The Wireless Ethernet Compatibility Alliance (WECA) announced today that it has awarded six new Wi-Fi(tm) certifications for wireless LAN product interoperability. Several additional products will be certified throughout this year. This brings the total number of companies that currently offer Wi-Fi certified products to ten. The products granted approval in this round of certifications include:
Compaq
-- Compaq WL200 11 Mbps Wireless LAN PCI Card
-- Compaq WL300 11 Mbps Wireless LAN Software Access Point
NoWires Needed
-- No Wires Needed 11 Mbps Wireless LAN PC Card
-- No Wires Needed 11 Mbps Wireless LAN Enterprise Access Point
Samsung
-- SAMSUNG SWL-2000N 11Mbps Wireless LAN PC Card
-- SAMSUNG SWL-2000P 11Mbps Wireless LAN PCI Card
The Wi-Fi logo serves as the "seal of interoperability" for IEEE 802.11b High Rate (HR) wireless LAN products that have successfully completed stringent interoperability testing. Wi-Fi (which stands for "wireless fidelity") certification gives consumer and business buyers assurance that wireless LAN products bearing the Wi-Fi logo will be compatible and work together right out of the box - even when manufactured by different vendors.
"WECA and the Wi-Fi certification process together have one goal: To make it possible for users to traverse different environments -from the office to the home, and such public access areas as hotels and airports - with the same technology," explained WECA Chairman, Phil Belanger. "These additional certifications highlight the unprecedented level of adoption that Wi-Fi-based technology products are experiencing. These certifications also illustrate that this is an ongoing process."
The Wi-Fi logo is significant in that it certifies interoperability between PC wireless LAN cards, devices and access points from different vendors. Such PC products include PCMCIA Cards for notebooks, ISA and PCI cards for desktops and USB modules that can be used with either. This makes the buying decision easy for the consumer - any product that has a Wi-Fi logo will work out of the box with any other product that has a Wi-Fi logo. The term Wi-Fi is used in place of IEEE 802.11b HR, much like Ethernet is the term used instead of IEEE 802.3. All Wi-Fi certified products support a maximum data rate of 11 Mbps.
Products awarded the Wi-Fi logo have undergone strict, rigorous and independent testing at the Silicon Valley Networking Lab (SVNL). Testing usually takes two to four days per product to complete. Uniquely equipped to operate the Wi-Fi certification program, SVNL has built a reputation for providing objective, high-quality performance, interoperability and functional testing services.
Companies with Wi-Fi certified products include:
-- 3Com
-- Cisco Systems
-- Compaq
-- Enterasys Networks, A Cabletron Systems Company
-- Intermec
-- Lucent Technologies
-- NoWires Needed
-- Samsung
-- Symbol
-- Zoom Telephonics
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