Features on IEEE 802-11N Standards - Essay Example

INVESTIGATION ON IEEE 802.11N standards A. INTRODUCTION The Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers, commonly known as IEEE announced in January 2004 the formation of a new 802.11 Task Group assigned to amend 802.11 standards for wireless local area networks (WLAN) (Source: Hentschel, Lohning, & Fetweis: 1)). The amended 802.11 standards is expected to have the following features: (a) higher information storages of 540 Mbits or more depending on the rate of raw data capacity at the physical layer, (b) fifty percent (50%) faster than 902.11b, (c) ten times faster than 802.11a or 802.11g. These new features are expected to increase the rate of accessibility of wireless connections. Objectives This paper will have the following objectives: a. To discuss the features of IEEE 802.11n standards summarized above. b. To briefly describe the impact of IEEE 802.11 n standards to the Information Technology (IT) community. c. To discuss relevant views of at least one leading player in the IT industry regarding IEEE 802.11 standards in general in terms of (b.1) future prospects WLAN performance, (b.2) ways to increase physical transfer rate, (b.3) ways to improve efficiency of data transfer, and (b.4) how to manage performance modes of physical layer. B. FEATURES OF IEEE 802.11n STANDARDS Higher Information Storage Capacity The multiple input multiple output (MIMO) component has been added to the older version 802.11 standards to create the 802.n version. MIMO allows for higher data output by using antennas that allows for multiple transmission and receiving of data. It distinctly uses spatial multiplexing to specifically increase the rate of megabits to access wireless linkage without consuming additional power. It does this by exploiting the spatial diversity of connectivity possibly through the use of coding schemes such as Alamouti coding. (Source: Hentschel, et al.: 1). Faster Performance The IEEE 802.11n standard assures an approximate increase in its performance by four hundred percent (400%) or four times compared to the current standard of 802.11/ag. The main speed capability is greater at 130M to 270M bits per channel than the current WIFI capability. Also, the Media Access Control (MAC) is efficient with permission for channel bonding. (Source: Weisberger: 1). TGn designs for much faster IEEE 802.11n standards in Wireless LAN (WLAN) to provide users better and faster WLAN performance that can still accommodate new applications and cater to other market segments. The latter increases the market base of IEEE 802.11n. Also, TGn designs it to be compatible with existing IEEE WLAN legacy solutions making it less costly for companies in using the enhanced version. C. IMPACT OF IEEE 802.11n to the IT COMMUNITY The increase in performance as well as the extended area coverage of IEEE 802.11n standard created ambiguity in the information technology (IT) community. Several issues have crop up as a result of its imminent launch to the IT market. IEEE 802.11n standards will be launched to the market after eighteen (18) months, at the earliest. However, as early as now many vendors are starting to ship pre-standard products driving several companies to look into the implications of IEEE 802.11n standard in upgrading their WiFi connections. Further, the entry of these pre-standard products coupled with the hype associate with IEEE 802.11n in the IT industry, particularly in the networking field, led IT administrators to grasp the know-how or understanding of the IEEE 802.11n standards. They need to understand how it will affect their respective companies’ WiFi standards in terms of wireless networks and wired infrastructure. (Source: Weissberger: 1) TGn’s work on IEEE 802.11n standards caught the interest of the Wi-Fi Alliance (WFA). In fact, representatives from the IT industry under the WFA formed the High Throughput Marketing Task Group (HTMTG) to release a Marketing Requirements Document (MRD) in relation to IEEE 802.11n standards ( Source: Wilson, 2004:1). The MRD illustrates what end users can expect from IEEE 802.11n standards particularly in increasing throughput, range, robustness and reliability. Also, there is a known increase in the demand for WLAN hardware from users utilizing connection of their notebook computers to office networks while working from home or from outside of office locations as well as increase number of users using electronic applications such as gaming and music streaming. among others (Source: http://www.broadcom.com). This increasing scenario consequently led to increasing demands for a technology that adapts to the changing work environment of organizations and individual consumers which IEEE 802.11 is trying to achieve. Hence, suppliers of IT products and end users highly anticipate the market introduction of IEEE 802.11n to improve their technological efficiency of their working environments. D. INTEL’S VIEWS ON 802.11n STANDARDS Other players in the IT industry have provided their thoughts on the development of IEEE 802.11n standards for WLAN applications. Intel for one has been actively issuing its own version of thoughts on IEEE 802.11n connoting how to achieve a better performance for WLAN in the future. Its opinion matters as one of the leading players in the IT industry, hence this paper will highlight its opinions related to the development of IEEE 802.11n standards. In fact, Intel contributed significantly to the initial plans of developing 802.11n and submitted fundamental documents to map out initial plans for its development (Source: Wilson, 2004; 1). On Future Prospects of WLAN Performance Intel shared its vision on IEEE 802.11n that is said to be more than what IEEE TGn’s goals in terms of capacity and speed. It is quoted that “802.11n WLAN technology will support consumer electronics (CE), personal computing, and handheld communications platforms throughout all major enterprise, home and public hotspot environment” (Source: Wilson, 2004:3). Therefore, it envisions WLAN performance to be versatile across markets from businesses to household environments. Practical and cheaper way of implementing the IEEE 802.11n standards are being advocated by Intel through the combined use of existing and new technologies to meet the application requirements of wireless connections. It further espouses that increasing WLAN performance must involve the following: (a) increase physical transfer rate by improving radio technology, (b) develop mechanism to increase performance of physical layer, and (c) improve efficiency of data transfer. (Source: Source: Wilson, 2004:4). Ways to Increase Physical Transfer Rate Intel espouses to increase physical transfer rate for 802.11n standards for WLAN through effective use of MIMO and increasing channels of bandwidth. MIMO can effectively process simultaneous signals coming from different spatial sources. The challenge in using MIMO technology is to use realistic approaches to lower expenses in installing chains of radio frequency antennas at the same time achieving higher transfer rate performance. (Source: Wilson, 2004:4). “Wider bandwidth channels are cost effective and easily accomplished with moderate increases in digital signal processing (Source: Wilson, 2004:5). It should be noted that these aspects on increasing physical transfer rate has already been identified by IEEE TGn in developing the 802.11n standards. Ways to Improve Efficiency of Data Transfer An aggregate exchange that acknowledges multiple MAC Protocol Data Units (MPDUs) helps in improving transfer efficiency of IEEE 802.11n standards. It can use a protocol that eliminates initiation of new transfer for every MPDU. Intel believes that “aggregated physical layer protocol data unit (PPDU) containing MPDUs from a single source to a single destination are needed” (Source: Wilson, 2004:7). How to Manage the Performance Modes of Physical Layer Intel reiterates its belief that “fast channel adaptation should be managed at the physical layer without MAC interaction” (Source: Wilson, 2004:8) since the MAC will consequently establish to maintain adaptation to the environment of wireless connection as the initial adaptation is implemented. Coding schemes, code rates, antenna configurations, channel bandwidths, and channel selection to maximize throughputs are the areas to be managed once MAC implementation is final (Source: Wilson, 2004:8). E. CONCLUSION The paper answers the specific objectives outlined at the start using relevant sources of information to support salient points raised in the presentation. To summarize, it discussed the salient features of IEEE 802.11n, its impact and relevant views of an industry player through the contributions from Intel. The IT industry anticipates the market introduction of IEEE 802.11n standards given the importance that major IT players, like Intel, puts into it as well as the creation of marketing requirements document for end users even if there is still 18 months prior to its market launch. This wide anticipation for IEEE 802.11n shows that its technological features are widely expected to impact the market and improve the level of wireless connection within and among organizations. Although, Intel published its own points of views on the development of IEEE 802.11n standards, it highly correlates to what IEEE already established in its time frame and work plans in developing 802.11n standards. Both Intel and IEEE TGn espouse that 802.11n should bear higher storage capacity and faster performance to cater to increasing demand for higher file transfer and flexibility of transferring files given the borderless information technology environment the market currently has. Thus, IEEE 802.11n standards will highly contribute to the development of IT environment, hence, becoming one of the significant innovations in modern technology contributing to increase access and wide usage of IT tools. F. REFERENCES 1. James M. Wilson, 2004, The Next Generation of Wireless LAN Emerges with 802.11n. Technology @ Intel Magazine, (1-8) www.intel.com/technology/magazine/communications/wi08041.pdf , 29 April 2007 2. 802.11n: Next-Generation Wireless LAN Technology, April 2006, www.broadcom.com/docs/WLAN/802_11n-WP100-R.pdf , 29 April 2007 3. Alan J Weissberger, Update On IEEE 802.11n and Related Companies, www.viodi.com/newsletter/061200/article2.pdf , 29 April 2007 4. IEEE 802.11n, www.istpl.com/IEEE%20802%5B1%5D.11n_%20QandA_V2.pdf ,29 April 2007 5. IEEE 802.11n, www.signalion.com/files/11nprototypingwhalo.pdf , 29 April 2007 Read More