Introducing Wireless USB

Later this year you might be able to throw away your cables when (if) wireless USB hits the market.

The following products have already been approved by the USB Implementers Forum (USB-IF):

  • Dell Inspiron 1720 Laptop
  • D-Link DUB-1210 Wireless USB adapter
  • D-Link DUB-2240 4-port Wireless USB hub
  • IOGEAR Wireless USB Hub og Adapter
  • Lenovo T61/T61p Laptop

Some might argue we’re just getting yet another wireless standard, but wireless USB separates from standards like Bluetooth and WLAN due to much higher bandwidth. Wireless USB will provide the same speed as with cable (480Mb/s), and supports 127 simultaneously connected units.

Even though Belkin introduced this some time ago, this time they’re using a more universal operating frequency in the range 3.1GHz – 4.8GHz, not just the US approved range.

Wireless USB will automatically connect MP3 players, cameras, external drives, video cameras, network adapters, maybe even mobiles to your desktop or laptop.

D-Link DUB-1210 Wireless USB adapter

With a D-Link wireless USB kit (photo above) your PC can communicate with both your wireless and standard USB (cable) products.

The products are scheduled for August (US) and soon after for Europe and the rest of the world.

USB-IF-approved products guarantees a speed of 480 Mb per second in a radius of 3 meter and 110 Mb per second in a 10 meter radius. They will also be marked with a “Certified Wireless USB” logo (sticker).

Alereon, Intel, NEC, Realtek and WiQuest are all producing the necessary radio chips, so there’s good reason to believe we’ll see a wide range of products supporting this standard throughout this autumn/winter.

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