Wireless Hacks

Hack 4 802.11g: Like 802.11b, only Faster

Turbo charge your wireless network without leaving your 802.11b users in the cold.

At the time of this writing, the 802.11g specification has just been ratified by the IEEE. 802.11g uses the OFDM encoding of 802.11a in the 2.4 GHz band, and also falls back to DSSS to maintain backwards compatibility with 802.11b radios. This means that raw speeds of 54 Mbps (20 to 25 Mbps data) are achievable in the 2.4 GHz band, all while keeping backwards compatibility with existing 802.11b gear. This is a very promising technology—so promising, in fact, that the lack of ratification didn't stop some manufacturers from shipping gear that used the draft standard, even before it was ratified.

Pros

• Very high data rates of up to 54 Mbps.

• Backwards compatibility with the phenomenally popular 802.11b offers a simple upgrade path for existing users.

• 802.11g uses the same band as 802.11b, so existing antennas and feed lines can be reused.

Cons

• Slightly more expensive than 802.11b, but prices are expected to fall as more equipment ships.

• As it uses the 2.4 GHz ISM band, 802.11g will have to contend with many other devices, leading to more interference in crowded areas.

Recommendation

If you are building a network from scratch, strongly consider the benefits of 802.11g. It allows existing 802.11b users to continue to use the network, while providing a significant speed boost for 802.11g users. While it is a very new technology, reports from early adopters look very good. Apple has already decided to use 802.11g as its high speed standard in their new "AirPort Extreme" line of wireless gear. Note that the WECA hasn't referred to 802.11g as "Wi-Fi" yet, but just give them time.

802.11g will likely be a massively popular technology, as it promises many of the advantages of 802.11a without significantly raising cost or breaking backwards compatibility. My advice is to keep watching 802.11g and roll it out if you can afford it. Since it offers many advantages with relatively few drawbacks, I believe it is poised to become the next massively ubiquitous wireless technology.