Wireless standards snapshot

Most wireless standards come from the IEEE, whose 802.11 category covers more than a dozen standards for specific wireless areas, but the IETF, Wi-Fi Alliance, and WiMax industry group also develop related standards.

Transport

802.11a, 802.11b, 802.11g: All are IEEE standards for the transmission of wireless signals providing maximum throughput of 54Mbps in the 5GHz band, 11Mbps in the 2.4GHz band, and 54Mbps in the 2.4GHz band, respectively. All are in use.

Wi-Fi: The Wi-Fi Alliance’s Wi-Fi designation certifies interoperability among 802.11a/b/g devices because each standard has optional components that if not implemented would still technically fulfill the IEEE standards but might not permit interaction with other vendors’ devices.

802.11n: This new IEEE standards effort seeks to develop 100Mbps maximum throughput, most likely in the 5GHz band and through the simultaneous use of multiple channels. The standard is slated for completion in 2007.

802.16d, 802.16e: Both are IEEE efforts to standardize wide-area, high-speed wireless zones. 802.16d is oriented to fixed-wireless deployments, whereas the forthcoming 802.16e standard will permit mobile use, such as in trains or cars. There are so many permitted variations in each standard that the 802.16 label will likely need subcategories to clarify specific products’ range, bandwidth, or support for mobile users.

WiMax: An effort by the WiMax Forum industry group, this is an evolving certification for 802.16 interoperability standards, similar to the Wi-Fi Alliance’s efforts for 802.11.

Security

802.1x: This venerable IEEE authentication standard is used by the 802.11 standards.

802.11i: Recently approved by the IEEE, this encryption standard replaces the vulnerable static-key WEP standard. It allows for dynamic shared encryption keys.

WPA2: The Wi-Fi Alliance’s WPA2 standard assures interoperability among 802.11i-based devices. (WPA1 was an interim standard issued before the final 802.11i standard, to keep vendors from straying from the draft 802.11i standard.)

Management, roaming, and QoS

802.11e: An IEEE effort to be completed in summer 2005, it defines prioritization levels and provides basic levels of QoS for data, voice, and video traffic.

WME, WSM: The interim Wireless Media Extensions and Wi-Fi Scheduled Media standards from the Wi-Fi Alliance are based on the draft 802.11e. They’re meant to ensure interoperability and consistent deployment across different vendors’ prestandard products. WME is available now, whereas WSM is expected in spring 2005.

802.11f: This IEEE standard defines communication between APs for layer 2 roaming, but it does not support roaming across different WLAN segments.

802.11r: This is an IEEE effort to standardize handoff for fast roaming among APs, including authentication keys, to allow fast roaming that will support voice over wireless in addition to data over wireless. It would also address roaming across segments. The standard is slated to be complete by 2006.

802.11s: Yet another IEEE effort, this standard is designed to wirelessly connect APs for back-haul communication and mesh networking. The standard is expected to be complete by 2006.

CAPWAP: Standardizing the taxonomy of mechanisms for the control and programming of wireless APs is the goal of this recently completed IETF effort. The acronym stands for Control and Provisioning of Wireless Access Points.

LWAPP: An in-progress IETF effort, the Light Weight Access Point Protocol governs how lightweight APs communicate with WLAN system devices and with the controllers that manage the lightweight APs.