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Wireless Technologies In The Home – The Invisible Cable Plant

Wireless Technologies In The Home – The Invisible Cable Plant. Sandy Teger and David J. Waks System Dynamics Inc. dave@system-dynamics.com . Many Wireless Opportunities. To the home. Public places: Hotels Airports Restaurants. In the home. Outside. In the Home. Technologies

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Wireless Technologies In The Home – The Invisible Cable Plant

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  1. Wireless Technologies In The Home – The Invisible Cable Plant Sandy Teger and David J. WaksSystem Dynamics Inc.dave@system-dynamics.com

  2. Many Wireless Opportunities To the home • Public places: • Hotels • Airports • Restaurants In the home Outside

  3. In the Home • Technologies • Wi-Fi®: IEEE 802.11x • UWB: IEEE 802.15.3a • Issues • Applications: data, voice, video • Useful range • Speed • Security • Robustness – QoS, reliability

  4. Current Wi-Fi® Status • Three “flavors” of Wi-Fi • 802.11b: 11 Mbps in 2.4 GHz • 802.11a: 54 Mbps in 5 GHz • 802.11g: 54 Mbps in 2.4 GHz • Effective maximum speed: ~20 Mbps • Range: comparatively limited at maximum speed, improving • Security improving – WPA™ and WPA2™ • QoS improving - WMM™ • Wi-Fi certification will become even more important • Product complexity is rising • More chip sets and MAC implementations increase probability of interoperability failure • Cost pressures will impact product quality • Different brands increase interoperability challenge

  5. New Developments • Focus on 100+ Mbps throughput – many contending technologies including existing wiring and wireless (802.11n, UWB) • Move to “whole home” networking • Video becoming part of the mix  higher speed & QoS • HDTV and flat screens taking off; new “entertainment PCs” emerging  better use of spectrum • Digital Living Network Alliance (DLNA, formerly DHWG) developing interoperability standards for integrated networks

  6. Networked Entertainment Issues • Requirements • Support all media – audio, video, data • Audio and video need QoS • HD video needs high bandwidth • Premium digital content needs DRM • What media formats supported? • Who supplies what to end user?

  7. Spectrum: 2.4 GHz • Most consumer products use 2.4 GHz • Shared by 802.11b and 11g • Interference from microwaves, portable phones, and neighbors • Most products default to channel 6 • One of three non-overlapping channels • Most products default to maximum transmit power • Maximize potential for interference with neighbors

  8. Spectrum: 5 GHz • Why not use 802.11a/5GHz? • 12 non-overlapping channels now, 23 soon • BOM cost differential less than $5 • Vendors getting high margins on SME products • Microsoft promoting 11a for Media Center 2005 • Use Media Center Extender to carry video from MC PC to large-screen TV

  9. Microsoft Supports 11.a for Video • “How do I connect my Media Center Extender to my Media Center PC?” • “There are two main ways—via an Ethernet wired or a wireless connection. The wireless connection works best on 802.11a home networks.” • Microsoft FAQs

  10. Speed: 802.11n • Next generation of Wi-Fi® • 100 Mbps throughput at MAC_SAP layer • 4x-5x faster than 11a and 11g • Protocol improvements • MIMO antennas • Multiple Input/Multiple Output • Projected completion: March 2007 • “Pre-11n turbo mode” products appearing • Wi-Fi Alliance discourages reference to “pre-11n”

  11. Range • All wireless systems trade range for speed • Multiple modulation schemes (like DOCSIS) • “Loss budget” depends on distance and obstacles • Most consumer products operate at much lower transmit power than allowed by FCC • Range is improving • New chips enable higher power and better receiver sensitivity at consumer pricing

  12. Security: 802.11i and WPA™ • Original WEP (Wired Equivalent Privacy) • Easy to crack, confusing to set up • Most consumer networks operate open • IEEE 802.11i is new standard for security • Took more than 4 years, published July 2004 • Two encryption mechanisms • WPA (Wi-Fi Protected Access™) • Simpler encryption mechanism • Added to Wi-Fi certification in 2003 • In most current products • Download for many earlier WEP products

  13. Security: WPA2™ • WPA2 (Wi-Fi Protected Access version 2™) • More complex encryption – CPU intensive • Generally requires newest chips • Added to Wi-Fi® certification in September 2004 • Already included in many products • Consumer and Enterprise versions • Different authentication methods • Consumer: user-selected “secret” text string • Enterprise: server-based 802.1x/RADIUS • Products can include both

  14. QoS: 802.11e and WMM™ • QoS needed for audio, voice, video • Original Wi-Fi® didn’t have QoS • IEEE 802.11e is new QoS standard • Still in process after more than 4 years • Both “prioritized” and “guaranteed” QoS • WMM (Wi-Fi Multimedia) • Prioritized QoS subset of 802.11e draft • Widely accepted by 802.11e members • Added to Wi-Fi certification in September 2004 • Already included in some products

  15. WMM™ for Video Source: Wi-Fi Alliance

  16. QoS: HCCA • Hybrid Coordination Function Controlled Channel Access • Guaranteed QoS subset of 802.11e draft • Probably needed for HD video • Ongoing debate in 802.11e “dominated by PC guys” • Planned for 2005 if standard completed

  17. UWB: 802.15.3a and W-USB • Ultra wideband is coming • FCC approved underlying approach • Chips and products coming to market in 2005 • Standards are uncertain (competing camps) • Complements 802.11 • Short range technology – 10 meters, single room • Wireless USB is most likely initial application • Replaces wired USB, 480 Mbps goal • Intel, TI and others behind it • Wireless 1394 is possible follow-on • Replaces existing A/V wiring

  18. Concluding Thoughts • 100 Mbps is coming soon • 802.11n, UWB, HomePlug AV, etc. • Need a heterogeneous home network • Wireless is not a complete “whole home” solution, except maybe in MDUs • End-to-end QoS is a major challenge • Service providers want it • All QoS efforts appear to be in silos • DLNA is most likely place for resolution

  19. This Home Network of the Future…Is Now Video/Audio Source Gateway / Router Multimedia Server Ethernet; Cat5 Cable and/or Home Plug Internet DSL or Cable Game Console UWB HD/SD Tuners, DVD, DVR, Etc. Desktop PC or MAC 11g+11e 2.4 GHz 11a+11e 5 GHz High Definition Display VoWLAN Handset / PDA Computer Standard Definition Display Printer Computer Source: Bermai

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