1971
The Presentation
1973
Network Standard
1985
Open Use
1985
Token Ring LAN
1988
WaveLAN
1989
WaveLAN Submission
1990
Father of WiFi
1993
Public Hotspots
1993
WaveLAN Rollout
1994
Wireless Andrew
1996
Conflict Reduction
1997
802.11 Standard
1998
MobileStar Hotspots
1999
Wi-Fi Alliance
1999
Apple AirPort
1999
802.11b Standard
2000
802.11a Standard
2003
802.11g Standard
2003
Spectrum Increase
2003
Calypso C1250i
2004
802.11i Standard
2005
802.11e Standard
2005
100 Million Chipset
2009
802.11n Standard
2009
1 Billionth Chipset
2009
IEEE 802.16 Standard
2009
CSIRO Lawsuit
2010
1 Million Hotspots
2010
President's Spectrum Increase
2012
CSIRO Lawsuit 2
2014
802.11ac Standard
2014
First 802.11ac Router
2015
70 Million Hotspots
Conclusion
1971
The Presentation
The University of Hawaii p​rovides the first public demonstration of a wireless packet data network, ALOHAnet, operating on UHF (Ultra High Freque​ncy) radio waves. The system includes seven computers spread across four islands, which can communicate with the central computer on the Oahu Island without phone lines.
1973
Network Standard
Robert "Bob" Metcalfe of the Xerox Palo Alto Research Center in California writes a memo about his Ethernet network standard for interconnecting computers. The introduction of a standard rather than merely proprietary solutions starts the ball rolling for a similar wireless standard.
First mention of a network standard
1985
Open Network Use
Prompted by engineer Michael Marcus, the Federal Communications Commission (FCC), America's telecoms regulator opens the ISM (Industrial, Science, and Medicine) Band of the wireless spectrum for use in communications without a government licence. The released frequencies include: 900 MHz, 2.4GHz and 5.8GHz.
No government license is needed to use the 900 MHz, 2.4GHz and 5.8GHz frequencies.
1985
Token Ring LAN
IBM introduces Token Ring LAN, running at 4 Mbps.
Token Ring LAN Concept
1988
Release of WaveLAN
​CR Corporation and AT&T Corporation release WaveLAN, intended for use in cashier systems, proposing it as a wireless alternative to existing Ethernet and Token Ring systems. WaveLAN operates at 900MHz or 2.4 GHz, and offers speeds of 1 to 2 Mbps.
Wavelan Initial Release
1989
WaveLAN Submission
​NCR submits the WaveLAN design to the IEEE (​Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers)​ 802 LAN/MAN Standards Committee.
Wavelan Initial Release
1990
Father of WiFi
​The IEEE 802.11 Working Group for Wireless LANs is founded, under the Chairmanship of Vic Hayes, the “Father of Wi­Fi”.
Vic Hayes, Father of WiFi
1993
Public Hotspots
​Henrik Sjödin proposes the idea of public access Local Wireless Networks at the NetWorld+Interop conference in The Moscone Center in San Francisco. While he does not use the term “hotspot”, this is considered the first mention of the concept.
1993
WaveLAN rollout
​AT&T complete their first large­scale installation of WaveLAN: at Carnegie Mellon University. This is an important testing ground for large­scale deployment, as well as an important research partnership.
1994
Wireless Andrew
Funded by the National Science Foundation, Dr. Alex Hills of Carnegie Mellon begins to implement "Wireless Andrew" a wireless research initiative which originally provided coverage to 7 buildings on campus.
Carnegie Mellon University's Wireless Andrew
1996
Conflict Reduction
​Australia’s Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organization (CSIRO) patents a technique for reducing multipath interference of radio signals transmitted for computer networking. This technique, developed by John O'Sullivan, eventually finds its way into the 802.11a (and later) standards.
CSIRO's patent for reducing multipath interference of radio signals.
1997
802.11 Protocol
​The first version of the 802.11 protocol is released, providing up to 2 Mbps link speeds.
802.11 Protocol
1998
MobileStar Hotspots
​​MobileStar, a wireless Internet Service Provider, is founded by Mark Goode and Greg Jackson. Mark Goode coins the term “hotspot”, and MobileStar becomes the first company to provide Wi­Fi hotspots in airports, hotels, or coffee shops, signing contracts with American Airlines, Hilton Hotels, and Starbucks.
MobileStar Hotspots
1999
WiFi Alliance
​​The Wi­Fi Alliance, a nonprofit trade association working for universal compatibility and quality user experience, is formed. They hold the Wi­Fi trademark and certify products for interoperability.
WiFi Alliance
1999
Apple AirPort
​​Using technology from Lucent, Apple introduces a Wi­Fi slot in its new iBooks, calling it "AirPort." The iBook was the first consumer computer to have integrated Wi­Fi capability. Apple releases its AirPort Base Station for home Wi­Fi use at the same time.
1999
802.11b Protocol
​The 802.11b standard is approved, allowing 11 Mbps link speeds on the 2.4Ghz frequency.
802.11b Protocol
2000
802.11a Protocol
​The 802.11a standard is approved a month after 802.11b. It offers faster speeds than 802.11b (up​to 54 Mbps) and uses the 5Ghz frequency. B​ecause the necessary hardware is more expensive and the signal range is weaker, it begins to fall behind in popularity.
802.11a Protocol
2003
802.11g Protocol
​The 802.11g standard is released, combining the faster speeds and distance coverage of the earlier versions, offering up to 54 Mbps. Proprietary extensions to the standard applied to routers and adapters can allow speeds of up to 108 Mbps.
802.11g Protocol
2003
Spectrum Increase
​World Radio Conference allocates an additional 455 MHz of radio spectrum in the 5GHz area for wireless access devices.
Radio Spectrum
5GHz
+455MHz
2003
Calypso C1250i
​The Calypso Wireless C1250i phone is announced. It’s the first phone to allow both cell phone and Wi­Fi VoIP calls.
2004
802.11i Protocol
​Wi­Fi 802.11i is approved, specifying security mechanisms for wireless networks.
802.11i Protocol
2005
802.11e Protocol
​Wi­Fi 802.11e defines Quality of Service enhancements which become critical to the performance of Voice over Wireless LAN and multimedia streaming.
802.11e Protocol
2005
100 Million Chipsets
​Wi­Fi chipset shipments top 100 million annually.
100 Million Chipsets Anually
2009
802.11n protocol
​WiFi 802.11n is finalized, allowing both 2.4GHz and 5GHz radio bands to be used with simultaneous dual band routers, and reaching maximum speeds of 600 Mbps.
802.11n Protocol
2009
1 billionth Chipset
​The 1 billionth Wi­Fi chipset is sold.
1 Billionth Chipset Sold
2009
802.16 WiMax protocol
​The IEEE 802.16 standard for wireless broadband is approved. It is commercialized under the name WiMax.
802.16 (WiMax) Protocol
2009
CSIRO’S Lawsuit
​Australia’s Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organization (CSIRO) wins a $200 million settlement from major companies including Nintendo, HP and Microsoft, in a lawsuit based on its 1996 patent.
2010
1,000,000 Hotspots
​The number of Wi­Fi hotspots around the world reaches 1 million.
2010
Spectrum Increase 2
​P​resident Barack Obama, in response to the FCC’s proposed National Broadband Plan, signs a memorandum committing to freeing up 500 MHz of spectrum for the wireless industry.
Radio Spectrum
WiFi
+500MHz
2012
CSIRO’S Lawsuit 2
(CSIRO) receives a further $229 million settlement in its patent cases. It is estimated that total settlements of over $1 billion may be expected in coming years.
2014
802.11ac protocol
​The 802.11ac standard is approved, offering potential speeds of 1733 Mbps in the 5GHz band.
802.11ac protocol
2014
802.11ac Router
​D-­Link releases the first portable 802.11ac router.
D-Link's first 802.11ac router
2015
70,000,000 Hotspots
​It is estimated that there are nearly 70 million Wi­Fi hotspots worldwide.
Conclusion
​From the very first trickles of data to the rapids of Big Data we’re surfing today, Wi­Fi has been a powerful force in the free flow of information around the world. The IEEE 802.11 Working Group is still going strong, continually uncovering better, faster, more reliable and more inspiring ways to bring us Wi­Fi. It continues to mold the ways we work, learn, play, and interpret the world around us.