CrankyRants.com

Looks like the Wi-Fi Alliance won’t back down.

Last week we highlighted the Wi-Fi Alliance’s idiotic decision to begin certification of 802.11n devices before the IEEE had completed the specs. Looks like other’s are pointing out the obvious short-sitedness of the deal as well. InfoWorld has an article about the issue, and sheds a little more light on the subject.

In question is final approval of a specification for 802.11n, a proposed wireless standard that would support data throughput of 100Mbps or higher.

Apparently a dissagreement exists over how to use multiple antennas and radios to achieve a performance boost, which has pushed back the expected approval of the specification several times. Final ratification of the specification is now scheduled for April 2008. Yet Wi-Fi products supporting some 802.11n features are already available. This is why the Wi-Fi Alliance couldn’t wait around, said Managing Director Frank Hanzlik.

Here’s a tip for Frank. Instead of pandering to the vendors who have jumped the gun to boost sales and deliver products that may very well be incompatible with the final specs, why not hang with the IEEE and issue a statement that any product released before the certification may not be compatible. Sheesh, I thought these guys were supposed to be helping us! Do your friends and family a favor when they’re buying new equipment for the home or office. Tell them that the Buyer Better Beware. Because no one else seems to be saying that.

An industry group of wireless networking companies said Tuesday it will start certifying next-generation routers and network cards in 2007, a year before official standards are expected.

Frank Hanzlik, managing director of the Wi-Fi Alliance, said that without a certification program, the market could have been fragmented by the growing number and variety of pre-standard “Draft N” or “Pre-N” products claiming faster speeds and greater range. The products take their names from the 802.11n standard.

So let me get this straight. The Wi-Fi Alliance will start certifying networking equipment as 802.11n compliant… BEFORE the standards are expected to be completed. What the hell are they gonna verify! “According to our extensive testing procedures, we at the Wi-Fi Alliance duly certify that this Linksys Router in fact does contain the 802.11n sticker on the front. So it’s… um… compliant.” How about we simply bring the State Department down on companies that are making false claims instead of creating potentially bogus certifications.

Nice job, Wi-Fi Alliance. Way to stick a band-aid on the leaky ceiling.