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News that's changing the Wireless World!
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Wednesday, April 07, 2004 |
Source: Wi-Fi Networking News
The Noisy Cabin:
Picocells in Planes
A consortium is working to build an airplane-based cellular picocell
technology that supports GSM and Wi-Fi: Cell users with GSM phones would
connect via the picocell and calls would be relayed by satellite. Wi-Fi
service could also be offered. WirelessCabin (Airbus, Siemens, Ericsson, and
others) might have commercial clients by next year. The Economist notes
dubiously: Perhaps aircraft will offer "phoning" and "non-phoning" cabins.
Still, what better way to drown out the noise of a screaming baby in the
next seat than to phone a friend?...
Source Link
6:45:49 PM 
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Source: Wi-Fi Networking News
University Switches to
802.1X
University of Tennessee switches to 802.1X, but leaves gateway-controlled
segment for older systems: The university first tried a proprietary method
of authentication in 2002 that left behind users of the latest operating
systems (XP and OS X). The latest incarnation uses 802.1X, which is well
supported in Windows XP (Service Pack 1 with wireless rollout for best
results) and Mac OS X 10.3 (PEAP, EAP-TTLS, EAP-TLS, and other flavors).
Because the university opted for TTLS (the reasoning isn't explained), it's
not noted but they would have had to install a third-party client on Windows
systems. However, TTLS is supported by Funk and Meetinghouse for a wide
variety of Windows platforms as well as Solaris and certain Linux flavors.
The non-802.1X segment requires a gateway login and is locked by MAC. The
staff use tools to monitor MAC addresses to ensure that legitimate
authenticated sessions aren't being hijacked. It's clearly a transition
stage for them, too, as they can't have a complete .1X switchover, but
they'll gradually have less reason to run a gatewayed system. Their current
system doesn't offer session-to-session authentication, but requires
re-entering credentials each time a laptop is awoken from sleep. But given
the state of .1X clients, this should still be simpler (clicking a button in
most cases) than a repeated gateway login....
Source Link
6:45:48 PM
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Source: Userland.com
Block That
Ringtone!
Ever wish you could silence all cellphones within earshot? That is the goal
of a number of new products but wireless companies and regulators say it
might not be legal.
Source Link
6:15:27 PM
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Source: Wi-Fi Networking News
Estonia Takes Tech
Lead Among New EU Entrants
Estonia is being called the smallest but most technologically advanced
formerly Communist country to be joining the EU: Estonia's parliament says
that Internet access is a basic human right. The country has over 300
hotspots and seems to be quite forward-thinking in using technology for
healthcare and other services. Check out this map which indicates how many
hotspots are in each region. [link via Veljo Haamer]...
Source Link
2:59:57 PM
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Source: Wi-Fi Planet
Broadreach
Reaches Out to Providers
Using the 'Virtual AP' technology on Colubris boxes, the UK WISP will be
able to offer service from multiple providers in a venue using just one
piece of hardware.
Source
Link
1:06:57 PM
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Source: Wi-Fi Networking News
Analysts Push for
Combined Wi-Fi/Cellular
A Pyramid Research report ambitiously projects that Wi-Fi users will
outnumber cellular data users by 2007: Considering the number of Wi-Fi users
today and the number of cellular voice users, who have the potential to
start using cellular data, I find that projection unlikely. But the point of
the report is that wireless operators should bundle the two types of
services to take advantage of the interest in Wi-Fi. That combination of
services is exactly what will drive Wi-Fi, concludes another analyst, this
time from IDC. She expects prices to decline when the services are combined
which will attract more users. In Europe in particular, analysts have been
critical of high Wi-Fi prices. The lack of extensive and easy roaming
combined with high prices are the main barriers to more Wi-Fi growth at the
moment. As the market matures, hopefully both of those factors will fall
into place....
Source Link
11:13:19 AM
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Source: Wi-Fi Networking News
U.K. to Build Wi-Fi
Along Roads
The U.K.'s Highway Agency is planning to build a wireless network that
covers major highways and urban centers throughout the country: The network
sounds a bit like Metricom's but in this instance it will use Wi-Fi. The
initial plan is to hang 150,000 access points on street lights and traffic
lights. The Highway Agency will use the network to monitor cars and offer
telematics applications about road conditions. But the network may also be
offered to ISPs to service to anyone. This sounds like quite an ambitious
and potentially expensive project for a government agency. If enough people
can use the network for Internet access, perhaps those service could help
pay off the network for the government....
Source Link
10:39:27 AM
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Source: Wi-Fi Networking News
How Can You Afford to
Charge?
Esme Vos files this screed on the follies and contradictions of building
expensive roaming architectures to charge for hotspot service when free is
so much cheaper and abundant: As Vos points out, becoming part of a for-fee
roaming infrastructure costs money, even if you're not paying it directly as
a venue. The infrastructure, billing, and customer support has to be paid
for. Isn't free easier, especially when if you charge you're competing
head-to-head against similar venues that offer free service? Vos asks the
billion-dollar question: at a putative future date when Internet access
(mostly via Wi-Fi) is an expected and even required part of all hospitality,
retail, conference, and travel venues, how can money be extracted from the
system as long as free, comparable venues also exist?...
Source Link
10:06:47 AM
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Source: Wi-Fi Networking News
RoamPoint
Clearinghouse Spun Off by The Cloud
Intel is supporting RoamPoint, a spinoff of The Cloud that aims to resell
hotspot access as a clearinghouse to providers: (This is a revision of
yesterday's story on RoamPoint based on many clarifications provided via
email from a RoamPoint spokesman.) RoamPoint has elements of Cometa
Networks, in that they don't want to brand themselves, but resell their
network to operators who will brand the service and offer it to end users.
Unlike Cometa, however, they plan to be a pure clearinghouse, aggregating
hotspots to resell. Boingo Wireless has discussed this model in the past, in
which they merely become the unbranded middleman. iPass also has a
clearinghouse offering in addition to its branded corporate service. The
announcement says that RoamPoint will work with existing GSM clearinghouses
which will make roaming especially easy for mobile operators that offer
Wi-Fi. Intel is supporting the effort by helping RoamPoint find partners; it
has no financial stake, according to a spokesman. The release doesn't
mention RoamPoint's global focus, but mostly discusses European
opportunities. The Cloud, the UK hotspot network, spun off RoamPoint and is
the initial partner. Other members include Transnet, Wifix, and
Arymx....
Source Link
9:46:57 AM
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Source: Wi-Fi Networking News
Sputnik Goes the
(Long) Distance
Sputnik AP 200 designed for outdoor use, external antennas: The $250 unit
has 200 milliwatt transmit output, and includes Wireless Distribution System
(WDS) for bridging networks together wirelessly, and Power over Ethernet.
Antennas in 8, 12, and 18 dBi configurations are available. The ruggedized
access point is 802.11b/WEP only, and designed to work with Sputnik's AP 160
and Sputnik Control Center which centralizes management and
monitoring....
Source Link
8:23:29 AM
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Source: Wi-Fi Networking News
"Pre" WiMax
Hype
Towerstream deploys Aperto equipment in Chicago, labels it "pre-WiMax":
Towerstream has made its name offering wireless service with business
digital wireline service agreements. But their press team wants to spread
the word that their equipment--Aperto's in this case--is "pre-WiMax," when
the standard hasn't been set nor have certification standards been
developed. There is no doubt that companies selling "pre-WiMax" equipment
today will have to bring their equipment into compliance or face litigation.
One firm, Airspan, has stated in writing that equipment they sell now as
"pre-WiMax" (not their term) will be fully compatible even if it means new
silicon, according to one person working with the company's gear. It's clear
that many of the companies involved in the WiMax development want to set
hype lower, and reject using WiMax in any way until the standard is further
along. The last stage of 802.11g's standardization should be recalled: while
the standard recovered, the shipping silicon from Dec. 2002 to June 2003 was
not up to snuff in interoperability, backwards compatibility, and
occasionally basic reliability. [via TechDirt, which has a different take on
the topic]...
Source Link
7:22:21 AM
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Source: Wi-Fi Networking News
First Chinese WAPI
Device Certified
Beijing firm has notebook series certified as compliant with WAPI, China's
proprietary Wi-Fi encryption and security standard: This is the latest
chapter in China's attempt to assert control over data and encryption
standards deploying in the country. Intel's CEO is visiting Asia this week
and is expected to address China's demand for non-Chinese firms use WAPI,
and partner with and share their intellectual property with one of several
approved local companies in order to receive certification and continue to
be allowed to sell Wi-Fi in China....
Source Link
7:22:18 AM
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© 2004 [OCCalWUG]
Last Update: 5/14/2004; 9:02:59 PM
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