Wi-Fi Alliance’s EasyMesh Certification Standardizes Home Wireless Networks

[Julio Urquidi]

Focused on access points, Wi-Fi Certified EasyMesh is standards-based certification established by the Wi-Fi Alliance.

In other words, customers are able to use multiple certified access points from different vendors with the assurance that optimal wireless coverage and operation is achieved.

Certified vendor’s access points provide the same benefits consumers expect from autonomously operating mesh networks, including seamless roaming and self-healing Wi-Fi. As a result of providing interoperability between different vendors’ products, the certification assures consumers that security, protocols, management, setup and scalability are all functional if and when different certified APs are used. Lastly, consumers get the freedom to pick and choose which certified products they want to use at home without having to worry about compatibility.

For more information, visit the Wi-Fi EasyMesh page at the Wi-Fi Alliance website.

 

[Easy Rhino]

Wow if this technology can really interoperate well between vendors that would be huge.

somewhat longer writeup available here if you enter your contact info:
https://www.wi-fi.org/downloads-reg...TIFIED_EasyMesh_Technology_Overview.pdf/35424

Seems like it will require a controller to run on the network (usually on the main gateway).

 

[thiggins]

I read through all three documents available from the WFA website. My conclusion is this is not aimed at consumers. After all, how many mesh points does the average consumer need and what's the advantage of mixing nodes from different manufacturers?

The heart of EasyMesh is the draft Multi-AP spec, which is neither mesh-specific nor particularly focused on mesh.
https://www.wi-fi.org/file/multi-ap-draft-technical-specification

The real focus here is for service providers and enterprises to enable more flexibility in configuring and running large networks. The Multi-AP spec standardizes inter-AP control messaging for things like band steering, backhaul management, etc.

The controller doesn't have to be a separate physical box. It can be conbined with an AP, as is done in current consumer mesh products.

 

[steve23094]

Why don’t you change the title of the article then?

 

[thiggins]

As I would expect, the consumer mesh companies don't seem too excited about this.
https://www.fastcompany.com/40575864/the-wi-fi-industry-wants-to-bring-you-better-cheaper-gear-maybe