Wi-Fi AllianceÂ

Certification System Demonstration - October 2020

Wed, 21 Oct 2020 17:23:30 GMT

Language English

202010_Certifcation_System_Demonstration.pdf

What’s new in Wi-Fi® security?

Thu, 15 Oct 2020 13:47:40 GMT

Continual evolution, greater transparency, and WPA3™ support for Wi-Fi CERTIFIED™ devices ensures Wi-Fi delivers state-of-the-art security protections.

Wi-Fi Alliance^® has made Wi-Fi^® security a priority since it was founded in 2000. Security is never stagnant – the technology landscape is always evolving, and Wi-Fi Alliance continually updates Wi-Fi security to ensure any threats are addressed in its standards.

WPA3™ is the latest version of Wi-Fi security for both personal and enterprise networks. WPA3 delivers a suite of features to simplify Wi-Fi security, as well as enhanced network security protections. All Wi-Fi CERTIFIED™ devices now require WPA3 and will have the latest security to protect users—one more reason to choose Wi-Fi CERTIFIED devices. Additionally, Wi-Fi CERTIFIED Vantage™ now includes WPA3 in its technology portfolio, ensuring managed network environments support state-of-the-art security.

Here is a quick look at the new capabilities WPA3 brought to Wi-Fi security.

What’s new in WPA3 security?

WPA3-Enterprise: 192-bit cryptographic strength for networks transmitting sensitive data

Enterprise Wi-Fi networks—especially in industries such as government and finance—often require additional security requirements that go beyond what is needed for personal networks. WPA3 offers an optional 192-bit security mode for these environments.

The 192-bit security mode provides an added level of protection by specifying the configuration of each cryptographic component, ensuring that the overall security of the network is consistent. By design, WPA3-Enterprise 192-bit security mode does not allow a Wi-Fi network to be configured below the defined, high level of security. A Wi-Fi network in 192-bit security mode requires all client devices to operate in the same 192-bit security mode.

WPA3-Personal: stronger password protection for users

WPA3 offers enhanced security to protect network passwords in personal networks. With WPA3, it is not possible to perform what is known as an “offline dictionary attack.” In this form of attack, an unauthorized third party attempts to determine the network password by trying possible passwords without further network interaction.

For users, this means that their Wi-Fi passwords are well protected from attacks even if they choose passwords that fall short of typical complexity recommendations.

WPA3 personal: data protection even if a password is later compromised

WPA3 networks include perfect forward secrecy. With this protection, even if an adversary successfully guesses the correct network password, they cannot observe a user’s earlier interactions on the network, determine the session keys for that interaction, or decrypt wireless traffic from other users on the network.

What’s new in open networks?

Wi-Fi CERTIFIED protects your data in public

Wi-Fi users access networks everywhere: at home, in the office, at the airport, in a café. Many of these public, or open, networks do not include the same type of network security as personal or enterprise networks.

Wi-Fi CERTIFIED Passpoint^® is a popular security option for public or guest networks that includes WPA3-Enterprise security. With Passpoint^® users seamlessly authenticate their device on the network or connect through credentials provisioned by a service provider. Upon subsequent visits to the same network, the Passpoint-enabled client device will automatically connect and provide a secure connection to a Wi-Fi network.

While Wi-Fi Alliance highly recommends users access secure, authenticated networks whenever possible, there are situations where it is not feasible or reasons why certain networks – such as coffee shops, airport lounges, or small businesses – choose not to deploy Passpoint or WPA3 networks.

In these open networks, Wi-Fi Enhanced Open™ is a solution that delivers improved protections, preserving the convenience of open networks, while allowing users to enjoy the additional security of having their traffic encrypted.

Wi-Fi Alliance delivers the latest in security

Next generation connectivity requires robust tools and practices to protect users. Wi-Fi Alliance continually updates its protocols to address the rapidly changing security landscape, and choosing Wi-Fi CERTIFIED products ensures that both Wi-Fi users and network providers have the most advanced protections. Recently, Wi-Fi Alliance has also taken steps to include the broader Wi-Fi industry and security researchers in early security standard development to help ensure Wi-Fi security addresses any existing threats.

These actions ensure the Wi-Fi Protected Access^® family of technologies continues to meet greatest security demands. Broad adoption of Wi-Fi CERTIFIED products helps promote security best practices by ensuring devices include standards-based mechanisms, consistent security protocols, and mechanisms that are easy to use and deploy to better protect user data.

The Beacon Feature on home page Advanced Connectivity Era Enterprise Operators Passpoint Security Wi-Fi Enhanced Open Wi-Fi Vantage

Q4 2020 Update - October 2020

Wed, 14 Oct 2020 19:32:13 GMT

Language English

202010_Q4_2020_Update.pdf

Other

Wi-Fi Spectrum in Europe: What’s Next for 6 GHz?

Wed, 14 Oct 2020 13:07:02 GMT

Wi-Fi Spectrum in Europe: What’s Next for 6 GHz?

October 22, 2020

Europe is on a quest to become a gigabit society, and there is strong momentum behind opening the 5925-6425 MHz (lower-6 GHz) band for Wi-Fi® use to support anticipated gigabit connectivity use cases. The growing connectivity needs, coupled with emphasis on Wi-Fi’s critical role in providing connectivity during the COVID-19 pandemic – supporting essential activities such as remote work, healthcare, and education – puts even more pressure on European regulators to expand spectrum access to support growing demand for Wi-Fi to enable unlicensed access in the 6 GHz band.

We invite you to join Wi-Fi Alliance® in a special roundtable event, in partnership with SenzaFili, as we welcome Andreas Geiss, Head of Unit for Radio Spectrum Policy at the European Commission, to discuss the state of regulating Wi-Fi spectrum in Europe, with participation from Broadcom, LANCOM, and Wi-Fi Alliance.

Thursday, October 22 | 9:00 - 10:00 AM PT

CWG-RF Test Plan v2.1.1

Thu, 08 Oct 2020 19:48:23 GMT

Language English

Test_Plan_v211.pdf

Test plan

Task Group Status Report (October 2020)

Thu, 08 Oct 2020 13:41:27 GMT

Language English

Wi-Fi Alliance - Task Group Status Report October 2020.pdf

Other

Wi-Fi fetes victory in court’s 6 GHz ruling

Wed, 07 Oct 2020 15:12:48 GMT

[node:title]Fierce WirelessOctober 02, 2020Unlicensed Spectrum

Court Denies Emergency Stay of FCC 6 GHz Order

Wed, 07 Oct 2020 15:11:11 GMT

[node:title]Next TVOctober 01, 2020Unlicensed Spectrum

Wi-Fi Alliance Overview

Tue, 06 Oct 2020 19:38:39 GMT

Language English

Wi-Fi_Alliance_Overview_202010.pptx

Other

Wi-Fi Vantage certification adds support for managed wireless advancements

Tue, 06 Oct 2020 14:26:43 GMT

[node:title]Computer WeeklySeptember 30, 2020Operators Passpoint Wi-Fi Agile Multiband Wi-Fi Optimized Connectivity Wi-Fi Vantage

Board Meeting Minutes - 23 July 2020

Tue, 06 Oct 2020 14:19:40 GMT

Language English

WFABoD_2020Jul23_MeetingMins.pdf

Other

Board Meeting Minutes - 18 June 2020

Tue, 06 Oct 2020 14:18:38 GMT

Language English

WFABoD_2020Jun18_MeetingMins.pdf

Other

Board Meeting Minutes - 15 June 2020

Tue, 06 Oct 2020 14:17:45 GMT

Language English

WFABoD_2020Jun15_MeetingMins.pdf

Other

Wi-Fi Vantage adds Wi-Fi 6 support for ‘elevated’ user experience

Tue, 06 Oct 2020 14:03:32 GMT

[node:title]RCR WirelessSeptember 29, 2020Feature on home page Operators Passpoint Wi-Fi CERTIFIED 6 Wi-Fi Agile Multiband Wi-Fi Optimized Connectivity Wi-Fi Vantage

Customer Experience MRD

Wed, 30 Sep 2020 14:56:51 GMT

Language English

Customer Experience MRD v1.0.pdf

MRD

802.11ai Fast Initial Link Setup

Thu, 24 Sep 2020 13:34:03 GMT

7SIGNALSeptember 24, 2020http://go.7signal.com/80211ai-fast-initial-link-setup-whitepaper Wi-Fi Optimized Connectivity Wi-Fi Vantage

Wi-Fi CERTIFIED Optimized Connectivity™ improves mobility with fast discovery

Thu, 24 Sep 2020 11:59:07 GMT

This post is part of a series highlighting key technologies in Wi-Fi CERTIFIED Vantage™ – a Wi-Fi Alliance^® solution making it easy for devices to provide an elevated experience in managed Wi-Fi^® networks.

Wi-Fi CERTIFIED Optimized Connectivity™ is one of these key technologies, optimizing device discovery of Wi-Fi and roaming between access points in the same or different Wi-Fi networks.

Wi-Fi CERTIFIED Optimized Connectivity™—a key piece of the Wi-Fi CERTIFIED Vantage™ program—enables users to experience quality connections throughout their roaming experience. Wi-Fi Optimized Connectivity™ extends the benefits of Wi-Fi CERTIFIED Agile Multiband™, another component of Wi-Fi CERTIFIED Vantage, to include features that optimize the process of discovering Wi-Fi networks, establishing initial connectivity, and roaming between different access points (APs) in the same or different Wi-Fi networks, as well as between Wi-Fi and cellular networks.

In busy environments such as train stations, dense urban centers, stadiums, shopping centers, entertainment venues, and hotels, Wi-Fi Optimized Connectivity features result in an improved user experience and allow network operators to maintain a high level of service.

Wi-Fi Optimized Connectivity provides more efficient spectrum management in congested environments

With its discovery enhancements, Wi-Fi Optimized Connectivity networks can prioritize which channels a device scans during the discovery process and can assist devices to more rapidly discover APs. Client devices can also associate, quickly pre-authenticate, and configure to send and receive packets within 100 milliseconds of entering the coverage area of a Wi-Fi AP that is certified for Wi-Fi Optimized Connectivity.

The user experiences a shorter network discovery and connection setup time for almost instant network access, and reduced airtime overhead. By reducing the management frame overhead, Wi-Fi Optimized Connectivity networks and client devices are able to provide more efficient connectivity sessions, as the client device has to spend less time sending or responding to network management traffic, and can spend more time moving user data.

Wi-Fi Optimized Connectivity improves roaming and network transitions within a single Wi-Fi network, as well as between different Wi-Fi networks by requiring APs to advertise metrics from which client devices can derive a link quality score for each AP and network. Wi-Fi Optimized Connectivity devices are also able to transition efficiently between Wi-Fi and cellular networks with Fast Initial Link Setup (FILS) authentication and fast transitions for almost seamless connectivity even in crowded environments, such as train stations, stadiums, and airports.

Use case: A crowded train station

One of Wi-Fi Optimized Connectivity’s key benefits is efficient transmissions, which is made possible by reducing management traffic. Wi-Fi Optimized Connectivity networks are especially useful in densely packed environments where multiple client devices are trying to access the network simultaneously.

Such congestion might occur in a crowded train station in Tokyo during the daily morning commute. In this scenario, thousands of device users arrive at the train station simultaneously. As they exit the train, many may attempt to call a family member or coworker, others may be streaming video, and still others may be using a variety of applications on their phones, tablets, or laptop computers.

As these commuters arrive at the train station, their devices automatically attempt to transition either from a pre-existing Wi-Fi network connection on the train itself or a cellular network, to the train station’s public Wi-Fi network. In a scenario where neither the network nor client devices are certified for Wi-Fi Optimized Connectivity the user may experience severe disruptions in their existing connections—for instance, dropped calls, intermittent or slow video streaming, and increased latency when accessing other applications. Such poor performance is due to inefficient management of available spectrum.

A CableLabs field trial tested just such a scenario, comparing Wi-Fi Optimized Connectivity devices with non-certified devices in a busy urban environment centered around a highly-trafficked subway station. Using Wi-Fi Optimized Connectivity features, the field trial results showed streamlined network discovery through the reduction in airtime traffic and overhead. A few of the highlights include a 76 percent decrease in connection setup times and a 50 percent savings in management frame airtime.

Wi-Fi CERTIFIED Optimized Connectivity devices

Among the devices that now proudly bear the distinction of the Wi-Fi CERTIFIED Optimized Connectivity certification are smartphones, access points (APs), and tablets. For instance, both Samsung and Ruckus have certified their respective flagship range of products for Wi-Fi CERTIFIED Optimized Connectivity. Among the Wi-Fi Alliance^® members that have Wi-Fi CERTIFIED Optimized Connectivity devices are Broadcom, Intel, MaxLinear Inc., NXP Semiconductors, and Qualcomm, while hundreds of devices have been certified and the number continues to grow.

Samsung Galaxy S10 and S20 Series

Samsung's flagship range of smartphones, including the Galaxy S10 series and the Galaxy S20 series both feature Wi-Fi Optimized Connectivity. These phones promise to adapt to their surroundings, have a longer battery life, run more efficiently, and provide peak performance throughout the day. Wi-Fi CERTIFIED Optimized Connectivity helps ensure these smartphones quickly and efficiently connect to Wi-Fi when in range of network infrastructure devices.

Samsung Galaxy S10

Ruckus SmartZone Outdoor APs

Ruckus' enterprise-grade SmartZone range of outdoor APs also include Wi-Fi CERTIFIED Optimized Connectivity to ensure that mobile device users in outdoor locations such as stadiums and arenas can have a seamless connectivity experience despite the demanding wireless requirements due to high client density.

T750 Outdoor AP

Broadcom Wi-Fi 6E and Bluetooth 5 Combo Chipset with 6GHz/160MHz support

This Broadcom chipset, the BCM4389, is a low-power, highly integrated Wi-Fi 6E and Bluetooth 5 combo chip. The device is optimized for use in smartphones where high performance and low power consumption are key.

Broadcom BCM4389

Intel® Dual Band Wireless-AC 8265 Adapter

The Intel® Dual Band Wireless-AC 8265 adapter has passed the rigorous testing requirements of the Wi-Fi CERTIFIED Optimized Connectivity certification, ensuring users can efficiently connect to APs and network devices to provide a seamless connectivity experience. The adapter also provides up to 3x increase in user speeds in dense deployments, supporting fast downloads and a long battery life.

Intel Dual Band Wireless-AC 8265 Adapter

M. Consuelo Ortiz Feature on home page Operators Wi-Fi Agile Multiband Wi-Fi Optimized Connectivity Wi-Fi Vantage