What is Draft N Wireless?

The advantages of a wireless network are obvious: easily sharing your connection, having no cables to get in the way and being able to take your laptop into the backyard, to name just a few. In brief, new technology builds on the existing protocol and voila! A super dooper wireless system. To use some groovy jargon, Y802.11n adds to 802.11 standards by including MIMO (multiple-input multiple-output), a system that uses multiple transmitter and receiver antennas. What that mean is, in theory, with Draft 802.11n wireless, more data can be sent and faster, with a stronger signal – a signal that can bust through brick walls like no other.

Is it all good news?

The providers are pretty excited about it. Many major chip makers have already put the new technology into silicon chip sets, and wireless companies have been selling Draft N wireless cards. But is this all good news for the consumer? Perhaps not, as the speed with which the technology was released to the marketplace has garnered a wealth of criticism.

For starters, it had only just been approved by the regulating board, and many tech journalists feel products were rushed out before the standard was finalised. There is also a concern the manufacturers exploited the fact that there had been no major developments in the area for a few years meaning some consumers would be keen to get their hands on the gear – any new gear, no matter what.

What about my old hardware?

Rather than integrating sweetly with existing hardware, unfortunately it is likely to prove difficult or impossible to hook it up to hardware using the old standards. This is because Draft N gear will be trying to transmit data on the same radio channels as B or G hardware. Some companies had planned to make Draft N gear but then changed their minds, concerned about compatibility.

All of these issues aside, Draft N wireless promises a huge improvement in Wireless LAN technology. Speeds of up to 180Mbps are touted, allowing for benefits such as High Definition (HD) wireless video streaming in the home. You may already have linked your computer to your widescreen TV, but now HD quality images can be splashed onto that plasma TV screen you forked out the big bucks for, minus those irritating cables.

The higher bandwidth of Draft N also means more users can log onto the same local area network (LAN) without experiencing disruption, while a wider range reception is also available. In summary, the benefits of Draft N wireless are obvious but many observers stress a big battle is looming between companies pushing N products and those reluctant to for compatibility and other reasons. One thing, however, is certain: Draft N is still a while away from becoming the standard.