The WiLink™ 8 family enables easy and rapid development with certified TI modules and complete software solution support.

TI Korea (CEO Kent Chon, www.ti.com/ww/kr ) November 11, 2014 – TI (CEO Kent Chon) announced the launch of a new WiLink™ 8 Combo Connectivity Module family supporting Wi-Fi in both 2.4GHz and 5GHz bands, enabling customers to conveniently add Wi-Fi and dual-mode Bluetooth to embedded applications. This highly integrated new module family achieves high data transfer rates while maintaining robust Wi-Fi+Bluetooth coexistence and supports an extended industrial temperature range. The WiLink 8 family is suitable for optimized power designs in home and building automation, smart energy, gateways, wireless audio, enterprise, wearables, and various other industrial and Internet of Things (IoT) applications. WiLink 8 modules and software are compatible with and seamlessly integrate with a variety of processors, including TI's Sitara™ processors. The WiLink 8 product family requires minimal hardware and RF design expertise, provides Wi-Fi and Bluetooth software stacks and sample applications, and is FCC/IC/ETSI certified. (For more information on the product, please refer to www.ti.com/wilink )

Ken Sooknanan, Senior Architect of Cisco’s Connected Life Gateway Program, stated, “We were able to accelerate development and time-to-market by using WiLink 8 modules provided as an integrated solution. In addition, we were able to significantly reduce the time required to obtain necessary industry certifications and regulatory approvals.” “IoT products require various hardware changes to support specific markets, and the WiLink 8 module satisfies this well,” he said.

By offering pin-to-pin compatible 2.4GHz and 5GHz versions, the WiLink 8 family provides a scalable and flexible platform. WiLink 8 modules integrate Wi-Fi and Bluetooth to enable new use cases and enhanced user experiences as follows:
• Extended temperature range of -40°C to 85°C required for industrial applications
• Designing a high-performance solution by utilizing the frequency band to reduce noise in the 5GHz module
• Management of multiple devices using Wi-Fi's MCMR (multi-channel multi-role) capabilities when Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, and ZigBee® coexist in smart energy and home gateways
• Achieved 1.4 times the range and up to 100 Mbps data transfer rates using TI's WiLink 8 MRC (maximal ratio combining) and MIMO (multiple-input and multiple-output) technologies.
• Suitable for low-power applications due to low idle connect current consumption
• Audio streaming is possible via home entertainment applications using Wi-Fi and dual-mode Bluetooth/BLE.

“The new WiLink 8 certified modules provide advanced connectivity technology available to all customers, and offer development tools, software, and support that can be conveniently used for applications in various industrial and consumer devices.” “TI, a leader in the embedded connectivity market, is pleased to work with Cisco to provide comprehensive IoT solutions including wireless connectivity, processors, and analog components,” said TI.

To provide system solutions that complement various TI platforms and allow customers to use WiLink 8 modules more conveniently, WiLink 8 module-based evaluation boards (2.4GHz WL1835MODCOM8 and 5GHz WL1837MODCOM8) compatible with AM335x EVM and AM437x EVM are provided. It also provides dual-mode Bluetooth and Bluetooth Low Energy technology and is compatible with TI's other Bluetooth portfolio, helping developers develop complete applications.

A product family of P2P-compatible WiLink 8 modules

Price and Supply Timing
• WiLink 8 evaluation boards (WL1835MODCOM8 and WL1837MODCOM8) are available for purchase at the TI eStore for $39.79 and at official distributors.
Free sample programs are available for TI's WiLink 8 module.
• WiLink 8 modules are scheduled to begin production in the first quarter of 2015 and will be available from official TI distributors, starting at $9.99 per unit for quantities of 1,000.

Links related to TI's WiLink ecosystem:
• Video series about WiLink 8:
o WiLink 8 product family
o 2x improved data transfer rate using MIMO
o Range expansion using MRC
o Wi-Fi Direct's MCMR (multi-channel multi-role) function
• WiLink wiki page
• TI E2E™ Community