IEEE Publishes 802.11ak™-2018 Standard Amendment Enabling WiFi® Transit Links in Bridged Networks

IEEE Publishes 802.11ak™-2018 Standard Amendment Enabling WiFi® Transit Links in Bridged Networks

Amendment meets demand for bridging IEEE 802.11 media to the same level as IEEE 802.3 Ethernet by providing internal connections as transit links within IEEE 802.1Q bridged networks.

PISCATAWAY, NJ, 17 July 2018 – IEEE, the world’s largest technical professional organization dedicated to advancing technology for humanity, and the IEEE Standards Association (IEEE SA), today announced the publication of the IEEE 802.11ak™-2018—Standard for Telecommunications and information exchange between systems—Local and metropolitan area networks—Wireless LAN Medium Access Control (MAC) and Physical Layer (PHY) Specifications—Enhancements For Transit Links Within Bridged Networks. IEEE 802.11ak provides protocols, procedures, and managed objects that enhance the ability of IEEE 802.11 media to provide internal connections as transit links within IEEE 802.1Q bridged networks, and wireless connectivity for fixed, portable, and moving stations within a local area.

“The publication of IEEE 802.11ak-2018 meets a growing demand to simplify the expansion and functionality of mixed IEEE 802.11 wireless and IEEE 802 networks in the home and within industrial network applications,” said Donald Eastlake, chair of 802.11ak Task Group. “IEEE 802.11ak-2018 also supports more compact data encoding and streamlines deployment of Groupcast with Retries (GCR).”

A growing number of new products, including home entertainment systems and industrial control equipment, have both an IEEE 802.11 wireless station capability and a wired IEEE 802.3 Ethernet capability. With secure and updated links operating in the gigabit per second range, IEEE 802.11ak will satisfy the demand to provide the same bridging services as Ethernet, both internal to the network and at the network edge.

IEEE 802.11ak-2018 is available for purchase at the IEEE Standards Store.

IEEE 802.11 defines the technology for the world’s premier WLAN products. IEEE 802.11-based products are often branded as “Wi-Fi®” in the market. IEEE 802.11 standards underpin wireless networking applications around the world, such as wireless access to the Internet from offices, homes, airports, hotels, restaurants, trains and aircraft. IEEE 802.11’s relevance continues to expand with the emergence of new applications, such as the smart grid, wireless docking and the “Internet of Things.” For more information about the IEEE 802.11 Wireless LAN Working Group, please visit the working group’s landing page.

To learn more about IEEE SA or about any of its many market-driven initiatives, visit us on Facebook, follow us on Twitter, connect with us on LinkedIn, or on the Beyond Standards Blog.

About the IEEE Standards Association

IEEE Standards Association (IEEE SA) is a collaborative organization where innovators raise the world’s standards for technology. IEEE SA provides a globally open, consensus-building environment and platform that empowers people to work together in the development of leading-edge, market-relevant technology standards, and industry solutions shaping a better, safer and sustainable world. For more information, visit https://standards-qa21.ieee.org.

About IEEE

IEEE is the world’s largest technical professional organization dedicated to advancing technology for the benefit of humanity. Through its highly cited publications, conferences, technology standards, and professional and educational activities, IEEE is the trusted voice in a wide variety of areas ranging from aerospace systems, computers, and telecommunications to biomedical engineering, electric power, and consumer electronics. Learn more at https://www.ieee.org.

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