Wireless Technologies In The Home – The Invisible Cable Plant Sandy Teger and David J. Waks System Dynamics Inc.

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

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

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

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

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?

Spectrum: 2.4 GHz Most consumer products use 2.4 GHz –Shared by b 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

Spectrum: 5 GHz Why not use a/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

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 a home networks.” –Microsoft FAQs

Speed: n 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”

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

Security: i and WPA™ Original WEP (Wired Equivalent Privacy) –Easy to crack, confusing to set up –Most consumer networks operate open IEEE i 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

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

QoS: e and WMM™ QoS needed for audio, voice, video Original Wi-Fi ® didn’t have QoS IEEE e 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 e draft –Widely accepted by e members –Added to Wi-Fi certification in September 2004 –Already included in some products

WMM™ for Video Source: Wi-Fi Alliance

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

UWB: a 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 –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

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

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