Wifi

IEEE 802.11ac — Wi-Fi for the Mobile and Video Generation

IEEE 802.11ac AT A GLANCE
IEEE 802.11ac is the fifth generation in Wi-Fi networking standards and will bring fast, highquality video streaming and nearly instantaneous data syncing and backup to the notebooks, tablets, and mobile phones that have become our everyday companions. Improvements in transmission speeds will be dramatic.Entry-level IEEE 802.11ac products will provide a data rate of 433 Mbps (megabits per second), which is at least three times faster

IEEE 802.11ac is the fifth generation of Wi-Fi to come along since Wi-Fi was introduced in 1997. The roll-out of new IEEE 802.11ac devices, like those of previous generations, is expected to take between one and three years, beginning first with home networkingproducts and then working its way to other products as manufacturing costs decline. By 2015, virtually all new Wi-Fi products are expected to be based on IEEE 802.11ac technology, in the same way that nearly all Wi-Fi products on sale today are based on IEEE 802.11n, which is the current standard.

Contents
Wi-Fi Isn't Just for Computers Anymore 1

than that of the most common devices using thecurrent wireless standard, which is IEEE 802.11n. Because the new standard gives manufacturers the flexibility to offer a range of products with different levels of performance, some high-speed IEEE 802.11ac devices will offer wireless transmission in excess of a Gigabit per second — remarkable speeds that put IEEE 802.11ac wireless networks ahead of most 3 wired networks. In addition, there will bedramatic improvements in wireless reliability, range, and coverage. 5 Homes and apartments now plagued with “dead spots” will enjoy vastly improved reception. Faster file transfer also leads to longer battery 5 life in mobile phones. Products based on IEEE 802.11ac will be fully backward compatible with current Wi-Fi devices. Older devices, however, won't be able to take advantage of the improvedspeeds offered by IEEE 802.11ac. Home networking products containing IEEE 802.11ac adapters are expected in Q3 2012. They will begin appearing in laptops and notebooks for the Christmas 2012 selling season. Mobile phones and tablets — both crucial Wi-Fi markets — are likely to ship with IEEE 802.11ac chips in 2013.

Mobile phones, tablets, and notebooks are creating new demands for faster andmore reliable wireless connectivity everywhere and all the time.
Why IEEE 802.11ac? 2

Wi-Fi ISN'T JUST FOR COMPUTERS ANYMORE
The modern world has become dependent on Wi-Fi technology. It is available just about everywhere we go — in homes, offices, hotels, restaurants, and sometimes even in the great outdoors. We seek out wireless connectivity more and more because we're using it more and more —and not just for work and e-mail. We've come to depend on Wi-Fi to stream movies and TV shows to our laptops, to play online games and use social media on our mobile phones, and to read books and watch video on our tablets. Between office work, school assignments, and simple entertainment, the average household often has several Wi-Fi devices running at the same time, downloading rich content atall hours of the day and night. But the Wi-Fi technology we use today is three years old, and it simply can't keep up with the new demands we are placing on it, just as booming cities with narrow roads and streets cannot handle the increased traffic. And so, a

Video and data syncing/backup — New Wi-Fi killer apps.
IEEE 802.11ac — The Technical Details

Greater bandwidth and fasterelectronics are key.
Other Uses for IEEE 802.11ac

New devices for both the enterprise and the home.
What's Next in Wi-Fi?

Tomorrow's networks — lower power, faster speeds.
Conclusions 6

Wi-Fi once again rises to meet the challenges of a changing world.

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