Until recently, when companies talked of managing Wi-Fi networks, discussion centered on controlling the infrastructure – the access points and switches at the heart of an enterprise WLAN. A relatively new industry proposal — 802.11v — aims to broaden Wi-Fi management to include the growing number of laptops, PDAs and IP phones connecting to your… Continue Reading
Daily Archives: January 11, 2006
Wi-Fi Reaches The Speed Of Ethernet
Wireless networks may be convenient to set up, but wired ethernet has always been faster. Now a new generation of Wi-Fi products is challenging ethernet’s superiority for high-bandwidth apps. We sampled some of the first of these Wi-Fi products–Netgear’s $180 RangeMax 240 Wireless Router and $100 Notebook Adapter–and found that at close range, even with… Continue Reading
Alcatel To Ready WiMax Beta By `06
French telecom solutions major Alcatel will be ready with the beta version of WiMax technology for mobile communications by the second half of 2006, while it will be commercially available by the end of next year. Via [business-standard.com]… Continue Reading
San Francisco Issues RFP For Its Free Wi-Fi Network
San Francisco’s city government has issued an RFP (request for proposals) to build a Wi-Fi network that will provide free wireless Internet access to its citizens. Via [informationweek.com]… Continue Reading
The Case For (And Against) Muni Wi-Fi
Despite significant challenges, an increasing number of cities are planning to deploy Wi-Fi networks across large areas. High-profile cities currently include San Francisco, Philadelphia and Houston, but as described in a new report titled “2006 Muni Broadband Outlook” from Light Reading Insider, other cities include Anaheim, Calif.; Atlanta; Austin, Texas; Boston; Buffalo, N.Y.; Chicago; Denver;… Continue Reading
Finally, Some Fruit
We’ve heard the promises for years now. As they go, soon there will be two new wireless technologies, one for local area networks and one for personal area networks, that will ensure speeds fast enough to truly network a home. 802.11n and ultra wideband, while more than a glimmer in an engineer’s eye, have been… Continue Reading