Draft-N Wi-Fi: Does Anybody Need It?
Posted by Harry McCracken | Tuesday, April 25, 2006 9:19 AM PT
Glenn Fleishman, whose
Wi-Fi Net News is a must read for anyone interested in the ever-evolving world of wireless networking, has posted a
provocative editorial recommending against the purchase of "Draft-N" Wi-Fi products currently being rolled out by major manufacturers. (
Here's Stephen Lawson's report on Linksys's launch.) The products are based on a preliminary version of the 802.11n standard, which promises far faster performance than today's 802.11g, but which isn't due in final form until next year.
Glenn raises multiple significant issues: Today's Draft-N products don't guarantee an upgrade path to the final spec, they may interfere with older networks, and they are, for the moment, pricey. He says it would be a mistake to buy before September, and maybe even then.
We're working on some hands-on tests of early Draft-N gear and will chime in soon with buying advice of our own.
Some people are just technologically gluttonous. Well, if these new products are based on a "standard" that hasn't been standardized yet, any takers would only prove that a person cannot be technologically gluttonous and smart at the same time.
I don't care how well they work, and even PCW's lab tests aren't going to establish the necessary standard, so their recommendation should simply be ignored.
I'd be pretty upset if I paid $400 (or some other crazy amount) for a router, and next year it will still be in perfect working condition, but yet unusable and non-upgradeable.
The biggest needs for these faster wireless speeds are for media players like the DSM-320 and DSM-520 from DLink. The 802.11g wireless is not fast enough for HD video streaming and the Draft-N promises to give enough bandwidth to solve the problem. I picked up two of the Netgear WNR854T devices for exactly this purpose. At $149 each at Newegg the are worth it even if I can never upgrade them to full 802.11n.