The Wi-Fi Alliance announced that over 1,000 products from over 120 manufacturers have received certification since testing began in March 2000. Recent test data released by the Wi-Fi Alliance indicates that wireless LAN interoperability and performance continue to be an issue for products without Wi-Fi certification.
"The overwhelming majority of WLAN products in the world are Wi-Fi CERTIFIED and for good reason. In fact, it is becoming increasingly difficult to compete globally without Wi-Fi certification," said Wi-Fi Alliance Managing Director, Frank Hanzlik. "Based on testing of more than 1,000 products over several IEEE (Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers) 802.11 standards, products that are prepared for Wi-Fi certification testing fail 25-30% of the time or more depending on the technology being tested. Products that do not go through the rigorous testing preparation process have an even higher failure rate. Without Wi-Fi certification, these product failures would have been experienced by the technology consumer."
The Wi-Fi Alliance currently performs four independent interoperability certifications including IEEE 802.11a, 802.11b, 802.11g and Wi-Fi Protected Access in addition to a combination of all of these technologies. A searchable database of Wi-Fi Alliance certifications can be found at their web site.
Products awarded the Wi-Fi CERTIFIED logo have undergone rigorous independent testing at one of four labs in Tokyo, Japan; San Jose, California; Winnersh, UK; or Taipei, Taiwan. The Wi-Fi interoperability certification program has become the international standard for providing high-quality interoperability testing for IEEE 802.11-based products.
