Mobile Enterprise Online Expo

The workplace is changing rapidly. Employees need to be
untethered from their desks while remaining connected and
accessible. This online event helps you solve your enterprise
mobility challenges by bringing together industry leaders,
including Nortel's CTO and CIO and RIM's VP Enterprise Systems,
to discuss the hottest topics in enterprise mobility. Broadcast
live to your desktop on Nov. 8, 2005. Register today!
http://www.fattail.com/redir/redirect.asp?CID=117412
_______________________________________________________________
ARCHIVE LINKS

Archive of the Wireless in the Enterprise newsletter:
http://www.networkworld.com/newsletters/wireless/index.html
Wireless research center Latest wireless news, analysis and
resource links http://www.networkworld.com/topics/wireless.html
_______________________________________________________________
FEATURED READER RESOURCE

Network World Technology Insider on Security: Is Encryption the
Perspective?

Encryption won't solve all your security issues but these days
there is no excuse for not safeguarding your organization's
sensitive data. From Clear Choice product coverage to new
regulations and high-profile breaches, this Technology Insider
on Security covers it all. Click here to read now:

<http://www.networkworld.com/nlwir7476>
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