MIMO Configurations in Wi-Fi Chipsets
PurchaseIEEE 802.11ac has been and will be continue to be critical in shifting Wi-Fi from single-band to dual-band chipsets and devices since 802.11ac only works in the 5 GHz space. It will succeed where dual-band 802.11n (and 802.11a) has failed. MIMO will be a critical aspect of Wi-Fi continued advancement. Where cost has ruled in the past, mobile operators, device vendors, and other service and product companies are finally considering the benefits. Devices will take a modest shift to MIMO overall, led by 2X2 MIMO in smartphones and tablets, 3X3 MIMO in Chromebooks, and 2X2 to 4X4 MIMO in set-top boxes, televisions, and other consumer electronics devices. This early shift occurred in portable PCs using 802.11n first, and will ramp up with 802.11ac with MIMO.