What You Didn't Know About Wireless iPod Touch WiFi Standards

In 1999, the Wi-Fi Alliance was formed by key industry leaders as a non-profit organization to promote and support a single worldwide standard for implementing reliable and compatible high-speed wireless local area networks. This was based on the original 802.11 standard developed in 1997 by the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE). The progressive enhancement and extension of the standard was also marked with a letter following the 802.11 name to designate each change. These enhancements were all designed to increase the data throughput and range of wireless networks in support of market demands for untethered Internet connectivity.

The proliferation of wireless standards makes it difficult for consumers to make informed decisions about which device to purchase for fear of technical obsoleteness. The advantage of a single standard such as Wi-Fi, means consumers would benefit as wireless devices would be interoperable and compatible with standard wireless networks.

To Wi-Fi or not to WiFi?

Historically, Wi-Fi and not WiFi (WiFi was also historically known as Wireless Fidelity) only referred to the 802.11a networking standard. Wi-Fi is also known as a collection of any of the following established standards; 802.11a, 802.11b, 802.11g, and 802.11n. Most wireless networks are implemented using a wireless access point (AP) which may include router functions to connect multiple wireless devices. Access points can be setup to use any one of the 802.11a, 802.11b, 802.11g, or 802.11n protocols depending on the purpose for the wireless network.

The iPod Touch is a Wi-Fi compatible device but what most owners don't realise is that it is currently only compatible with the 802.11b and 802.11g wireless protocols. So if a wireless network has been set up with the 802.11a or 802.11n protocols, the iPod Touch (2nd generation) will not be able to connect to the wireless network.

Key Features of the 802.11b Standard

The IEEE approved the 802.11b standard in July 1999. It uses a technology called direct sequence spread spectrum to operate up to 11 Mbps (mega bits per second) in the 2.4-GHz unlicensed radio spectrum and has a useful range of about 100 feet.

Key Features of the 802.11g Standard

The IEEE approved the 802.11g standard in June 2003. It operates up to 54 Mbps in the 2.4-GHz unlicensed radio spectrum and provides greater throughput up to 200 feet compared to the 802.11b standard. 802.11g is also fully backward compatible with the 802.11b standard at lower data rates under 11Mbps. So if you have the choice, always use the 802.11g standard with your wireless network as it offers faster connectivity for your iPod Touch.

With the 802.11g standard, a wireless network can be deployed in many different ways. Most public access points are setup to offer connectivity to the widest possible range of users and typically use 802.11b. This explains why some of the "free wireless Internet" hot spots are slow.

The 802.11 standards can also use different radio frequencies. The 2.4-GHz band is used with the 802.11b and 802.11g standard because it offers twice the range and four times the coverage area than that with the 5-GHz alternative. However, there is more overcrowding and interference with the 2.4-GHz radio band which can cause the the wireless signal to degrade and make a wireless network less reliable. This is a common problem around the home where microwave ovens and other 2.4-GHz devices such as wireless TV extenders are used.

The Key Features of the 802.11n Draft Standard

The IEEE approved the 802.11n draft standard in March 2006. It operates up to 600 Mbps (mega bits per second) in the 2.4-GHz unlicensed radio spectrum and provides greater throughput up to 300 feet compared to the 802.11b or 802.11g standard. Three separate technologies are used to achieve the greater level of performance including MIMO (Multiple-In, Multiple-Out) data transfers. It is also fully backward compatible with the 802.11a, 802.11b, and 802.11g standards at lower data rates. This draft standard has become a widely accepted "defacto" standard with key wireless product manufacturers who want to address the market demand for high speed wireless Internet.

Wireless iPod Touch Wi-Fi 3rd Generation?

There have been recent reports on the web that the 3rd generation of the iPod Touch may offer combined 802.11a/b/g/n based Wi-Fi that supports both the 2.4-GHz and 5-GHz radio bands. While this would be a great improvement for interoperability, it means that Apple may also need to upgrade the central processor in the iPod Touch as well to take full advantage of improved Wi-Fi data throughput. The increase in the data throughput would allow online movies to be viewed without pauses and jitter. It means that you would also need to buy a new iPod Touch if such hardware improvements were to be introduce. For gadget lovers who want more from their mobile devices, this type of technology will create more value as commercial and free wireless access points become faster, more prevalent, and accessible.