LAS VEGAS--Your laptop might already have dual-band Wi-Fi, but how about Tri-band for a change?
Qualcomm and Wilocity today announced at
CES 2013 the first Tri-band reference design that combines Wireless-N (802.11n), 802.11ac Wi-Fi, and 802.11ad (also known as WiGig) in one single networking product.
The new chip is based on the Qualcomm VIVE 802.11ac Wi-Fi chip, which was launched just a few days ago, and Wilocity 802.11ad WiGig wireless technologies. It's the first chip with tri-band Wi-Fi, meaning it offers wireless networking signals in all three existing bands of the Wi-Fi standard -- 2.4GHz, the 5GHz, and 60GHz -- as well as Gigabit Ethernet.
This is a very significant development for the 60GHz 802.11ad standard, which offers up to 7Gbps wireless speed at the expense of range, which is much shorter compared with the other two. By combining it into the Wi-Fi family, end-user can have the benefit of the faster speed without having to get a separate router, or pick and choose.
The Dell Ultrabook and the first Tri-band Wi-Fi/WiGig add-in card it has on the inside for Wilocity CES 2013 demos.
(Credit:
Wilocity)
In short, the Tri-band reference design allows consumers to connect to 60GHz-enabled devices, such as docks, displays and storage at multi-gigabit speeds, while maintaining connection with 2.4GHz/5GHz Wi-Fi.
Recently the Wi-Fi Alliance and the WiGigi Alliance also announced their merger, signalling the fast adoption of the 60Ghz 802.11ad standard in the coming years.
According to Qualcomm, the latest generation tri-band wireless networking card takes advantage of the new Qualcomm VIVE 802.11ac combined with the recently ratified 802.11ad standard that enables multi-gigabit networking, data syncing, and video and audio streaming, while maintaining its wireless bus extension docking capabilities. The latest generation tri-band wireless networking card will be available in two options: the QCA9006NFC next-generation form factor (NGFF) and the QCA9006WBD half-mini card (HMC) specification.
Wilocity demoed the first commercially available product that use the new Tri-band, which is the new Latitude 6430u Ultrabook. This laptop can connection to any Wi-Fi networks (both 802.11ac and 802.11n) as well as to other 802.11ad devices for muti-gigiabit wireless connection. The demo involved the laptop being connected to its wireless 802.11ad docking station, which then adds more connector to the laptop. The two can maintain a multi-gigabit wireless connection from wtihin some 10 meet of each other.
Currently, there are not any Tri-band access point/routers on the market yet and the only use of the 60Ghz band is to connect two device in a pair. Once an access point/router is available, which is sometime this year, multiple 802.11ad devices can connect to one another, just like the way they do with regular Wi-Fi standards.
Qualcomm and Wilocity roll Wi-Fi and WiGig into one chip and demo first Tri-band consumer products
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Qualcomm and Wilocity roll Wi-Fi and WiGig into one chip and demo first Tri-band consumer products
