The IEEE 802.11 Working Group voted Fri. to establish the 1.0 dra...

step toward certification for 802.11n, the next generation of the Wi-Fi standard, which is capable of throughput rates well above 100 Mbps, allowing such advanced applications as multimedia networking. McFarland said he expects the first products based on the draft standard to hit store shelves midyear. “There were not any significant technical changes,” McFarland said. “There were editorial changes. There was the addition of explanatory text and there were the addition of a number of appendices… What the vote really represents is the belief that the draft is now complete -- both consistent and technically accurate. And it has all of the necessary things in it that are required to become an IEEE standard.” The draft needed 75% approval to move forward and won approval from 87% of industry representatives at the meeting, McFarland said. Over the next 40 days members will review the draft; proceeding toward IEEE ratification, expected next year, would require another favorable vote at a May meeting. McFarland said small changes to the draft are likely, but it seems “very stable and complete at this point.”