By most accounts, Wireless Local Area Network (WLAN, Wi-fi) first began in 1971 when
a wireless computer network was implemented (dubbed the AlohaNet) at the University of
Hawaii. In 1990 AT&T, developed WaveLAN, a Direct Sequence Spread-Spectrum (DSSS)
that exhibited superior interference immunity. After many versions of designs using discrete
components, in 1996, Harris (now Intersil) introduced their PRISM WLAN chipset. Needing
a standard to guarantee interoperability, in 1997, the Institute for Electrical and Electronics
Engineers published the first specification for IEEE 802.11 - 2.4 GHz, 2 Mbps, using
Frequency Hopping (FH) and DSSS. In 1998, the ETSI HomeRF standard was developed for
2.4 GHz, 1.6 Mbps, Wideband Frequency Hopping. 1999 saw the publication of the IEEE 802.11b
standard - 2.4 GHz, 11 Mbps, DSSS. With the unlicensed 2.4 GHz ISM band being crowded
with existing WLAN, Bluetooth, ZigBee and microwave ovens, and with a need for higher
data rates, in 1999 the IEEE released its 802.11a standard, which moved up into the 5
GHz ISM band, and provided 54 Mbps, OFDM data. In 2000, the ETSI HiperLAN2 emerged -
5 GHz, 54 Mbps, OFDM, connection-oriented QoS. Alas, the difficulty with mass-producing
high yielding, inexpensive systems at 5 GHz forced, combined with revolutionary modulation
methods, drove the IEEE in 2003 to provide a new high data rate "g" spec for operation
back in the 2.4 GHz band, but offering the same data rate as the "a" spec 802.11g - 2.4
GHz, 54 Mbps, OFDM, compatible with 802.11b. Now, 802.11n is in the works for 2.4 GHz
operation yielding greater than 100 MHz data rates.
WLAN Spectral Masks (802.11a/b/g)
AirDefense | 877-220-8301
| Alpharetta, GA Provides protection for all protocols (802.11 a/b/g and Bluetooth),
and enterprises and their mobile users. As a key element of wireless LAN security, AirDefense
complements wireless VPNs, encryption and authentication.
ANADIGICS
| 908-791-6000 | Warren, NJ WiMAX 802.16 power amplifiers, WLAN 802.11 front-end integrated
circuits, WLAN 802.11 power amplifiers.
Anritsu
| 1-800-Anritsu (1-800-267-4878) | Allen, TX
Attenuators & terminations; coaxial cables, connectors & adapters; o-scopes;
power meters & sensors; signal generators; antenna, signal, spectrum, &
vector network analyzers (VNAs); calibration kits; Bluetooth & WLAN testers;
PIM testers; amplifiers; power dividers; antennas.
Berkeley Varitronics Systems
| 732-548-3737 | Metuchen, NJ Specializing in CDMA, WISP and WLAN solutions as well
as CW and TDMA used for drive-studies, antenna alignment, wardriving, survey sweeping,
indoor & outdoor walk-about RF studies.
Broadcom Corp
| 949-926-5000 | Irvine, CA Manufacturer of semiconductors for wired and wireless
communications including Bluetooth, cable, cellular, consumer electronics, data/telecom
networks, DSL, enterprise networking, mobile multimedia, satellite, voice over IP (VoIP),
and wireless LAN.
Cisco Systems
| 800-553-6387 | San Jose, CA Mobile wireless, wireless integrated switches and routers,
wireless IP telephony, LAN Access, LAN controllers, network management, security servers.
CWNP Program |
770-433-9339 | Smyrna, GA CWNP is the industry standard for vendor neutral, enterprise
wireless LAN certifications, offering four levels of enterprise WLAN certification, from
novice to expert. Our focus is to educate IT professionals in the technology behind all
enterprise WLAN products, enabling the ability for these professionals to enter an enterprise
and manage its wireless LAN infrastructure regardless of the vendor solution utilized.
everything RF
| 312-436-0084 Find RF & microwave components, equipment and services - 216,401
products from over 1143 manufacturers listed in 275 categories. Download hundreds of
vendor white papers. Test equipment amplifiers, antennas, attenuators, bias-Ts, &
terminations, RF connectors & adapters, RF filters, power combiners, couplers, &
dividers, RF switches, waveguide, Bluetooth & RFID.
Meetinghouse
| 603-430-7710 | Portsmouth, NH 802.1X and WPA solutions from Meetinghouse help organizations
secure their wired and wireless LANs with interoperable Layer 2 standards-based software.
Orban Microwave (OMP)
| 915-590-0825 | El Paso, TX Frequency converters, power amplifiers, low noise amplifiers,
local oscillators, patch antennas, parabolic antennas & antenna arrays for WLAN,
GPS, cellular, point to point, satellite and other applications.
Parsec Technologies
| 972-804-4600 | Plano, TX Amplifier chips for various wireless and mobile antenna
markets. HDTV, M2M, LTE, GPS, WiFi, CATV / broadband, VHF / UHF, digital audio broadcast
(DAB), macro cell & small cell, cognitive radio, software defined radio (SDR), &
TV whitespace.
Proxim Corp |
800-229-1630 | Sunnyvale, CA Wireless networking equipment for Wi-Fi & broadband
wireless networks, provides enterprise & service provider customers with wireless
solutions for the mobile enterprise, security and surveillance, last mile access, voice
and data backhaul, public hot spots, and metropolitan area networks.
RF & Connector Technology
+82 505 274 0002 | Suwon, Kyounggi ,Korea Coaxial connector, cable assembly &
RF passive components
Sagrad | 800-779-7139
| West Melbourne, FL Wireless audio, 802.11, IC design, WiFi modules, prototype builds,
engineering services. Sagrad is actively seeking contracts with the U.S. government and
employs only US citizens.
Seeed
Technology Studios | China, USA Systems and components for a wide range
of electronic projects commonly undertaken by the Maker community of experimenters and
inventors. RF functional modules (GPS, WiFi, Bluetooth, ZigBee, NFC), sensors (V, I,
T, strain), robotic components, etc.
Skyworks Solutions
| 781-376-3000 | Woburn, MA RF amplifiers, attenuators, circulators, demodulators,
detectors, diodes, directional couplers, FEMs, RF subsystems, isolators, mixers, modulators,
optoisolators, phase shifters, PLLs-synthesizers-VCOs, & more.
Ubiquiti Networks
| 408-942-3085 | Milpitas, CA Broadband wireless solutions for WISP, WiFi, WLAN, and
other applications in the 900 MHz and 2.4/5 GHz ISM bands. Base stations, PC cards, embedded
systems (plug-in cards), AirView™ spectrum analyzers, Bullet™ antenna-mounted
transponders.
VisiWave |
269-806-9056 | Kalamazoo, MI Specializing in wireless networking and Internet applications
including the VisiWave Site Survey product - lets you visualize the radio waves and demonstrate
the effectiveness of your coverage.
Wireless LAN Shop
| Germany WLAN products.
Wireless Projects
| +353 1 878 3377 | Ireland At Wireless Projects our goal is to bring wireless technologies
to the residential and business user. Whether you already have a WLAN installed or are
considering installing one, Wireless Projects will help you get the best out of your
wireless investment.
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