Does 802.11n Spell the End for Ethernet?

Filed in archive Wireless on September 14, 2007

With the production of routers capable of using the new faster 802.11n protocol mean that in office settings we will no longer need to connect to the local network tethered to a wire ethernet system?

According to Network World under the article title of "Does 802.11n spell the 'end of Ethernet?" this is a rather provocative question. Many IT departments would frown on such a proposition as they would see wired connections to be faster and more secure.

However, in the Network World article it does quote experts who say that it is quite likely that soon we will see office networks going to wi-fi way. For one, wi-fi enables workers to be rather more flexible as to where they work, where they can take their laptop within the building, even going to meeting rooms without having to be tethered to a wire.

Additionally, we all are getting so used to being untethered and have ubiquitous wi-fi that the demand for doing so will increase and IT departments will be bound to provide their "clients" with wi-fi throughout the office. Certainly the new 802.11n is fast enough for most needs and I consider that it is entirely likely that wi-fi will be the main method of connectivity within an office very soon.