Simplified Wi-Fi specification naming with the new numbering scheme

By Malcolm Owen
Wednesday, October 03, 2018, at 06:52 (Eastern Time)

The Wi-Fi Alliance reorganizes the terms used to identify different types of Wi-Fi connections to simplify the naming system for the general public, with 802.11ac being retroactively renamed "Wi-Fi 5" and 802.11 new generation. Ax technology arrives next year in the form of "Wi-Fi 6", easier to understand.

The Wi-Fi Alliance considers that it is difficult to determine which are the latest technologies and the older technologies with which it can operate on the same network. Instead of relying on users to know which letter is the most recent suffix, the organization wants to number each generation of technology sequentially.

Rather than refer to 802.11ac or 802.11n, they will now also be referred to as Wi-Fi 5 and Wi-Fi 4 because of their respective generations, with older technologies also being referred to by their generation number. The system should also help consumers by advising them compatibility, as high-end devices support connectivity with less bulky hardware at older speeds.

Notably, the Wi-Fi Alliance goes back only from Wi-Fi 4 for the naming system, the 802.11b, a and g retaining their original designations.

"For nearly two decades, Wi-Fi users have had to sift through technical naming conventions to determine if their devices support the latest Wi-Fi," said the president and CEO of the alliance. , Edgar Figueroa. "The Wi-Fi Alliance is pleased to introduce Wi-Fi 6 and introduce a new naming scheme to help industry and Wi-Fi users easily understand the Wi-Fi generation being made. charge by their device or their connection. "

The Wi-Fi Alliance, which counts Apple among its members, wants the new naming method to be used from the introduction of Wi-Fi 6 in 2019, formerly known as 802.11ax. The organization also intends to introduce new visual aids incorporating the number, which could be used in manuals and on packaging to indicate generational compatibility.

In June, the alliance began certifying devices for WPA3, an update to the aging WPA2 security protocol that improves authentication and encryption measures.