RFM announces next generation of ultra low-power, battery-powered Wi-Fi modules

DALLAS, USA: RF Monolithics Inc. continues to innovate and improve its M2M portfolio of wireless communications products with the release of the 11Mb/s version of the company’s popular battery-powered Wi-Fi module – the WSN802G.

The WSN802G is a 2.4 GHz IEEE 802.11g radio transceiver module that enables OEMs to build low-power wireless local area networking (WLAN) and sensor monitoring solutions for the global market.

Featuring GainSpan’s GS1011 System on Chip (SoC), the new WSN802G Revision F delivers even more features for leveraging existing Wi-Fi infrastructure, that include: upgraded enterprise-level security, new Ad Hoc network support, and Master/Slave SPI ports delivered in a low-power 802.11b/g RF module transceiver than can run for years on batteries.

“The 11Mb/s version of the WSN802G module offers more than just more speed. Medical applications, among others, will benefit from the enterprise security, while Wireless Sensor Network (WSN) applications can make use of the SPI port functionality to directly interface the module to sensors or low-cost microprocessors,” said Tim Cutler, Director of M2M products for RFM. “The Ad Hoc mode simplifies commissioning for residential and commercial deployments as well as providing a secure point-to-point capability.”

The higher 11Mb/s data rate provides the ability to send even more sensor or application data than the former version WSN802G while still maintaining years of battery life. Equally important is the Enterprise level security that comes along with the higher data rate.

The upgraded WSN802G module now offers 802.1x with RADIUS support and WPA2-Enterprise security, and it complies with the security protocol created by the Wi-Fi Alliance and the IEEE 802.11i standard to secure wireless computer networks. As a result, the WSN802G offers users the same high level of enterprise security that they get with their computer network.

The Ad Hoc mode provides point-to-point operation as well as another means to securely configure devices. The SPI port allows a wide array of sensors to be connected to the module without a co-processor and also allows lower cost processors to be used when one is needed.