Stronger Security, Streaming Media Standards Coming
Illustration: Joe ZeffWhile WPA implementation stumbles along, a newer version of the technology is already on the way. It's called WPA2, and its main selling point is stronger encryption using the Advanced Encryption Standard, which the federal government requires for handling its sensitive information. WPA2's use of AES will appeal to companies with ultrastrict security requirements. But for most firms, the current WPA's respected RC4 encryption should be good enough.
WPA2 is the Wi-Fi Alliance's marketing name for the IEEE's 802.11i wireless security standard, which was scheduled for ratification in June. The original WPA was a response to the huge demand for better Wi-Fi security than the easily crackable WEP (Wired Equivalent Privacy) encryption of the first Wi-Fi products. Certification for WPA2 products, which require an additional co-processor that many WPA products don't have, is due to commence in September.
The same two-step rollout will apply to the 802.11e standard for quality of service (QoS), which aims to help multimedia data move smoothly through the network so that streaming audio and video don't skip or stutter. Wi-Fi-enabled cell phones and streaming multimedia players are among the likely users of the technology.
The first part of 802.11e, called Wireless Multimedia Extensions, allows Wi-Fi equipment to recognize priority tags placed on data packets. Programs that create the data can attach high-priority labels to it. Few applications currently can do this, but RealNetworks says that it will add the capability shortly after the specification is ratified, and Microsoft says that it's looking into doing the same thing. (Apple Computer declined to comment.) The Wi-Fi Alliance also expects to begin WME certification testing in September; and WME-certified products, such as media receivers, should start to appear before the end of the year.
The full 802.11e specification will support WME but will also include alternative QoS technology called Wireless Scheduled Multimedia. The IEEE expects to finalize the standard by year's end, with the first 802.11e products anticipated in 2005.
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