Wi-Fi Alliance

Last Updated on : 2024-06-20 07:57:46download

The Wi-Fi Alliance is a non-profitable organization that promotes Wi-Fi technology and certifies whether the Wi-Fi products can meet the interoperability standards. The Wi-Fi Alliance created the term Wi-Fi and owns the Wi-Fi and related trademarks. Manufacturers can use the trademark for certified products that have been tested for interoperability.

Context

Wi-Fi certification is an internationally recognized product certification, indicating that it has reached industry-recognized standards for interoperability, security, and a series of specific application protocols. Wi-Fi certified products have passed rigorous testing by independent authorized testing laboratories. When the product passes the test, the manufacturer or supplier is granted the right to use the Wi-Fi certification mark. The product manufacturer must be a member of the Wi-Fi Alliance, which is a prerequisite for certification testing of its products and the use of Wi-Fi certification marks and related trademarks. Since 2000, Wi-Fi Alliance members have certified more than 35,000 products.

The Wi-Fi Alliance is the owner of the Wi-Fi certification project, protects the policies and requirements of the project, and distributes finalized interoperability letters and certificates to its members after certification approval. The Wi-Fi Alliance reviews the test results of the certification testing laboratory and has the final authority to approve Wi-Fi certified products according to the certification plan. The Wi-Fi Alliance also manages certification testing laboratories worldwide.

Membership level

The membership levels of the Wi-Fi Alliance are mainly divided into three types:

  • Sponsor
  • Contributor
  • Implementer

Sponsors are the core members of the highest level, the latter two levels can receive new members. The main difference is that the Wi-Fi products of the implementer members only use the certified Wi-Fi module solution, they can certify the products but can not test, and cannot participate in the alliance’s marketing and technical group. For the new members of the small companies, a 2-year preferential membership level is set up.

Wi-Fi Alliance

Currently, there are more than 750 member companies of the Wi-Fi Alliance. For more information, visit the Wi-Fi Alliance.

The Wi-Fi Alliance owns the following Wi-Fi series trademarks.

Wi-Fi Alliance

Wi-Fi Alliance authentication method

Prototype certification (ASD prototype certification)

For special application equipment, the classic certification test is usually not performed, but the interoperability certification guarantee is still required.

Wi-Fi Alliance

Derived certification

There are methods for derived certification in the Wi-Fi Alliance certification. The way in which derivative products are certified based on the source product is called derived certification. Pay attention to 2 points below.

  • A Wi-Fi terminal can only be derived as a Wi-Fi terminal (such as a router).
  • The source certification of the Wi-Fi radio frequency module can be derived from the Wi-Fi radio frequency module, or it can be derived as a fully embedded terminal in the radio frequency module.

Derived certification must meet the following 3 requirements:

  • Derived certification can only be used base on the source certification, not derived certification
  • The Wi-Fi function of the derivative product should be the same as the source product
  • Members should provide the necessary technical information of the derivative products and/or source certification to verify the eligibility of derivative product certification

The difference in membership level between Wi-Fi terminal products and Wi-Fi RF modules for derived certification.

Derived certification Wi-Fi module derived certification
  • $ 600/model, the amount which more than 16 models
  • $ 100/model (the products with same sourcing code), which is not suitable to Implementer membership
  • $ 600/model, the amount which more than 16 models
  • $ 100/model, the products with same sourcing code
  • $ 4,000/model, the implementer membership

Re-certification

The tested device has passed Wi-Fi certification before. Due to software or hardware changes, re-certification is required

Wi-Fi certification test fee

  • Certified new products: $ 5,000 (excluding laboratory testing fees)
  • Certify the derivative products based on the company’s certified products: $ 600
  • Certification using derivative products that have passed the certification module or system: $ 600 ($ 4,000 for implementer members)

Certification process

Wi-Fi Alliance

The items that must be passed in the Wi-Fi certification test are the interoperability of the MAC/PHY layer of 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac (one or more of them) and the WPA2 security test, after July 2020, the product must support WPA3. Other optional items can be found at Wi-Fi Alliance.

Certification period

  • Basic certification: 2~3 weeks; the number of samples: 2 complete one.
  • The overall performance test is based on the selected test program, the full test period is about 5 weeks, the number of samples: 4 complete

Wi-Fi Authorized Testing Laboratory (ATL)

Until the end of 2017, there were 20 Wi-Fi Authorized Testing Laboratories (ATL) (including multiple laboratories under the same group), of which 6 are located on mainland China:

  • Shanghai Tongyao Communication Technology Co., Ltd.
  • Dekai Quality Certification (Shanghai) Co., Ltd. Baoan Branch
  • National Radio Monitoring Center Testing Center
  • South Branch of China Academy of Information and Communications Technology (Shenzhen Academy of Information and Communications Technology)
  • Tail Laboratory of China Academy of Information and Communications Technology
  • Allion Digital Testing (Shenzhen) Co., Ltd.