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News that's changing the Wireless World!
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Monday, June 28, 2004 |
Source: Wi-Fi Planet
iPAQ
Smartphone Approved by FCC
The FCC has approved Hewlett-Packard's first smartphone for release in the
United States, a quad-band GSM/GPRS Pocket PC-based Phone that integrates
Wi-Fi, Bluetooth and a digital camera.
Source
Link
11:34:50 AM 
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Source: InfoWorld
Sky Pilot hopes to head off
WiMax at the pass
Some proponents of WiMax wireless broadband technology see it as the next
Wi-Fi, with a high volume of chip sets cutting prices, but one equipment
vendor says it can already ride that wave, delivering relatively low-cost
gear with WiMax-like functionality using current chips built for Wi-Fi.
Source Link
11:34:47 AM
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Source: Wi-Fi Planet
Proxim
Announces WiMax Plans
Working with Intel, the equipment provider plans to have 802.16-based
equipment eventually, but for today will settle for a mobility upgrade on
its existing proprietary wireless broadband units.
Source
Link
11:34:46 AM
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Source: Wi-Fi Networking News
Buffalo's AOSS Really
Is One Touch (But a Few Steps)
A few weeks ago, Buffalo mentioned that their AOSS (AirStation One-Tocuh
Secure System) was worth a look in light of security issues: I wasn't
dubious that AOSS worked, but a doubting Thomas wants to press the button
himself. The way that AOSS is supposed to work is that you install the Wi-Fi
card, install the client software, turn on and configure the base station,
and then press a button on the base station for a few seconds. This AOSS
button enables the negotiation mode. In the client software on your laptop,
you click the Profiles tab and click the AOSS button. Sit back and wait a
few minutes, and the connection is negotiated securely so that a mutually
agreed upon WPA key can be delivered to the client card. (The drawback: AOSS
works only with Buffalo equipment, and only certain devices, though that
list keeps growing.) My problems started immediately, as I was unable to get
the client software to properly recognize the Buffalo adapter. I tried
installing and uninstalling, disabling Wireless Zero Configuration, and the
usual troubleshooting. I even got a Buffalo technical support manager on the
phone who walked me through a number of steps. No luck. It turns out that
the eMachines laptop I was using already has a Broadcom-based Wi-Fi adapter
built in. I knew this, but I didn't know that the two sets of drivers would
interfere. Possibly something to do with NDIS 5.1, which makes all Wi-Fi
adapters look sort of similar to the system. An officemate brought in his
Dell laptop that lacked an internal Wi-Fi device, and I followed Buffalo's
manual. This time, no problem. There are about six steps that take you from
start to finish, but it's really one touch for the security portion....
Source Link
11:34:45 AM
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Source: Wi-Fi Networking News
Radiuz Combines
WPA-Enterprise with Free Access
Radiuz offers WPA-Enterprise logins to free networks at no charge: Radiuz is
a grand experiment in providing enterprise-scale security and encryption to
free networks. Any network that wants to use Radiuz's authentication has to
have an access point that handles pass-through 802.1X authentication, which
most consumer units do. The access point is configured to talk to Radiuz's
server, and that's it. Radiuz is using WPA-Enterprise, as the Wi-Fi Alliance
terms it, which is 802.1X port-based authentication coupled with WPA
encryption keys. Radiuz further layers PEAP (Protected EAP) on top to
provide a secure exchange of credentials with their server. Radiuz tries to
solve four interconnected problems with home and small-business networking.
First, security isn't tight enough: most home users leave encryption off
because it's annoying to manage. Second, even users who want to share their
network connection are slightly leery of letting anonymous folks onboard.
The development of NoCatAuth and LessNetworks's adaptation of that software
are both attempts to provide accountability--in the former case, through a
click-through terms of service; and adding user accounts in the latter case,
although the accounts are free. Third, WPA-Personal uses a static key for
all users, making it possible for one user with a WPA key to sniff the
traffic of any other user. Distributing a WPA-Personal key to "protect" a
network doesn't help protect it in that way. (A WPA key that's kept private
among a home or workgroup does, however.) Fourth, WPA-Enterprise is beyond
affordable for most smaller businesses, although products like Interlink
Network's LucidLink and Wireless Security Corporation's Wireless Security
Guard are steps in that direction. John Leibovitz is one of the founders of
Radiuz, and we spoke recently about the organization's goals. Leibovitz
describes Radiuz as a "cross between Wi-Fi and Friendster in a very kind of
loose way." He and his co-founder Stephen Robinson want to build a community
of registered users first and then see how to connect them. "The goal is
really to build up that network, and to think creatively beyond that about
how to make that economically sustaining," he said. Authentication will
always remain free, however. People who want to join the Radiuz network sign
up and receive information on how to configure their access point to use
Radiuz's servers. Users who want access to Radiuz authenticated networks
need to sign up out of band: you can't connect to the free network you need
credentials....
Source Link
11:34:43 AM
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Source: InfoWorld
WiMax starting to make its
move
With phones and LANs steadily going wireless and consumer electronics not
far behind, one part of the networked world - broadband to the home or
business - has stubbornly remained wired in most cases.
Source Link
11:34:41 AM
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Source: eWEEK Technology News
Wi-Fi Hot-Spot Finders
Looking for broadband? Check our list of hot-spot finders to find the
wireless hot spots nearest you.
Source Link
11:34:40 AM
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Source: Wi-Fi Networking News
Linksys Offers Range
Extender with Limits
Linksys's WRE54G is a logical repeater, listening to network traffic and
rebroadcasting it; but security options are lacking, advice is odd: The
description of this device contains slim information. As far as I can tell,
it's a Wi-Fi only logical repeater, meaning that it's using networking magic
to relay data. It can't be using Wireless Distribution System (WDS) because
Linksys notes it works with any 802.11b or g network. It must attach as a
client to an existing network and redistribute access as an access point
itself. This function is similar to Linksys's WET11 and WET54G, which bridge
Ethernet networks to any access point by simulating a client and
masquerading MAC addresses. The manual for this range extender mentions
multiple times in the first few pages of configuration advice that the range
extender is easier to use if you turn off WEP encryption--which is extremely
odd advice coming from a Wi-Fi equipment maker at this point in time. The
unit only supports WEP as an encryption option, meaning that more secured
networks that use WPA can't take advantage of range extension. The unit will
cost $99, but I'm not sure it's necessary except for legacy home networks.
For about $80 you can purchase a WRT54G, but Linksys has only enabled
wireless bridging as a fixed mode: that is, a WRT54G can't bridge and be an
access point at the same time. A similar unit from Buffalo, the WLA2-54G,
costs about $100 and like Apple's AirPort Extreme and AirPort Express Base
Stations, can serve clients while bridging to other gateways. If were
building a network from scratch that required bridging and I wanted WPA
security now, I'd choose Buffalo's gateway as the fundamental
element....
Source Link
11:34:34 AM
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Source: Wi-Fi Networking News
Amtrak's Stationary
Solution
Amtrak and AT&T Wireless put Wi-Fi hotspots in six Northeast train
stations: Boston (Router 128), Providence, New York (Penn Station),
Philadelphia (30th Street), Wilmington, and Baltimore (Penn Station) have
Wi-Fi service starting today, according to the press release. These stations
process a million passengers a day. It's $10 per day per location--unlike
T-Mobile's $10 per day throughout the network fee. They also offer a 5-pack
($30 or $6 a session) and a 10-pack ($50 or $5 a session). Business
subscribers only who already participate in AT&T Wireless's "Corporate
Digital Advantage and Wireless Business Advantage" plans can purchase
unlimited monthly service for $40 per month to supplement voice plans or $35
per month to supplement data plans. Roaming wasn't mentioned. This pricing
is clearly out of whack with the current trends, and should dramatically
suppress usage unless AT&T Wireless is also aggressively promoting
resale. Given that competitor T-Mobile is offering all you can eat Wi-Fi at
$20 per month for all existing voice customers, not just business plan
customers, AT&T Wireless may have misgauged the price sensitivity in the
field....
Source Link
11:34:32 AM
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Source: Wi-Fi Networking News
Community Wireless
Summit Announced
The University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign will host the 2004 National
Summit for Community Wireless Aug. 20-22: The event is organized by CUWiN
(C-U Community Wireless Network) which is working on an open-source mesh
project, and Prairienet, with the help of other groups and individuals.
Their goal is 100 attendees from across the U.S., and they're attempting to
raise funds for travel stipends for groups that would otherwise be unable to
afford to send a representative. The mission is statement is that the
conference will focus on grassroots action, impacting national regulations
and policies, and building a coalition of local groups, researchers, policy
leaders, decision-makers, and community activists. The cost is low: $30 for
students and low-income; $75 for all others. They're encouraging press to
attend, as well....
Source Link
11:34:24 AM
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Source: Wi-Fi Planet
iPass Pushes
802.1X
The aggregator will demonstrate its existing 802.1X authentication ability
in coexistence with its own Generic Interface Specification for
hotspots.
Source
Link
11:34:23 AM
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Source: Wi-Fi Networking News
iPass Shows 802.1X
under Standard Reference Platform
iPass has demonstrated its client connecting over 802.1X on a hotspot
front-end that supports the Generic Interface Specification (GIS) which
allows co-exists with browser page logins: This marks a big leap forward in
security of local network links in public places. By providing the
iPassConnect client with the ability to use secured 802.1X/EAP transactions
to gain access to a hotspot network, iPass customers can have a unique key
assigned to their network link. This prevents sniffers from using the
wireless side of the network to snoop on traffic. iPass developed GIS as a
way of securing an authentication session, but the more generic 802.1X
protocol coupled with secured EAP is a simpler and more industry standard
way to provide access to a Wi-Fi network. iPass's demo shows that GIS,
802.1X, and browser-based logins can co-exist which makes it easier for
hotspot operators to migrate customers over time to more secure logins and
sessions. The weak link in 802.1X/EAP is that while it provides a unique
encryption key to each user in its most useful form, because users are then
routed onto a wired network to reach the Internet, if a user can join the
network, they can still sniff bridged traffic from the wired side because
they're part of the local area network. Some access points can be configured
to disable LAN access and only allow Wi-Fi clients to reach the wide area
network or Internet feed....
Source Link
11:34:22 AM
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Source: Wi-Fi Networking News
AirWave Signs
Universities from Coast to Coast
AirWave Wireless's tool for managing large-scale access point deployments
has signed 10 major universities: A little indulgence here, but my alma
mater (Yale) and my hometown university (University of Oregon) are both on
the list of 10 universities that AirWave will provide their management
platform to. AirWave's approach allows heterogeneous enterprise APs from
many major manufacturers to be used on a single network and managed with a
single interface. If you're all Cisco or all Proxim, you might choose their
expensive, exclusive management consoles. Or, you can opt for AirWave and
have more flexibility about mixing and matching equipment that can be
monitored and configured centrally. A tool like this helps commoditize
enterprise hardware by allowing a level playing field for equipment from
many vendors--including those that don't offer a central management
system....
Source Link
11:34:20 AM
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Source: Scripting.com
Gizmodo on Nokia's new
phones. I wonder if Russ changes
his advice on the next cell phone this newbie
should get.
11:34:09 AM
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Source: Wi-Fi Networking News
Broadband over
Powerline Moves into Real Trials
Bits over juice starts to take off in trials, though its future is still
uncertain: A Washington state public utility is working with a private
Internet provide in an inexpensive 60-day trial to see how well BPL actually
works, and whether customers will find it interesting. Nationwide, a few
dozen trials have about 2,000 actual customers. The future of the technology
depends on the real cost and the real speed when it's deployed in the field.
Unlike unloaded copper wire, which has known properties, the numbers of
systems and the distances involved in BPL add variables that need
performance testing. Broadband has to avoid truck rolls to houses to keep
costs affordable....
Source Link
11:34:06 AM
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© 2004 [OCCalWUG]
Last Update: 6/28/2004; 11:35:15 AM
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