What's Next For Wireless?
In case you've never heard of Moore's law, it is a simple assertion (that has proven true so far) that computer chip speeds will double every 18 months. That's the law that basically makes your new computer obsolete by the time you get it home from the store- a newer and faster chip is already on the way.
But what about wireless networking? Speeds really haven't improved all that much over the last few years, so is wireless technology at a stand-still? Not quite. In fact, wireless devices are still waiting for broadband speeds to catch up. The average cable or DSL speed in most homes is either 1.5 megabits per second (mbps) or 3.0 mbps, while 802.11b wireless devices have speeds of 11 mbps and 802.11g devices can now reach 108 mbps data transfer speeds. Since the most common activity of wireless networking is Internet connection sharing, at this point in time it doesn't matter how much faster wireless speeds get since your Internet browsing speed will not improve.
There are still many exciting areas for wireless networking to expand though, and now is a better time than ever for consumers and businesses to get into the wireless game. Rokblog has heard through the grapevine that some broadband providers are considering rolling out WiFi access point service in urban areas, which would have speeds equivalent to cable or DSL, but would not require any type of modem. If you are in a coverage area for such a service, all you would need is a wireless card and an account from the provider.
If you are not in an urban area, there are still some new and fun options open to you. If you go to your basic computer retailer and buy their top-of-the-line wireless card, you will probably end up with a SOHO (small office/home office) card from a manufacturer like Netgear or D-Link. While these cards are of good quality, you probably won't be able to pick up any wireless signals outside of the signal in your own home being broadcast from your wireless router. The alternative to this is what is known as wardriving, or network sniffing. This is considered a sport to some people, and consists of buying a special wireless card with an connector jack for an external antenna, and then buying a very strong antenna to connect to it. This allows you to pick up wireless signals much further away then you could with your basic store-bought card. Depending on what kind of antenna you get, you can pickup signals from miles away instead of just feet.
At Rokland we have gotten into the game already, primarily because our owners already do this type of stuff in their spare time. One guy even has an outdoor antenna which he shares with others as his own wireless hotspot (don't tell the broadband companies!).
We have some great deals right now on Orinoco cards with external antenna connectors, and also on 5.5 and 7.0 dBi gain antenna that will dramatically improve your wireless range. Because we acquire most Orinoco product off-lease in one time deals, be sure to check our online auctions at http://stores.ebay.com/rokland for special deals on cards and antennae that may not be on our web site.
posted at: 22:18 | path: | permanent link to this entry