Wi-Fi's Future: 802.11n

When completed (currently scheduled for late 2009), wireless specification 802.11n should open the door to a vast assortment of new applications. Though the final specifications have not been determined, transfer speeds are reportedly 10 times faster than current standards (540 Mbps as opposed to 802.11g's 54 Mbps). That's more than enough bandwidth to support even the most demanding transfers, enabling users to stream high-definition audio and video, play games, and surf the internet with no delays or quality loss.

Pre-N products
Unable to wait for the 802.11n standard to be finalized, some manufacturers have released "pre-N" routers and wireless cards. With 600% speed increases over 802.11g, they are capable of handling streaming HDTV signals and audiophile-grade audio. In addition, pre-N routers reportedly offer an 800% increase in wireless network coverage, adding both range and stability. For home theater enthusiasts who have to have the newest technology, pre-N routers offer a glimpse of the future, and they're pretty reasonably priced, with both routers and wireless cards in the $100 neighborhood.

Interoperability remains a question mark for pre-N products, since no official standard has been approved, but manufacturers claim their products not only have no problems communicating with devices using other standards, they actually increase their performance as well. Whether or not the pre-N devices will be compliant with the 802.11n standard when it is released is still unknown, and we probably won't know for sure until the first 802.11n products begin rolling off the shelves in late 2009.

High-quality media streaming finally a reality
The main advantage of 802.11n is the interconnectedness it creates between components on the same network. Internet speeds are restricted by numerous factors (including the speed of the access point, the quality of the internet connection, and the memory on your computer). While the step from G to N will not typically lead to drastic improvement in internet download speeds, internal data transfer rates are not restricted by the same factors, allowing the full potential of the technology to be realized. Since 802.11n devices are ten times faster than current standards, devices will be able to transfer ten times the information in the same amount of time. If the standard is approved, and transfer rates remain at their speculated levels, reliable, high-definition streaming media may finally become a reality.

The ability to transfer data internally, between the devices on your personal network, is where 802.11n differentiates itself from previous standards. It will be interesting to see the creative new products that are made possible by the certification of the new standard.