Wireless+802.11n

toc =Wireless Internet=

Most of us students in the CCIT program have experienced the freedoms of wireless Internet. Our laptops and maybe even our desktops at home can connect to the Internet without wires. The freedom of this connection can be experienced right in our very own school. Certain areas at UTM including: The Meeting Place, Library, Student Centre, and CCIT building have wireless 802.11g capabilities. Even UofT's St. George campus have areas where the same wireless technologies allow students to download lecture notes while sitting in the very same lecture.

The most common form of wireless Interent maybe know as IEEE 802.11b or IEEE 802.11g. An IEEE 802 standard refers to restricted networks carrying variable-sized packets. The 802.11 standard is for Wireless LAN (Wi-Fi) connects. 802.11g is presently considered the fastest type of wireless connection available to the public. However, this speed connects at only 54Mbps. Hardwired LAN lines connect computers at 100Mbp. This difference in speed may deter people from performing tasks that require the high speed Internet such as downloading and gaming.


 * [[image:https://ccit205.wikispaces.com/space/showimage/wireless_router.jpg width="157" height="157"]] ||
 * //Figure 1: Linksys Wireless-G Broadband Router// ||

The solution may be just around the corner. Recent innovations in wireless technology have allowed wireless to connect at over 100Mbps--potentially at 108Mbps if present tests and predictions hold true. The new standard, referred to as 802.11n will connect users at speeds as fast as wired Ethernet connections. If you are a constant user of wireless Internet you may want to look into this further and think about the possibilites of wireless Internet that goes as fast as cable Internet. Wireless 802.11n technology is being hailed as the next speed bump in wireless technology and may coax people still restricted to wires to look into the ease a mobility of wireless.


 * [[image:https://ccit205.wikispaces.com/space/showimage/wirelessN.gif width="183" height="146"]] ||
 * //Figuire 2: Belkin Wireless Pre-N Router// ||

The Belkin Wireless Pre-N Router is just one of a few companies tempting the market with the new, faster wireless internet connection. The router achieves its greater range and speed with an innovative "smart antenna" that utilizes a technology known as MIMO (Multi Input/Multi Output). MIMO uses a single channel for "multiple data steams." New MIMO technology will increase speed and range over present Wi-Fi technology and ultimately render it obsolete. The exact range and speed still depends on environmental factors which is the same for present Wi-Fi technology.

There is another advantage to this new technology. With more and more people and companies using wireless means to network computers sometimes there can be interference between signals. This interference is known as noise. 802.11g has become the industry standard and few people will be using 802.11n. Switching over or starting with 802.11n in a high traffic area will allows users to filter out the interference. Additionally, 802.11n routers will be backwards compatible. Meaning, those with 802.11g and 802.11b network cards already installed in their computers will not have to switch over to a 802.11n card.

=External Links=

http://www.ieee.org/portal/site [|http://www.ieee.org/portal/sitehttp://www.ieee.org/portal/site%7C%5D%5Dhttp://www.webopedia.com/TERM/I/IEEE_802_standards.html] http://standards.ieee.org/getieee802/portfolio.html

=Works Cited=

Ellison, Carol. (2004) UWB Takes ON 802.11n in the Wireless Fast Lane. Retrieved February 26, 2006. from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/IEEE_802

Fear, Allen. (2004). Belkin Wireless Pre-N router: a first look. Retrieved February 27, 2006, from http://reviews.zdnet.co.uk/hardware/networking/0,39023970,39165600,00.htm

Wikipedia. (2006). IEEE 802. Retrieved on February 26, 2006. from [|?31??32?http://www.eweek.com/article2/0,1895,1676691,00.asp]

Wilson, James M. (2004). Quadrupling Wi-Fi speeds with 802.11n. Retrieved February 26, 2006. from http://www.deviceforge.com/articles/