IT managers voice doubt on speed, PoE for 802.11n hardware

Computerworld has an interesting story describing IT managers’ doubts about the 802.11n Wi-Fi hardware. In a panel discussion at Interop, the corporate tech guys describe installations that fail to deliver the promised throughput and discuss doubts on the new hardware’s ability to deliver Power over Ethernet (PoE).

One manager also noted that his enterprise would need a dedicated 802.11n network for 802.11n laptops because any 802.11b/g-equipped laptop or device lowers the speed to the slower technology. And users accustomed to wired Ethernet speeds have been disappointed with 802.11b, one manager said.

There was also significant doubt over PoE for access points, which several panelists said it will not work because some APs have several radios that require more power. One analyst characterized vendor claims of PoE on 802.11n hardware as “lies, damn lies and even more lies.” Wonder how he really feels?