Q&A with HomeRF, Part 2
 
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This newsletter will complete the Q&A begun in the last newsletter with Wayne Caswell of Siemens ICM, HomeRF marketing manager, which attempts to offer some information about industry support for HomeRF. Text has been edited for clarity and brevity.
Wexler: How many chipmakers make HomeRF chips, and who are they?
Caswell: Proxim is the primary chip supplier, with manufacturing outsourced to LSI Logic and National Semiconductor. This has been a sore point for companies that are nervous about having a single source...but that's changing. Embedded Wireless Devices has introduced a DSP-based chipset that can handle HomeRF, Bluetooth or 802.11, depending on the software drivers. Also, a European HomeRF Working Group is being formed, and new members include Philips and Infineon Technologies.
Wexler: There is skepticism by some in the industry that HomeRF doesn't have the backing to succeed in light of the strong support of 802.11. (The more support, the more chips produced, the more products manufactured, the lower the prices, and so forth). How would you respond to that?
Caswell: HomeRF should not be compared to a WLAN designed for offices. HomeRF blends several technologies to extend beyond office WLAN solutions such as 802.11, since phone and entertainment devices can benefit from networks too. Only HomeRF supports up to eight toll-quality voice connections, eight prioritized streaming media sessions and multiple Internet and network resource connections at broadband speeds.
Wexler: Is there HomeRF certification testing (a counterpart to Wi-Fi)? If so, who conducts it and how many vendors have been certified?
Caswell: HomeRF has a certification testing program that gives vendors the right to use the HomeRF logo on their packaging. It's currently a self-test program. Only a few dozen products are currently certified. Our testing process is undergoing changes to handle the growing variety of products since the initial program wasn't designed to handle phones, set-tops, alarm clocks, and robots.
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Network World Wireless Newsletter, 04/04/01
"Wireless Tower of Babel," by Wayne Caswell
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Network World, 09/24/01
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Network World, 09/24/01
Getting back to business
Network World, 09/24/01
Joanie Wexler is an independent networking technology writer/editor in Campbell, Calif., who has spent most of her career analyzing trends and news in the computer networking industry. She welcomes your comments on the articles published in this newsletter, as well as your ideas for future article topics. Reach her at joanie@jwexler.com.
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