Wi-Fi Chipmaker Atheros has launched a new family of 11n chips that incorporates some of the optional specs in the final 11n standard for enhanced performance. Unlike most chipsets in the market, the AR9300 family supports 3x3 MIMO technology for performance of up to 450Mbps data rates. 

Another feature supported by the 9300 would be the use of forward error control coding to improve signal quality, while Transmit Beamforming (TxBF) boosts signal reception. While I would expect 802.11abg products to be around for a while yet, the availability of high performance 802.11n products can only serve to accelerate the shift away from legacy wireless standards. As more enterprise wireless APs are sold with newer 11n chipsets, expect the tipping point to occur sooner rather than later.

For more on this story:
- check out this article at Network World

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