IBM might be able to make wireless the de facto standard

[RightIsWrong]

Just as I was upgrading everything to N....they come up with "Super Wi-Fi". I guess I can enjoy it while it lasts. They aren't expecting anything retail for ~3 years.

Researchers at IBM and wireless chip manufacturer MediaTek have come up with a technology that's 100 times faster than the current Wi-Fi specification.

The new protocol is designed to make the most of the 60GHz spectrum, according to News.com, and the two companies want to have something on the market within three years.

Super Wi-Fi

If they manage such a feat, the speeds mentioned sound impressive - around 2.5 gigabits per second. Compare this to current 802.11g speeds of 54 megabits per second (or its real-world speeds of between 20 and 25 megabits per second).
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This super Wi-Fi would even wipe the floor with the forthcoming 802.11n standard, which effectively quadruples 802.11g performance. A network such as the one proposed by IBM would be able to transfer a couple of gigabytes in a second.

IBM is the brains behind the project's radio technology, while MediaTek is working on ways to process the files at either end.

 

[rivan]

Originally posted by: RightIsWrong
Just as I was upgrading everything to N....they come up with "Super Wi-Fi". I guess I can enjoy it while it lasts. They aren't expecting anything retail for ~3 years.

Researchers at IBM and wireless chip manufacturer MediaTek have come up with a technology that's 100 times faster than the current Wi-Fi specification.

The new protocol is designed to make the most of the 60GHz spectrum, according to News.com, and the two companies want to have something on the market within three years.

Super Wi-Fi

If they manage such a feat, the speeds mentioned sound impressive - around 2.5 gigabits per second. Compare this to current 802.11g speeds of 54 megabits per second (or its real-world speeds of between 20 and 25 megabits per second).
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This super Wi-Fi would even wipe the floor with the forthcoming 802.11n standard, which effectively quadruples 802.11g performance. A network such as the one proposed by IBM would be able to transfer a couple of gigabytes in a second.

IBM is the brains behind the project's radio technology, while MediaTek is working on ways to process the files at either end.

Surely you didn't think N would be the end of tech advancement?

I'd love to see this - I'd love to skip wiring the top half of my house for data as my kids grow up.

 

[spidey07]

Still everything is shared bandwidth. DO NOT WANT!

 

[RightIsWrong]

I didn't think that it would be the end by any means....

But I thought that it would, at the least get approved.

I would think that copper is a goner if they can ease some of the remaining security fears.

 

[krotchy]

Hmm, interesting, but I doubt it could come close to replacing N or similar. Do you have any idea how poorly waves propagate at 60GHz when you try to send them through a wall or anything else that is solid. This type of communication would need line of sight for the most part, or at least a good path via reflection. A single 15cm concrete wall equates to 36dB of attenuation. When you consider the low gain of multi-directional antennas and low power usage of Wireless B/G/N, this would likely not be competing in the same category, due to the need for high power or a directional antenna just to send a signal from your office/bedroom just to the living room with the door closed. However it does have other uses I can envision, but multi-directional home/office networking is not the likely use nor its competition.

Most likely I could see this as a good way to link Ethernet points where line of sight is available, but wires would not be functional to run.

 

[AnyMal]

That's great. Now if only they would ship the laptop I purchased from their OUTLET store two weeks ago, that would be just swell.

 

[slpaulson]

I just wonder how far they are going to be able to get a 60GHz signal.

 

[ultimatebob]

Cool technology, but my DSL service can't even use up half of the bandwidth of an 802.11b connection.

Oh well... maybe it will come in handy at work if it has a good range.