{"id":697,"date":"2013-01-18T11:00:29","date_gmt":"2013-01-18T16:00:29","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/blog.nccomputertech.com\/?p=697"},"modified":"2013-01-18T11:00:29","modified_gmt":"2013-01-18T16:00:29","slug":"fcc-adds-spectrum-to-wi-fi-but-you-likely-need-a-new-router-to-use-it","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/nccomputertech.com\/techtalk\/2013\/01\/18\/fcc-adds-spectrum-to-wi-fi-but-you-likely-need-a-new-router-to-use-it\/","title":{"rendered":"FCC adds spectrum to Wi-Fi\u2014but you likely need a new router to use it"},"content":{"rendered":"<p style=\"text-align:center;\"><a href=\"http:\/\/arstechnica.com\/information-technology\/2013\/01\/fcc-adds-spectrum-to-wi-fi-but-you-likely-need-a-new-router-to-use-it\/\"><img decoding=\"async\" alt=\"\" src=\"http:\/\/nccomputertech.files.wordpress.com\/2013\/01\/router.jpg\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p>The Federal Communications Commission last week said it will add 195MHz of spectrum to Wi-Fi&#8217;s 5GHz band. This move is designed to relieve congestion in Wi-Fi networks, particularly in areas of widespread simultaneous usage like airports and sports stadiums. It could help your home network too, but not right away\u2014routers available in stores today may not be able to use the new spectrum at all.<br \/>\nFinding out definitively whether today&#8217;s routers will support the new spectrum is difficult, partly because the FCC still has to issue specific rules governing its use. We&#8217;ve hit up router vendors and other industry people to find out whether software updates might let current routers access the new spectrum. While the results were a bit muddled, it seems safe to say no one is guaranteeing today&#8217;s routers will get the benefit of the new 195MHz. Even the latest routers supporting the ultra-modern 802.11ac standard may be left behind.<br \/>\nCisco refused to comment at all, telling us only &#8220;Cisco has not made any announcements about this so cannot discuss at this time.&#8221; Our inquiries to Netgear and Buffalo haven&#8217;t resulted in any information, either. The most detailed response we got from a router vendor was from D-Link, whose associate VP of Product Development Will Brown provided us with this statement:<br \/>\nAfter discussion with our current chip vendors, we understand that the industry is lobbying to move this licensed spectrum to unlicensed spectrum. In order to take advantage of this spectrum, the chip vendors are reporting that updated chipsets will be required if approved. Our product development philosophy is to provide our customers with the best value. Regardless, if we can achieve this additional feature by a firmware [update] we would commit to providing it as long as it doesn&#8217;t have detrimental effects on the devices&#8217; current features and performance.<br \/>\nAs this new feature (spectrum) is released there are a number of go-to-market items that we are evaluating including competitive requirements, cost of implementation, education to our customers, and standards compliance.<br \/>\nGiven that D-Link says it may ultimately come down to chip vendors, we checked with Broadcom, Marvell, and Qualcomm Atheros to see what they have to say. So far, we&#8217;ve received a response from Qualcomm, which said &#8220;It is true that none of the existing routers can take advantage of the potential additional channels the FCC is planning to un-license. The reason for that is current dual-band routers and chipsets that are in them are designed to support already unlicensed spectrum. The new proposed 5GHz channels are in the higher 5GHz band so that new chips support to support this will be required.&#8221;<br \/>\nWhile current Qualcomm chips don&#8217;t support the additional (or newly &#8220;unlicensed&#8221;) spectrum, a revised version of the chips that will support it is in the works. &#8220;Qualcomm Atheros 11ac Wi-Fi products are designed to support these new additional channels of the 5GHz spectrum and will be ready when the FCC&#8217;s rulemaking process will be kicked off,&#8221; the company said.<br \/>\nBroadcom has weighed in a little more optimistically, saying &#8220;There is a possibility that our existing 11ac solutions could take advantage of the new spectrum. To determine this we need to wait for the FCC to release their detailed technical rules for operation at these new frequencies. We expect this to happen towards the end of February at which point we will have more clarity on the question.&#8221;<br \/>\nvia <a href=\"http:\/\/arstechnica.com\/information-technology\/2013\/01\/fcc-adds-spectrum-to-wi-fi-but-you-likely-need-a-new-router-to-use-it\/\" target=\"_blank\">FCC adds spectrum to Wi-Fi\u2014but you likely need a new router to use it | Ars Technica<\/a>.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>The Federal Communications Commission last week said it will add 195MHz of spectrum to Wi-Fi&#8217;s 5GHz band. This move is [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"site-sidebar-layout":"default","site-content-layout":"","ast-site-content-layout":"default","site-content-style":"default","site-sidebar-style":"default","ast-global-header-display":"","ast-banner-title-visibility":"","ast-main-header-display":"","ast-hfb-above-header-display":"","ast-hfb-below-header-display":"","ast-hfb-mobile-header-display":"","site-post-title":"","ast-breadcrumbs-content":"","ast-featured-img":"","footer-sml-layout":"","ast-disable-related-posts":"","theme-transparent-header-meta":"","adv-header-id-meta":"","stick-header-meta":"","header-above-stick-meta":"","header-main-stick-meta":"","header-below-stick-meta":"","astra-migrate-meta-layouts":"default","ast-page-background-enabled":"default","ast-page-background-meta":{"desktop":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-4)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"tablet":{"background-color":"","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"mobile":{"background-color":"","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""}},"ast-content-background-meta":{"desktop":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-5)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"tablet":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-5)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"mobile":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-5)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""}},"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_feature_clip_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":false,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","default_image_id":0,"font":"","enabled":false},"version":2},"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false},"categories":[3,6,10],"tags":[356,1014,1204],"class_list":["post-697","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-hardware","category-networking","category-technology","tag-fcc","tag-spectrum","tag-wi-fi"],"jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/papNkV-bf","jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":5909,"url":"https:\/\/nccomputertech.com\/techtalk\/2014\/07\/08\/whats-next-for-wi-fi-a-second-wave-of-802-11ac-devices-and-then-802-11ax\/","url_meta":{"origin":697,"position":0},"title":"What\u2019s next for Wi-Fi? A second wave of 802.11ac devices, and then: 802.11ax","author":"NCCT","date":"July 8, 2014","format":false,"excerpt":"Now that blazing-fast routers based on the IEEE 802.11ac standard are finally entering the mainstream, intrepid engineers are busily cooking up all-new hardware that will make that gear\u2019s performance seem quaint by comparison. That\u2019s not to say 802.11ac is about to fall by the wayside\u2014after all, the IEEE didn\u2019t officially\u2026","rel":"","context":"In &quot;Technology&quot;","block_context":{"text":"Technology","link":"https:\/\/nccomputertech.com\/techtalk\/category\/technology\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":6135,"url":"https:\/\/nccomputertech.com\/techtalk\/2014\/08\/06\/sprintt-mobile-plan-to-buy-spectrum-together-may-be-blocked-by-fcc\/","url_meta":{"origin":697,"position":1},"title":"Sprint\/T-Mobile plan to buy spectrum together may be blocked by FCC","author":"NCCT","date":"August 6, 2014","format":false,"excerpt":"A proposal from FCC Chairman Tom Wheeler would block an attempt by Sprint and T-Mobile US to buy spectrum together in the incentive auction that will transfer airwaves from broadcast TV stations to cellular carriers next year. Further Reading FCC chairman regrets that AT&T and Verizon control the best spectrum\u2026","rel":"","context":"In &quot;Networking&quot;","block_context":{"text":"Networking","link":"https:\/\/nccomputertech.com\/techtalk\/category\/networking\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/nccomputertech.com\/techtalk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/08\/2014_coverage_map2-300x150.png?resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":8789,"url":"https:\/\/nccomputertech.com\/techtalk\/2015\/12\/21\/critical-wps-vulnerability-discovered-in-bell-canada-home-hub-routers\/","url_meta":{"origin":697,"position":2},"title":"Critical WPS vulnerability discovered in Bell Canada Home Hub routers","author":"NCCT","date":"December 21, 2015","format":false,"excerpt":"By Boyd Chan | Neowin In recent years, Wi-Fi has gained attention mainly due to the increased speeds afforded by the 802.11n and 802.11ac specifications. This has seen a flurry of new hardware hit the market enticing owners of older 802.11a\/b\/g hardware to upgrade to the latest and greatest kit.\u2026","rel":"","context":"In &quot;Security&quot;","block_context":{"text":"Security","link":"https:\/\/nccomputertech.com\/techtalk\/category\/security\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":7070,"url":"https:\/\/nccomputertech.com\/techtalk\/2014\/12\/11\/comcast-slapped-with-class-action-lawsuit-for-turning-customers-routers-into-public-hotspots\/","url_meta":{"origin":697,"position":3},"title":"Comcast slapped with class-action lawsuit for turning customers&#8217; routers into public hotspots","author":"NCCT","date":"December 11, 2014","format":false,"excerpt":"Comcast\u2019s controversial decision to transform its customers\u2019 wireless routers into public Wi-Fi hotspots has, predictably, landed the company in even more hot water. A pair of disgruntled customers recently filed a class-action lawsuit against the cable, television and Internet provider in San Francisco. Toyer Grear and Joycelyn Harris claim Comcast\u2026","rel":"","context":"In &quot;Networking&quot;","block_context":{"text":"Networking","link":"https:\/\/nccomputertech.com\/techtalk\/category\/networking\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":5681,"url":"https:\/\/nccomputertech.com\/techtalk\/2014\/06\/03\/meet-cupid-the-heartbleed-attack-that-spawns-evil-wi-fi-networks\/","url_meta":{"origin":697,"position":4},"title":"Meet \u201cCupid,\u201d the Heartbleed attack that spawns \u201cevil\u201d Wi-Fi networks","author":"NCCT","date":"June 3, 2014","format":false,"excerpt":"Enlarge \/ A packet capture showing Cupid attacking a wireless network. SysValue \u00a0 \u00a0 It just got easier to exploit the catastrophic Heartbleed vulnerability against wireless networks and the devices that connect to them thanks to the release last week of open source code that streamlines the process of plucking\u2026","rel":"","context":"In &quot;Networking&quot;","block_context":{"text":"Networking","link":"https:\/\/nccomputertech.com\/techtalk\/category\/networking\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/cdn.arstechnica.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/06\/heartbleed_cupid_img1-640x356.png?resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/cdn.arstechnica.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/06\/heartbleed_cupid_img1-640x356.png?resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/cdn.arstechnica.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/06\/heartbleed_cupid_img1-640x356.png?resize=525%2C300 1.5x"},"classes":[]},{"id":5864,"url":"https:\/\/nccomputertech.com\/techtalk\/2014\/07\/01\/some-surface-pro-3-users-complain-of-wi-fi-woes-after-first-day-firmware-update\/","url_meta":{"origin":697,"position":5},"title":"Some Surface Pro 3 users complain of Wi-Fi woes after first-day firmware update","author":"NCCT","date":"July 1, 2014","format":false,"excerpt":"\u00a0 Ten days after launch, Microsoft is still trying to squash the bugs in its Surface Pro 3 tablet. As Ed Bott at ZDNet reports, some users have been complaining of connectivity problems over 802.11ac Wi-Fi networks. Complaints have also popped up on Microsoft's support forums, with users noting slower\u2026","rel":"","context":"In &quot;Hardware&quot;","block_context":{"text":"Hardware","link":"https:\/\/nccomputertech.com\/techtalk\/category\/hardware\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]}],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/nccomputertech.com\/techtalk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/697","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/nccomputertech.com\/techtalk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/nccomputertech.com\/techtalk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/nccomputertech.com\/techtalk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/nccomputertech.com\/techtalk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=697"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/nccomputertech.com\/techtalk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/697\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/nccomputertech.com\/techtalk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=697"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/nccomputertech.com\/techtalk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=697"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/nccomputertech.com\/techtalk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=697"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}