The introduction of the WiFi family generation was provided in WiFi: The Problem with Draft Standards (Part I) – an earlier posting on Suite101.com. It offered a cursory perspective of the standards that covered not only the initial generation of the technology, namely 802.11, but illustrated a number of other siblings which included 802.11a, 802.11b, 802.11g and 802.11n.
The IEEE and WiFi Alliance are Guilty as Charged
The article demonstrated the evolutionary nature taken by the Institute of the Electrical and Electronics Engineers (or IEEE) – a non-profit organization, who seem to have an incredible foresight in understanding consumers’ expectations and immediate needs. Alongside, the IEEE, the WiFi Alliance, an industry body that ensures products within the marketplace comply with strict guidelines and routine interoperation, offer consumers assurances with WiFi-enabled products they have purchased.
Both the IEEE and WiFi Alliance have been a little zealous with permitting a draft standard to be used by the industry, but to compound the technical faux pas, the WiFi Alliance have endorsed draft N-enabled products with presumably a draft-like certification process. Arguably, using a draft specification to develop a significant technology generation is somewhat frowned upon.
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