The WELL: inkwell.vue.191: John Ross, The Book of Wi-Fi

#91: David Gans (tnf) Sat 23 Aug 03 09:39

Sat, 23 Aug 2003 09:39:00 PDT

The interview has been supplanted at center stage by our conversation with Mary Mackey, aka Kate Clemens, but there is no reason it can't continue as long as everyone has anything to say.

John and Jon, thank you for an informative discussion!

The topic remains open. [Read entire topic]

#90: Jon Lebkowsky (jonl) Thu 21 Aug 03 20:24

Thu, 21 Aug 2003 20:24:00 PDT

I've noticed that Wayport has billing arrangements with some other WISPs, so that you can select to have billing done for Wayport services by your own provider, if it's one of those.

I've wondered how it'll work with devices that are networked to communicate with other devices. They might have more of a need to roam, or some kind of network presence that's unmetered, perhaps. [Read entire topic]

#89: John Ross (johnross) Thu 21 Aug 03 10:28

Thu, 21 Aug 2003 10:28:00 PDT

Yes and no. It's not exactly like cellphones, where you need a way to hand off a call in progress as the user is moving around. Sure, there will be some people trying to use wireless data inside a van or on foot (with a PDA), but I suspect an acceptable system could just support users who are standing still.

But there is a need for a way to grab a link and assume that your existing account will be billed for the service. As it stands now, you need accounts with several different service providers. [Read entire topic]

#88: Jon Lebkowsky (jonl) Thu 21 Aug 03 05:08

Thu, 21 Aug 2003 05:08:00 PDT

If mobile wireless data services are to work as 'product,' they have to solve the problem of roaming, no? [Read entire topic]

#87: John Ross (johnross) Tue 19 Aug 03 20:42

Tue, 19 Aug 2003 20:42:00 PDT

It's pretty clear that Microsoft got into the broadband networking hardware business to support video games and video-on-demand set top boxes. And several companies already offer WiFi video cameras.

Within five or ten years, a broadband network will be a standard home utility like cable TV and telephone wiring. Some will be wired, others will be wireless. But as networked appliances and other "smart house" products move from the gee whiz early adopters to the upscale to Joe and Judy Sixpack, network access will be standard in new construction and a common add-on to existing houses.

As for the public hotspots, I'm less sanguine (if I'm sanguine at all). The real product is high-speed wireless Interent access. Whether it's WiFi or 3G or something else entirely remains to be seen. [Read entire topic]

#86: Jon Lebkowsky (jonl) Tue 19 Aug 03 17:44

Tue, 19 Aug 2003 17:44:00 PDT

What is the future of WiFi? I've been thinking that we'll have pervasive service (or tending toward pervasive, like cellphones), and that we'll see more and more innovative devices that use wireless networks. How about games? Sony has a wireless Playstation on the boards. [Read entire topic]

#85: John Ross (johnross) Mon 18 Aug 03 16:00

Mon, 18 Aug 2003 16:00:00 PDT

It works both ways. The phone and microwave are interfering with the WiFi links as well. You aren't listening directly to the WiFi signal, so you're not as aware of it, but you'll probably see a drop in "signal quality" and maybe a drop in data speed when you turn on the microwave.

I don't know how far the RF emissions from a microwave oven carry, but it's probably a matter of ten feet or so before it drops down to something insignificant. So the solution is to keep the oven away from either end of the WiFi link; as for cordless phones, I would fin one that uses a different frequency range if I needed cordless in a building with a WiFi network. [Read entire topic]

#84: Kurt Sigmon (kd-scigmon) Mon 18 Aug 03 14:26

Mon, 18 Aug 2003 14:26:00 PDT

I know that my WiFI causes odd clicks and pops on my cordless 2.4 gHz phone. The microwave also hassles it. [Read entire topic]

#83: John Ross (johnross) Mon 18 Aug 03 10:07

Mon, 18 Aug 2003 10:07:00 PDT

(jal), the big box office supply places advertise low-end name brand WiFi and ethernet stuff at loss-leader prices. Even witht he sales tax, the price is comparable to mail order. Look at the color inserts in your Sunday newspaper.

(airman), WiFi (802.11b) uses the unlicensed 2.4 gHz band. That band is basically a free-fire zone. Among other things, it's also used by Bluetooth, cordless phones, microwave ovens and a bunch of other things, including some other point-to-point services. There's no legal protection from interference (that's the trade-off for having no required license).

The theory is that different types of modulation can co-exist, so, for example, WiFi and Bluetooth won't interfere with each other.In practice, a strong local signal like a microwave oven or a phone can create noise that will slow down the data transfer speed of a WiFi link. But the regulations limit the maximum output power of any of these radio trasnmitters, in order to minimize the amount of interference.

It's the short signal range that prevents massive interference. Because the signal peters out at around 100 meters (more or less), the number of WiFi singals at any specific location on the ground is relatively small, except maybe in a downtown with a lot of highrise offices. And because it's a digital packet radio system, interfering signals will usually just slow things down, rather than drowning each other out completely. Compare this to CB radio at the peak of that fad, when there were dozens of analog voices on each channel, all coming out of your speaker together. [Read entire topic]

#82: Jeff Loomis (jal) Mon 18 Aug 03 09:23

Mon, 18 Aug 2003 09:23:00 PDT

Tinfoil?

But seriously, (mcb), is that the price for a PCI wired card or wireless card. Seems like the price for a wired card. If so, what would you say would be the basic number for a wireless card?

I am torn between buying online and saving a few dollars and just going out to a store and getting started right away. On the one hand, I've waited a while already, on the other I'd like to relate my story before this topic peters out. [Read entire topic]