Getting To N, One Step At A Time

Many of us use wireless networks to stay connected to the internet. Just about every notebook, and now many handhelds can interface across the WiFi connections. Even if you don't have your own router and conection, between the public libraries, schools, airports, hotels, and Starbucks coffee houses you're bound to find a hotspot to connect to, and some are even free.

The technology of wireless networking is quite reliable, but has inherent disadvantages. With any network, there are always limitations of bandwidth, and of the distance that you can stay connected over. These have been major concerns with wireless networks, and been the driving forces behind innovation.

Addressing these concerns the market has been flooded over the last year with a ton of so called MIMO products. MIMO stands for "multiple in, multiple out," and is a technology of using a series of antennae on both the sending a receiving end to enhance the speed of the transmission, as well as extend the range. In general, these products have been well received, and are the current state of the art in home wireless networking, at least until very recently. One of the better products in the MIMO stable is the Belkin pre-N router. It is called pre-N because the N standard was still being discussed among the IEEE, but its ratification is widely expected.

Last month, the engineers of the IEEE sent out a draft of the N proposal. So what do we call the latest router to incorporate these specs? It's the RangeMax Next Wireless Networking Kit - Gigabit Edition! This is based on the draft N, which is a baby step closer than the pre-N specs of the previous reigning champion. From Netgeaar's press release:

NETGEAR’s RangeMax NEXT wireless product family provides users with all the great range of RangeMax plus the added benefit of faster speeds of up to 300 Mbps associated with draft 802.11n- specification, while maintaining compatibility with all legacy 802.11b/g wireless products. RangeMax NEXT Wireless Routers incorporate an advanced internal antenna design for optimal performance and are manufactured and tested with NETGEAR’s first in the industry “11n-True Test” high performance testing and tuning process to ensure maximum draft-11n performance at all times and at extended ranges. In addition, NETGEAR “Steady-Stream” technology ensures that the RangeMax NEXT wireless product family delivers the most stable connections possible of any wireless networking solution available in support of multiple simultaneous signal-quality-sensitive applications such as streaming high-definition videos throughout the entire home, making Internet telephone calls, sharing files, downloading MP3s, and playing network games.

While N calls for a 500 Mbps speed, the RangeMax Next claims a 300 Mbps. While this draft N router falls a little short of the final spec, it does take a leap from the 105 Mbps of the pre-N gear. Thankfully, it all appears backwards compatible with the regular b and g gear. These faster speeds will be needed as we stream our video files around the house.

Will we ever get to the final N spec? Perhaps in 2007, but in the meantime, we are incrementally getting improvements to the wireless gear. One step at a time.

--Jonas

More info on the Netgear RangeMax Next.

More info on wireless networking standards including the upcoming N.