802-11n to overtake wired Ethernet

Burton Group has released a report comparing 802.11n with Gigabit Ethernet and predicts 802.11n wireless technology will start eroding the wired Ethernet market within the next 24 to 36 months.

In the report, senior analyst Paul DeBeasi says that 802.11n marks the beginning of a rapid market shift away from Lan access deployments using traditional wired Ethernet. "802.11n will put pervasive mobility on the fast track," says DeBeasi, "so IT professionals should start thinking now about how they will deploy, maintain and benefit from an all-wireless Lan."

Although switch trunks and datacenter networks will need wired Ethernet for many years to come, refinements in system silicon, radio design, network control, wireless security, and power management and upcoming certification will make 802.11n the preferred and dominant Lan access technology in the future.