NextComm 7010 Wireless LAN Reference Design Receives ``Wi-Fi'' Certification from the Wireless Ethernet Compatibility Alliance.Business Editors, Technology Writers BELLEVUE, Wash.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--June 18, 2002 Company's 802.11b MAC Chip Has Unique Security Features NextComm, Inc., a provider of intelligent wireless chipsets announced today that its NC7010 based reference design has received Wi-Fi certification from the Wireless Ethernet The standard for wireless networking within a home or office. Also known as a "Wi-Fi" or "802.11" network, wireless Ethernet is the wireless counterpart to regular, wired Ethernet, which is also the standard for local networks. See 802.11 and wireless LAN. Compatibility Alliance (WECA See Wi-Fi Alliance. ) and will be delivering product with an enhanced security feature known as Key Hopping(TM). "This is an important milestone for NextComm. The Wi-Fi certification process is essential to the continued growth of the 802.11 market, and it will allow our Wireless LAN A local area network that transmits over the air typically in the 2.4 GHz or 5 GHz unlicensed frequency band. It does not require line of sight between sender and receiver. Wireless base stations (access points) are wired to an Ethernet network and transmit a radio frequency over an area (WLAN See wireless LAN. WLAN - wireless local area network ) chipset customers to compete favorably with guaranteed interoperability," said NextComm CEO (1) (Chief Executive Officer) The highest individual in command of an organization. Typically the president of the company, the CEO reports to the Chairman of the Board. Jerry Wang. NC7010 is an 802.11b MAC chip. Each IEEE (Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers, New York, www.ieee.org) A membership organization that includes engineers, scientists and students in electronics and allied fields. 802.11 WLAN node has a MAC (Media Access Control) function. The MAC controls the flow of data packets across a WLAN system between the end user's network card, access points, and other users on the network. Well-designed MAC chips can substantially reduce cost throughout the manufacturing chain and improve overall network performance. "We take a system level design approach to wireless ICs," said Wang. "As a result, our customers see a two-fold benefit from our reference designs: lower cost and increased functionality." ENHANCED SECURITY: KEY HOPPING NextComm's reference design lowers cost as a result of its innovative MAC architecture with many external components eliminated. This reduces design complexity and increases ease of manufacturing when compared to other WLAN reference designs. The company has implemented a number of features, including Key Hopping enhanced security, that "embrace and extend" the current 802.11b standard. Key Hopping, invented by NextComm, improves significantly on existing 802.11b security algorithms. It dramatically reduces the threat of hacker attacks over WLANs by utilizing advanced key management techniques and the widely used MD5 and RC4 algorithms. "Current security implementations in WLANs can be cracked in as little as 15 minutes," said Wang. "With Key Hopping, it would take years for a hacker to crack the system. For our customers, this feature is an important product differentiator," said Wang. Recent research reports have noted that Q1 enterprise WLAN equipment sales were down close to 12 percent, while SOHO/Home WLAN equipment sales grew over 18 percent during that time. Overall, the SOHO/Home segment represented nearly 57 percent of all WLAN sales. While the enterprise may have the budget for additional hardware required by other WLAN security technologies, SOHO/Home users simply do not. But security is still important to these markets. "Key Hopping is the ideal choice for SOHO/Home Wireless LAN installations -- it's just as secure as the more expensive security technologies large enterprises depend on, but at no additional cost. Certainly, Key Hopping will co-exist with and enhance other security solutions in the corporate world, but this technology is really a big win for the future SOHO Soho (sōhō`, sə–), district of Westminster, London, England, known for its continental restaurants. Once a fashionable quarter, it became popular among writers and artists in the 19th cent. installations of 802.11b," said Wang. IEEE 802.11 is the only WLAN standard available today that provides wireless access at Ethernet speeds. Further, declining costs are now making Wi-Fi systems more affordable for SOHO/Home users in addition to corporate users. Only the Wi-Fi logo can ensure a user's WLAN device can traverse these different environments and be compatible wherever they go. "NextComm is a member of WECA and we're pleased that our current reference design has passed the organization's strict interoperability tests," Wang said. "Using our chipset gives our customers a high degree of confidence that their end products will also rapidly pass WECA interoperability testing and earn the coveted cov·et v. cov·et·ed, cov·et·ing, cov·ets v.tr. 1. To feel blameworthy desire for (that which is another's). See Synonyms at envy. 2. To wish for longingly. See Synonyms at desire. Wi-Fi logo seal of approval." Products awarded the Wi-Fi logo have undergone strict, rigorous and independent testing at the Silicon Valley Networking Lab. About NextComm NextComm has world-class expertise in the design of radio-frequency (RF) systems, CMOS ICs CMOS IC Complementary Metal Oxide Semiconductor Integrated Circuit , Digital Signal Processors A digital signal processor (DSP) is a specialized microprocessor designed specifically for digital signal processing, generally in real-time computing. Characteristics of typical Digital Signal Processors
About the Wireless Ethernet Compatibility Alliance The Wireless Ethernet Compatibility Alliance (WECA) is a nonprofit organization Nonprofit Organization An association that is given tax-free status. Donations to a non-profit organization are often tax deductible as well. Notes: Examples of non-profit organizations are charities, hospitals and schools. formed in 1999 to certify interoperability of Wi-Fi (IEEE 802.11b) and to promote it as the global, wireless LAN standard across all market segments. WECA has instituted a test suite that defines how member products are tested to certify that they are interoperable with other Wi-Fi-certified products. These tests are conducted at an independent laboratory. Membership in WECA is open to all companies that support the Wi-Fi and Wi-Fi5 standards. WECA now comprises over 140 members that offer over 300 Wi-Fi-certified products from the world's leading companies. For more information about WECA, please visit www.wi-fi.org. |
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