'N' is for Now!
- By Linda L. Briggs
- 11/01/08
Driven by student demand, higher education is leading
the charge to 802.11n. With final approval of the
emerging standard tantalizingly close, some institutions
are already rolling out 802.11n networks, and sharing
best practices.
THE LEAP IN WIRELESS LAN standards to 802.11n is a WiFi upgrade so
new it hasn't yet garnered final approval from the standards committee.
Although that approval won't come until next year (vendors are currently building
to a "pre-n" standard), there are plenty of notebook computers out there
capable of running 802.11n. That means your students will soon be appearing
on campus ready and able to take advantage of an 802.11n network. What's
more, with 11n access points able to step down to accommodate devices running
earlier wireless standards, an 11n network can serve virtually everyone.
The emerging "n" is generating excitement
because it represents a major step up from previous
wireless WiFi standards such as the most
current 802.11g. Although many factors determine
the final connection speed to a wireless
network, 802.11n promises real increases in that
speed: potentially, 300 Mbps of throughput,
compared to 802.11g's 54 Mbps, max. Top raw
connection speeds for wireless are largely theoretical
and seldom achieved, but even a portion
of 802.11n's potential can exceed the speed of
current wired connections on many campuses.
Still, speed is only part of the 802.11n equation.
The new standard also boasts far better signal
coverage and includes other complex enhancements
that can make network design and placement
of access points easier, and can greatly
improve system performance beyond speed. In
fact, the sort of wireless speed 802.11n offers
makes it possible to consider the wireless network
for high-bandwidth applications that currently
require wired connections, such as demanding
video applications, multimedia, collaboration
software, applications that require large photo or
sound files, and even voice over IP (VoIP). And
with tested security standards in place for wireless,
such as the certified WPA2 (WiFi Protected
Access), many of the security concerns around
wireless are being addressed, opening the door for
more wireless implementations.
Depending on the network and the intended
use, 802.11n's potential speed also makes possible
that holy grail of wireless: complete
replacement of conventional wired networks.
As has been true in the past with wireless
technology, higher education (largely driven by
its high-demand student clientele) is leading the
charge to 802.11n. With a final standard tantalizingly
close, campus IT departments planning
either new rollouts, or upgrades to their WiFi
networks, are wrestling with whether or not to
jump to 11n. Some colleges and universities
already have deployed or are in the process of
deploying 802.11n technology, forging benchmarks,
and creating best practices for others.
Since an 802.11n network can offer new configuration
challenges and considerations, such
experiences are worth considering.