23 June 2005
What’s next for WiFi?
As WiFi technology reaches maturity, what new ground is there for it conquer? By Kevin Mapplebeck.
Rapidly falling prices and ever improving performance have seen an explosion in the adoption of WiFi. Recent estimates from industry analyst iSuppli put the number of WiFi units to be shipped during 2005 at more than 100million.
Based on the IEEE802.11 standards, WiFi has become the technology of choice for home and office networks. The convenience of a home network with no wires has been an attractive proposition for broadband enabled homes, allowing several pcs to share an internet connection. Surfing the web from a deckchair in the garden is now an option.
The technology is maturing; it works and it works well. A WiFi connection is now standard on most new laptops. In a pc centric network, WiFi technology is a ‘given’ and WiFi has rightfully claimed its place as the wireless replacement for Ethernet.
But WiFi continues to evolve: new 802.11 standards are set to emerge, prices continue to fall and performance continues to improve. These aspects are driving WiFi into new and exciting applications.
Author
Kevin Mapplebeck
Supporting Information
Websites
http://www.st.com
Companies
ST Microelectronics Ltd
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