When to upgrade to 802.11n wireless products

As you may have noticed, wireless companies including Belkin, Linksys and Netgear are already selling “draft n” routers and wireless cards, thanks to Atheros Communications and Broadcom who have adapted their silicon chips.

So, what’s the problem?

Well, the 802.11n wireless networking standard still hasn’t been officially agreed upon. Critics argue that a plethora of “n” products are rushed out to market too quickly, that is, before the 802.11n standard is finalized.

If you dream of a major performance boost over today’s Wi-Fi, look towards the 802.11n standard on the horizon. Anticiped data rates up to 180 Mbps could make wired home networks a thing of the past since demanding applications, like high-definition wireless video streaming, would work flawlessly.

Where will all this hit the wall?

It seems the future 802.11n products which will truly adhere to the approved standard could interfere with today’s 802.11b and 802.11g wireless setups by attempting to transmit data on the same radio channels. Therefore, “b / g” networks could slow to a crawl.

The good news comes from Bill Bunch, director of product management at Broadcom, who says final adjustments to today’s 802.11n products could come in the form of painless software upgrades. Point in case, Broadcom did just that with its 802.11g chips.

If no significant changes are made to the 802.11n drafts before it becomes a standard, we can all expect a smooth transition although all in all, it’s probably safer to admit it’s impossible to guarantee full compatibility between products not yet available.

For more information on the 802.11 current and upcoming standards, you can read the information that’s available at Wikipedia, the web’s free encyclopedia.

Choose your wireless solution wisely!