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« September 2003 | Main | November 2003 »
WPA added to Apple Extreme 802.11g equipment: It’s been a long-awaited moment, but Apple has finally shipped the AirPort 3.2 upgrade which includes Wi-Fi Protected Access (WPA) support to the AirPort Extreme Base Station and AirPort Extreme Card. That’s right folks, if you’ve got plain old AirPort cards and AirPort Base Stations, you’re out of luck. I’ll try to get more information out of Apple about their plans for older devices. The download is currently only available through the Software Update preference pane.
According to the WPA standard, older devices should be able to connect to a WPA-enabled network using a WEP key derived in some fashion from the WPA key. In this release, at least, Apple states categorically that devices without WPA support cannot connect. We’ll see how this evolves over time as it’s in opposition to the principles of WPA and 802.11i, the larger standard that’s a sort of superset of WPA and is due to be finalized next year.
Posted by Glennf at 5:33 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
Colubris made a deal with RSA Security: Colubris makes fat APs that can terminate a VPN at the AP. Now the AP will also include RSA Security’s authentication and certificate management software. That means companies already using RSA’s security solution can continue to use it over their WLAN.
Posted by nancyg at 9:39 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
NTT DoCoMo customers will use a client from PCTEL that makes roaming easier and connectivity more secure: The client supports 802.1X and will let users prioritize network connections between multiple WLANs. In the future, the client will support roaming between wide area cell networks and WLANs.
Posted by nancyg at 9:31 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
Mohammed goes to the mountain: Everest, that is. Dave Hughes, the 75-year-old unlicensed wireless advocate, and guru to a generation of gurus on the topic, has made the trek to visit the Sherpas he’s been working with long distance from his home in Colorado.
Dave arrived with piles of donated gear: antennas, bridges, SIP phones, and so forth, and the goal of helping the Sherpas — who are all over this technology, especially Tsering Sherpa, grandson of one Hilary’s team — have a real link with the rest of the world and provide distance learning. Sherpas are scattered everywhere, and some of them would like to stay, but not be so informationally far away from the rest of the world. Throw in the work of some Maoist Nepalese rebels, and that’s a hard job with a landline.
Dave wrote in email to some wireless lists: As of last night we can reach EVERY building in Namche (maybe 200) and now I have to drag myself up to the high plateu where we will put the first long-reach relay point, toward the Hillary School over the mountain in Khumjing, and where I can see, and photograph a clear view of Everest only about 18 airmiles away.
I met Dave in April, and he was somewhat dubious about making it to even 12,000 feet. He did a lot of hiking in the meantime, and it sounds like the trip is going well.
Posted by Glennf at 9:30 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
Trapeze let go 30 workers and has 80 left: A spokesperson said the company hasn’t felt the growth it expected so it has trimmed staff.
Posted by nancyg at 9:30 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
Concerns around the effects that too many users may have on Wi-Fi networks seems to be the hot topic these days: This writer suggests a somewhat unclear idea revolving around a “congestion charge” and technology that will turn off clients that aren’t being used.
I just don’t think congestion is going to be that huge of a problem. It will be in certain circumstances like at trade shows and possibly on a busy street where every shop offers Wi-Fi. But otherwise I just don’t expect it to be debilitating.
Posted by nancyg at 9:28 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
Motorola and XtremeSpectrum say no fees if their UWB proposal wins; TI is trying to follow: The two camps in the IEEE 802.15.3a standard process have raised the ante by lowering the ante for approval of their flavor. Motorola and XtremeSpectrum will make their technology in this standard patent-royalty free. Texas Instruments would like to do so as well as part of the OFDM alliance they’ve formed, but haven’t gotten the signoff from all of its partners.
This probably benefits consumers of the technology in that removing royalty costs will lower the bar to entry for manufacturers and reduce overall cost.
The head of XtremeSpectrum is wrong when he said that it’s clear that for a standard to be confirmed, it must not have any licensing strings attached—it must be royalty free unless he meant this specific standard. Plenty of standards are encumbered by reasonable and customary licensing fees, and the companies involved in 802.15.3a had already signed or generally agreed to that as well.
The 802.15.3a standard will allow 100 to 480 Mbps of wireless data to be exchanged at very short range, from 10 to 30 meters, with the design focused on large file and streaming media exchange.
Posted by Glennf at 8:07 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
PC World outdoes itself with comprehensive 802.11g round-up: This set of articles from the November 2003 issue, posted several days ago, compares a host of consumer 802.11g equipment, performing lab-based tests — and finding that there’s still a lot of compatibility problems even among equipment from the same vendor. They show speed charts, discuss overall issues, and address some side topics quite extensively and well.
Less formally, I’ve found the same thing. Nomenclature varies, sometimes among two devices of similar function. Entering WPA keys is obscure. Installing WPA support tricky (some Centrino models can handle it; some can’t). Some Web-based configuration software fails or behaves poorly because of a reliance on JavaScript: I found that ZoneAlarm Pro interferred with the Linksys virtual private network wireless gateway’s ability to be configured, for instance.
Posted by Glennf at 10:41 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
News.com reports Intel ready to ship a/b adapters: What’s the demand for mixed 802.11a/b networks? I’m not sure, but Intel is following the market here. The a/b/g adapters (really a/g with appropriate backwards compatible b support within g) are due out next year.
Posted by Glennf at 4:32 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
Om Malik notes that a third quarter revenue uptick means the storm before the bigger storm: Om points out that the additional revenue comes from cell operators trying to lock in customers into new plans before the cell number portability rule takes effect. This means more signups, but huge giveaways, and, he notes, massive overproduction of handsets.
Posted by Glennf at 11:05 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
Atheros will supply its 802.11g chip for the Xbox Wireless Adapter: The deal should offer a boost to Atheros, which also announced that it has sold its 10 millionth wireless chip.
Posted by nancyg at 10:18 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
The WSJ reports on a service in the Czech Republic that lets users sell their Wi-Fi connections to their neighbors (link good for seven days): This offering isn’t as good as a similar one from WideNet and Wia in the Czech Republic which will do the billing for customers.
The WSJ article covers a company called CzFree.net which requires customers to buy over $800 worth of gear and then allows them to sell connections to their neighbors. There is no mention of CzFree.net handling the billing, which I think is pretty key. I wouldn’t want to have to deal with trying to make my neighbors pay me for something. Also, it doesn’t appear that CzFree.net has a deal with a landline broadband provider, like WideNet does, which makes the legality of reselling connections questionable.
Posted by nancyg at 10:12 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
Medieval Times, the restaurant chain that lets you eat without utensils, is using Wi-Fi to help the wait staff: Instead of running back to the kitchen to place an order, servers use a handheld device to transmit orders to the kitchen. Execs at the restaurant say that if the capability allows them to serve one more round of drinks a night, it will pay for itself in a year.
Posted by nancyg at 10:10 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
McDonald’s hasn’t yet chosen Wi-Fi service providers for the rest of its restaurants: But when it does, the choice may not spell failure for operators that don’t get the contract. That’s because many McDonald’s are franchise shops and the owners may have some leeway as to the operator they choose for Wi-Fi.
Posted by nancyg at 10:07 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
Since WLAN switch developers started coming out of the woodwork, it was clear that the market couldn’t support all of them: Trapeze and Vivato have both laid off workers recently, leaving some to wonder if they are struggling.
Trapeze made a name for itself by spending liberally on marketing and what some in the industry have described as a massive booth for trade shows. A company spokesperson in this article says that the cut backs happened on schedule. Trapeze cut 30 percent of its staff and Vivato laid off 25 percent.
I would be surprised if Trapeze was one to go under straight away as it seems to have a robust product. But as we all know, the best product doesn’t always win. This will be an interesting space to watch as acquisitions and failures are bound to start happening soon.
Posted by nancyg at 10:05 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
Mobilander, a Wi-Fi operator, made a deal with Gemtek to build hotspots in five towns in the Netherlands: It seems that Mobilander wants to differentiate itself by offering a very secure network, which will support 802.1X from the start.
Posted by nancyg at 10:03 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
Some businesses may rue the day they began offering Wi-Fi: At least according to this writer, who thinks that coffee shops and McDonald’s restaurants are running into problems with laptop users parking to use the Internet without buying much.
In reality, this doesn’t seem to be the case. While Wi-Fi in McDonald’s is an unusual fit, it’s not unusual because the Wi-Fi may encourage people to camp out, as the author of this piece suggests. I spoke with a McDonald’s exec a couple of months ago and in fact McDonald’s would like to encourage people to hang out in the restaurants. Apparently most people take their food to go. If they decide to sit and eat, he reasoned, they may end up buying more food.
Many cafes say that Wi-Fi is drawing customers into their shops during the least busy times. I think that customers will self-police themselves during busy times. For example, I went up to my local coffee shop on a Sunday morning toting my laptop. The place was packed and I barely managed to get a seat. Because of the crowds, I left as soon as I was done with my tea to give someone else my seat, rather then hang out over my Wi-Fi connection. I think a lot of people would do the same.
Posted by nancyg at 10:01 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
Wi-Fi is taking off in Modesto: A number of cafes and restaurants are offering free hot spots, some of which are hosted by Free2Wire, a hot spot operator. Free2Wire can regulate users by assigning an access code to each user so that if they are downloading porn or otherwise abusing the system, they can be shut out.
Posted by nancyg at 9:58 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
Cell carriers are pretty far behind on 3G, but Verizon’s early deployment may give it an edge — I mean, a competitive advantage: While GSM operators struggle with GPRS (10 to 50 Kbps) and are rapidly trying to get EDGE fully deployed (100 Kbps), Sprint is staying the course with 1xRTT (50 to 70 Kbps), and T-Mobile and Nextel don’t seem to be in the running for anything more interesting.
Verizon Wireless’s early 3G deployment (1xEvDO, 300 to 500 Kbps) in San Diego and Washington, D.C., may pay off, Matt Maier of Business 2.0 notes, because they simply have this service now at a fixed rate. The advent of cell phone number portability about to be engaged ties in with this: Verizon is the only cell company to back it. They want people to switch over, sign up for data, and then lock them in with long-term contracts and the only real 3G that will have any scope in 2004. Great plan!
(All speeds more or less real world, not the advertised ones.)
Posted by Glennf at 7:35 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
The Block, a hotel in Tahoe that apparently caters specifically to snowboarders, is offering Wi-Fi to customers that don’t have laptops. Access Data Technologies is providing what it calls the iGenie, a “compact, portable Web tablet,” in the Block’s cyber cafe so that customers can use the Wi-Fi connection even if they don’t have their own laptop or PDA. It looks like users will see advertising on the device in exchange for free Internet access.
VisionWorks Interactive is a marketing and distribution company that is putting this service together. It also has deals with Wayport and Surf and Sip.
It’s a good idea to place computers in hot spots, but I’m not sure why this application requires a fancy user device. Seems that a regular laptop or desktop would do the trick.
I couldn’t find the press release about this announcement online but VisonWorks Interactive and Access Data Technologies put the service together.
Posted by nancyg at 11:25 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
AirMagnet has two new products: The first, a new laptop version called Trio, can detect 802.11b, 802.11g, and 802.11a networks. It can even detect pre-standard 802.11g APs. The Trio also lets network managers monitor service levels to make sure they match service level agreements for services like voice and throughput rates.
AirMagnet also came out with a new release of its 802.11b solution for Pocket PCs with more alarms and signal measurement tools.
Posted by nancyg at 10:24 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
An analyst from the Aberdeen Group suggests that interference will become a major problem next year: As more hot spots pop up, they are more likely to interfere with each other, degrading the user experience. He says that the only solution will be for governments to open up more spectrum and thus more channels for Wi-Fi so networks have less chance of interfering with each other.
Posted by nancyg at 9:34 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
Telekom, the South Africa operator, has started testing Wi-Fi hot spots: Ultimately, the company plans to build hot spots in hotels, conference centers, office parks, airports, and shopping malls.
Posted by nancyg at 9:32 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
Give them your e-mail, they give you two hours: Or maybe more…the Flash presentation says you get one two-hour session, but other email indicates that it could be a lot more. They’re obviously trying to test usage rates and patterns in the McDonald’s restaurants in the Bay Area. Don’t say I never gave you anything for free!
Posted by Glennf at 12:12 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
Here’s one more city boasting to have the world’s largest Wi-Fi network: Cisco is helping this Belgium city build a Wi-Fi cloud over the whole town. The project should be complete at the beginning of next year.
I’m not the first to say this but it’ll be interesting to see how the city-run Wi-Fi networks co-exist with commercial hot spots. If a city builds a Wi-Fi network, does that prevent commercial companies from building their own hot spots and hoping to profit from them? Whistler, B.C., among other municipalities, is wrestling with this problem right now.
Posted by nancyg at 10:26 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
TechDirt offers an interesting take on an analysis of the affects of Dartmouth’s ubiquitous wireless cloud: The item points to Naval Ravikant at VentureBlog who believes it will be worthwhile to watch how Dartmouth students use the wireless network as an indication of how everyone may use wireless connections in the future.
Ubiquitous wireless is a new medium that will slowly come into its own. It’s like any new medium—remember when corporate Web sites consisted only of duplicates of printed collateral material? In time we’ll come up with great ways to use wireless.
Posted by nancyg at 10:20 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
A new study contends that Wi-Fi will expand faster in Europe because of Europe’s cafe culture: I think there’s a chance that Wi-Fi will grow faster in Europe but that’s a silly reason why. There are plenty of places in the United States—take Seattle—that have very robust cafe cultures.
If Wi-Fi takes off faster in Europe it will be because operators there are sometimes more sensible then operators here. Already I’m seeing tons of roaming agreements in Europe which will make it easier for Wi-Fi users to get on networks. Here, those agreements are just starting to happen, and there are still some significant holdouts, like T-Mobile.
But this study makes one good point. Laptop penetration isn’t as great in Europe as it is in the United States, meaning Europe is primed for an uptake in Wi-Fi enabled laptops. It could take longer for Wi-Fi laptops to replace those without here because so many people already have laptops.
Posted by nancyg at 10:18 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
BVRP has developed software that automatically locates and configures connections. The product will look for Wi-Fi, cellular, DSL, cable and dial-up connections and automatically configure the laptop for the available connection. It also manages security such as VPN and WEP.
This kind of product is a good idea and I’m seeing more of them. However, it seems that this should be something offered by a service provider or aggregator, not something that end users must go out and buy on their own. Each service provider already has some sort of client that does what this software does. I just don’t see end users taking the effort to go out and buy something like this.
The news doesn’t seem to be posted on BVRP’s Web site but when it is you can find it here.
Posted by nancyg at 10:15 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
Hagiwara Sys-Com to release Wi-Fi on a Memory Stick: The Memory Stick is a very compact and lightweight memory interchange format found primarily in Sony devices. The company may also release Bluetooth Memory Stick adapters, and Bluetooth and Wi-Fi for Secure Digital. [via Gizmodo]
Posted by Glennf at 10:39 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
TechDirt reports on Japanese cell operator KDDI 3G service that runs US$38 per month flat rate: The service is real 3G with 400 to 700 Kbps expected for actual performance. TechDirt notes that Verizon’s pricing for unlimited 1xEvDO in its two markets is $80 per month.
Posted by Glennf at 5:07 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
AT&T Wireless is offering Wi-Fi in the terminals and concourses at Philadelphia International Airport: The operator is also planning to build a network at Raleigh-Durham International Airport.
Without extensive and open roaming deals these types of deals — I’m assuming AT&T Wireless is the exclusive operator here as they are in Denver — aren’t going to see huge usage. Sure, some people will pay $10 to use it but an awful lot more would use it if it was part of a monthly plan they already have with another operator. AT&T’s Wireless’s unlimited monthly plan is a very high $69 per month.
Posted by nancyg at 11:44 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
The remote access aggregator adds 2,200 hot spots to its network: GRIC signed deals with the Cloud, Monzoon Networks and PicoPoint for access to hot spots in parts of Europe and South Africa. Expansion plans by the operators should add as many as 6,000 additional hot spots over the next year.
Until hot spot operators aggressively sign roaming agreements with each other, companies like GRIC, iPass, and Boingo are going to attract the serious business travelers. There is really no reason to sign up with just one operator because no network is extensive enough.
Posted by nancyg at 11:41 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
Where did the comments go?: Unfortunately, three types of misuse of the comments feature on this site have forced me to turn off comments on new posts, and to shortly disable the ability to comment on older posts, too.
Type 1 is comment spam, an unfortunate growing trend in which spammers, who are finding email a harder row to hoe even as they send out more, are posting comments on highly-ranked Web sites with links to their product sites or offers. This increases their rank at Google. I’ve installed some filters, but it still takes 30 to 90 minutes of my time each week coping with the comment spam, plus the couple of hours of installing the filters. The folks behind Movable Type, which powers this site, are working on approaches. (I’d prefer a “confirm via email” posting method that would at least allow an email return loop for accountability.)
Type 2 is misguided folks who don’t understand the site or how they got here who are posting strange queries about trying to understand Wi-Fi, purchase or sell items, or reach individuals who are the subjects of the story. This is probably an outgrowth of Google.
Type 3 is meta-comments, or comments about the nature or quality of this site. I don’t mind feedback, but I don’t feel that it’s appropriate to critique this site on this site. Email (or one’s own blog) is a better method. I had a great exchange this morning with someone whose mind I don’t think I changed, but who had a reasonable critique of my approach on a post. I like to hear that stuff; I don’t like to have it displayed on the site. That’s my preference for keeping the site on topic and on focus — and not airing dirty laundry.
The combination of these three types mean I’ll disable comments for now. Please do email us with comments and feedback, and I hope to re-enable comment posting in the future.
Posted by Glennf at 11:32 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
The Toshiba e800 series PocketPC has Wi-Fi and bundled VoIP: The specifications don’t mention nor does this article which VoIP (voice over IP) software is included, but one assumes it supports standard SIP (session initiation protocol) gateways, and comes with some kind of prefabricated ability to connect out.
Posted by Glennf at 8:38 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
The road warrior’s toolkit includes stumbling programs: Mark Frauenfelder, just back from four months on a tiny island, writes about how a real road warrior (in which category he places me) carries software and gadgets to help find Wi-Fi networks. It’s true, I do.
I have many qualms about connecting to networks that aren’t specifically advertising themselves as available. But since I engage in reasonable behavior, and no one I know is metered for small amounts of service, I confess: I connect to unprotected networks. And I like it.
Posted by Glennf at 7:29 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
US Wireless Online starts serving a big chunk of Louisville, Kentucky: The broadband wireless provider is offering 256 to 384 Kbps upload and 2 Mpbs download for $40 per month residential (including a modem rental of $10/month), and $90 per month or higher for business service. They expect to launch connections of as far as 20 miles and up to 54 Mbps (not sure if that’s raw or net) for businesses.
Posted by Glennf at 10:34 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
Trepia partners with Telerama to offer Wi-Fi-based proximity social tools: Trepia’s software can connect people who have registered and are using the software with one another when in proximity.
The real question I have, of course, is how many people want to just meet random folks who happen to be in the same area, even if you know their interests, etc.? I’m somewhat gregarious, but one of my biggest problems is staying in touch with many friends, often nowhere near my proximity, not making new ones.
I suppose this is an outgrowth of the mobile society in which people are on the move and on the make in new places all the time. Is this all about dating? (asks the married man). See, I’m so unhip, it’s no wonder if my bum were to fall off.
Posted by Glennf at 10:15 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
A lake in India now offers Wi-Fi connectivity: Forgive my lack of knowledge, but this article is slightly obscure. I’m guessing there is a lack of habitation on and around the lake, but I’m not sure if it’s a tourist area or a permanent residence area. It also mentions “shikaras” without a definition: perhaps these are wireless nodes that move around the lake?
Posted by Glennf at 9:57 AM | Comments (1) | TrackBack
BT offers per-minute plan to businesses: BT OpenZone has been charging £85 (US$135 or so) for unlimited monthly access. Feedback from businesses has caused BT to adopt an iPass-like model in which businesses commit to a serious amount of usage but then pay only £5 per month per user and 5 pence per minute, resulting in an average much lower charge for a larger workforce.
At the same time, the report says, BT will probably withdraw its unlimited plan, and offer plans like it does now with 300 minutes for £20.
Posted by Glennf at 9:53 AM | Comments (1) | TrackBack
We’ve seen these stories before, but now they appear with less explanation: Here’s a great piece of straight feature news reporting that gets the facts right and makes a good case for Wi-Fi’s utility. But the significance is how casually this article sounds. It’s not a giant feature, just a small bit of news. That’s how much Wi-Fi has now become a part of the general walk of life, even in smaller locales.
Posted by Glennf at 9:42 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
Detailed article on how GSM and Wi-Fi might find themselves together in future chips: It’s a fairly technical article, but it does point out the difficulties and some of the opportunities in merging cell and Wi-Fi at the chip level instead of building devices with many chips. The bottom line appears to be that there’s some cost and materials savings but only for the most compact and battery-sensitive devices. [via The Head Lemur]
Posted by Glennf at 11:51 AM | Comments (1) | TrackBack
Vivato announces new product…that they announced in June: I’m confused about Vivato’s press push yesterday, which makes it sound like their new inexpensive ($495) gateway box is a new product. It hasn’t shipped before now — it will in November — but they were discussing it publicly back in June. I suppose this is the real unveiling at CTIA or IT Wireless this week.
Nonetheless, the box is quite interesting, an outgrowth of Jim Thompson’s work at Musenki. It supports Wireless Distribution System, and is meant as a dead spot filler and back-haul box which can complement the full Vivato switch product.
Posted by Glennf at 6:48 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
SanDisk announced its secure digital (SD) 802.11b cards, but they’re now widely available: SD slots are found in many Palm handhelds and other small devices, despite the increasing standardization around CompactFlash format cards. SD cards are tiny, making it a pretty neat tour de force to put Wi-Fi into one.
Posted by Glennf at 6:41 AM | Comments (4) | TrackBack
If Case Western’s plan to open its wireless network to the community weren’t enough, they now have some Vivato gear: Courtesy of the founders of Vivato, both Case Western alumni, the OneCleveland program now covers an entire park in University Circle. Cleveland has an extensive fiber-optic infrastructure — perhaps all major cities do after the wave of Gilder-inspired overbuilding in 90’s? — and a variety of groups including the university plan to extend access for digital divide spanning and other purposes.
Posted by Glennf at 6:38 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
Austria’s Metronet continues to expand international roaming for its hot spot network — by the megabyte: This is one of the most interesting of the roaming models I’ve seen. Metronet operates 300 hot spots in Austria, and has roaming agreements now that give its users access to 1,200 locations throughout Europe and elsewhere, including its most recent partners, SoneraHomerun (Finland), megabeam (Italy), Kubiwirless (Spain), and VEX (Argentina).
While it’s a single account login for its users on all of the roaming networks — which they expect will exceed 2,000 locations by year’s end — there’s a per-megabyte fee of 70 European cents or 1 Euro, depending on your plan. Metronet also offers a PPTP-based VPN service for its customers.
Posted by Glennf at 6:33 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
eHomeUpgrade talks to Atheros about its double-speed modes: Atheros’s turbo modes (Super G and Super A/G) boost raw throughput on their equipment to 108 Mbps. Net throughput? Dunno. But it will be compatible among vendors choosing Atheros’s gear, depending on local regulation factors.
Frame bursting, mentioned here in passing, should work across many vendors’ equipments — at least with ongoing firmware upgrades — and should dramatically or at least relatively improve the net bandwidth of 802.11g networks and b/g networks by reducing the clutter of very short g packets.
Posted by Glennf at 3:38 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
Pyramid Research estimates 45,000 hot spots will be deployed worldwide by the end of 2003: They also say there were only 20,000 at the end of 2002, and predict over 100,000 by early 2005. This year’s number is certainly not a prediction, but rather a count of what’s out there with some trending figured in. Of course, the U.S. isn’t at the top of the heap.
Posted by Glennf at 10:19 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
Strix Systems raised $15 million in stock financing, for a total of $34 million invested in the company: It hopes this investment will take the company to profitability, but it doesn’t say when that might happen.
Strix APs, or nodes as it likes to call them, can do backhaul using 802.11 instead of wired Ethernet. The nodes see each other and configure like a mesh network so that one node can pass data directly to another node, even hopping along a number of nodes to deliver the data to its proper destination.
Posted by nancyg at 10:09 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
ABC’s news radio division is encouraging its reporters to use Wi-Fi to submit stories: The Wall Street Journal ran a story about one reporter’s challenges trying to find a strong signal to file a story.
It’s nice to see such a large operation recognizing the potential benefits of Wi-Fi and willing to give it a shot. The article describes some problems the reporter has trying to find and use hot spots but he and his boss are both understanding of the fact that Wi-Fi is a new technology that may have some glitches.
The exciting part for field reporters, of course, just as news photographers have already discovered is live field reporting with a laptop and a signal and a portable (computer-based) editing system. Glenn notes, “Couple this with audio/video blogging and we suddenly have a real manifestation of first-hand field reporting — by anyone.”
Posted by nancyg at 11:38 AM | Comments (1) | TrackBack
The News Hour with Jim Lehrer explores Wi-Fi (link should take you to streaming video link): The piece itself, several minutes long, did a good job explaining the technology to folks who may never have heard the words wireless and networking in a single sentence before, and presented a pretty accurate description of the security risks without overstating them. I think they failed to explain how businesses are well able (and will be even more able) to secure their networks, but the wardriving segment wasn’t overwrought: it was what geeks do.
Posted by Glennf at 11:36 AM | Comments (1) | TrackBack
Tornoto’s airport will get a suped-up WLAN next year when a new terminal is completed: The network will be administered by the airport and will serve airport workers. It includes 256 Cisco APs and security from gateway provider Bluesocket.
The security solution will support user profiles so that certain airport workers will only have access to certain applications. For example, baggage handlers can access a baggage tracking application but only within a certain distance of the ramp.
The article doesn’t say that the network will be available for passengers to use but says that the airport authority can add public access in the future.
Posted by nancyg at 10:15 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
Airespace provided the gear for the network which will support voice: The company has partnerships with Spectralink, which makes voice over Wi-Fi phones, and Vocera, which offers handsfree communication in a badge.
It sounds like the people who work at the rink will have voice over Wi-Fi phones instead of walkie talkies. Visitors who have their own Wi-Fi phones could also use the network.
Posted by nancyg at 10:12 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
Apparently, some regulatory arguments in South Africa were holding up the build out of hot spots: The incumbent carrier was claiming that only it should be able to offer Wi-Fi because wireless is an extension of the PSTN (public switched telephone network). A recent ruling from the regulatory body clarified that anyone could deliver Wi-Fi hot spots.
Posted by nancyg at 10:10 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
An IDC study points to consumer desire for mobility and built-in wireless capabilities for higher than expected PC sales: But the study doesn’t cite any specific data proving that mobility and Wi-Fi contributed to the increased sales.
Posted by nancyg at 10:08 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
My dad writes about his Wi-Fi experience today: My father, who designs Web sites among other volunteer and business endeavors, co-purchased an Apple iBook with an AirPort Wi-Fi card a few months ago with a friend. They swap off on it as needed; they both have desktop machines at home on which they spend most of their time. Obviously, my dad knows quite a lot about Wi-Fi from my harangues and monologues on the subject, but he’s just starting to explore it himself in Eugene, Oregon, which is a hotbed of sophisticates, but not necessarily a place where technology is deployed on every surface, as in, say, my hometown of Seattle.
My dad sent me email today that I thought exemplified the whole experience of Wi-Fi, and I quote it with his permission:
Just came back from meeting with a new client at the Wild Duck [a restaurant in Eugene], where they have the free Wi-Fi setup. What a pleasure. Much more pleasant than my messy office. We both had soft drinks, and the barkeep wouldn’t even charge us for them. I made sure to let them know I appreciate their having the service, and told them they are smart to offer it for free. It’s my new office.
How many times a day is this experience reproduced? The free part is critical to my father: if he had to pay a small additional fee for unlimited use that gave him access to a whole network, that might not be as useful to him, and he’d gravitate to places that were free, because he doesn’t spend much time on the road at all.
Oddly, even though I spend as much as a week every 4 to 8 weeks on the road, I still don’t have a monthly unlimited subscription. None of the networks offers me enough coverage for the places I go, nor do the ones with good coverage and unlimited plans have Mac clients. I expect this will change soon.
Posted by Glennf at 4:23 PM | Comments (2) | TrackBack
At a conference in Seattle, big thinkers are discussing the affects of ubiquitous computing: Wi-Fi isn’t mentioned much in this piece but wireless technologies of any kind will clearly play a role in many of the visions described here. This is a really interesting piece on how ubiquitous computing might change some really mundane things, like where we go to do our jobs.
Researchers are taking cues from the way that people use technology in ways that marketing folks haven’t dictated. So they study instant messagers, bloggers and flash mobbers. One researcher was surprised to find that users of a college campus system that lets users know the location of other users tended to IM most with nearby classmates.
Posted by nancyg at 10:19 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
Research firm ABI expects revenue for WiMAX and 802.20 gear to reach $1.5 billion in 2008: If incumbent broadband service providers decide to use WiMAX that figure could be much higher, the study showed.
A Newsfactor story also points to WiMAX as a potentially lucrative industry in the near future. The piece generally looks at how wireless, both mobile and fixed, has given a boost to the flailing telecom market.
But WiMAX and Wi-Fi could be better used if more and different spectrum were available, says an Intel VP. If operators could use spectrum in the lower bands, say around 400 Mhz, they could do more with the technology because signals could go through thicker walls and wouldn’t be subject to rain fade. But to standardize on a different frequency around the globe would take a major undertaking.
Posted by nancyg at 10:04 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
Voice over W-Fi can’t make it in the mainstream unless it offers a different application than cell phones: So theorizes this ZDNet UK columnist and he has some good points. The fact that cellular networks are already ubiquitous and the majority of the population in some countries have cell phones means that voice over Wi-Fi can’t be a me-too service or no one will want it. He thinks that Wi-Fi will need a killer app, presumably one that takes advantage of its high broadband capabilities. Music or video services might convince potential customers to buy into voice over Wi-Fi.
The most important unknown with voice over Wi-Fi is the role that the cellular carriers will play. If they decide they want to take advantage of Wi-Fi and start building chips into their phones, then voice over Wi-Fi will work in the mass market. But so far the operators have been very non-committal on where they stand with integrating Wi-Fi into their phones.
Posted by nancyg at 10:02 AM | Comments (2) | TrackBack
Hughes said it will integrate Proxim APs into its Internet satellite terminals: Hughes DirecWay customers, who receive satellite-based Internet service, can distribute that service using Wi-Fi.
Posted by nancyg at 9:59 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
The Lake Tahoe ski resort is now covered in Wi-Fi, courtesy of Exwire: Future services on the network will let PDA users see where their friends are within the resort.
Exwire is charging $2.50 an hour, $8 a day, $21 per week or $29 per month.
Posted by nancyg at 9:58 AM | Comments (1) | TrackBack
Two Czech companies are encouraging customers to share their broadband connections via Wi-Fi and charge their neighbors: Customers subscribe to DSL from Wia, a service provider. WideNet sets them up with the Wi-Fi gear and then publishes the location of the site. Then nearby residents who may want to use the network buy a Wi-Fi card. When the nearby residents first go online they will see a page that asks for credit card information. They pay less the longer the subscription they sign up for. The AP owner gets 65 percent of the revenue, which is collected and distributed by WideNet.
Speakeasy has a similar deal where if a customer decides to use Wi-Fi to share their connection with neighbors, Speakeasy will bill the neighbor for the customer. The key here is that Speakeasy in the United States and Wia in the Czech Republic are broadband service providers and they approve of sharing. Other service providers, like Time Warner in New York, aren’t so happy about sharing.
Posted by nancyg at 9:56 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
Comverse demonstrated a product that lets Wi-Fi users send SMS messages to cell phones: This may seem like a no-brainer but SMS isn’t an IP-based system—so you can’t send an actual SMS from any computer. This blurb, however, makes it sound like wireless operators may be migrating toward IP SMS systems.
Here is an actual press release from Comverse on the capability. The idea is to let Wi-Fi-enabled PDA users send and receive SMS with cell phone users.
It will be interesting to see if this is the way people will want to message between devices or if instant message clients, which are already becoming available on cell phones, will handle messaging between cell phones and devices like PDAs.
Posted by nancyg at 9:53 AM | Comments (1) | TrackBack
Users can wirelessly download pictures from their PCs to the picture frame: I’ve always thought these digital frames were kind of silly. But if there’s a market for them, Wi-Fi should make them more attractive because without it transferring pictures is probably pretty cumbersome.
Posted by nancyg at 9:49 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
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Zyxel offers built-in RADIUS with 802.1X in a $149 box: This is a pretty amazing bargain, considering that it can support 25 authenticated users using a local database, VLAN segregation, WDS bridging, and on and on. Too bad it’s only an 802.11b device, but I expect that’s a short-term issue. I’ve asked for a review unit from the company so I can provide some more real-world details. [via SmallNetBuilder]
Posted by Glennf at 7:46 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
Smart devices may achieve the ultimate vision for Wi-Fi: With a Wi-Fi cloud stretching everywhere, turning on the stove can be done remotely. More so than Internet access, remote control may be the killer app for Wi-Fi.
Maybe. A lot of “ifs” surround the reality of Wi-Fi-enabled everything, including the kitchen stove. But the vision is pretty cool.
Posted by nancyg at 10:15 AM | Comments (3) | TrackBack
Sun and Pronto are coming out with a platform aimed at carriers and other operators of large hot spot networks: The offering aims to make it easy to provision, deploy and manage large public networks.
The platform enables support for a number of payment-related functions, such as support for prepaid and post-paid pricing, SIM and SMS authentication, roaming settlement and revenue distribution among partners.
The announcement mentions that the platform includes a policy agent that authenticates users against the Java System Identity Server and enforces network policy, but it does not mention support for 802.1X. The product may be a tough sell without 1X.
Posted by nancyg at 10:11 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
Pyramid Computer will include Interlink Network’s RADIUS software and 802.1X support in its Ben Hur II product: Ben Hur is an appliance that manages network communications. The combined offering will be available during the fourth quarter.
Posted by nancyg at 10:06 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
The new Dell PDA is the cheapest on the market that includes Wi-Fi: An extensive review here is generally positive.
Posted by nancyg at 10:03 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
The only way for Wi-Fi chip makers to survive is to integrate their chips with other functions: At least that’s the conclusion of an editor with EE Times. He suggests that the chipmakers that have tried to set themselves apart from the rest by improving the performance of their chips haven’t been successful. But those that integrate functions such as DSL into a Wi-Fi chip will add value, appeal to a certain market and avoid the “massacre” in the Wi-Fi chip market.
It’s a good theory, seeing as chipmakers have been killing themselves trying to offer the best power savings and coverage boost. They may be better off tying in other functions in order to differentiate themselves.
Posted by nancyg at 10:01 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
While we’re not big fans of proprietary standards, this is a good indication of the future: If you own one of several D-Link 802.11g products, you can now download the firmware upgrade that boosts the maximum speed among D-Link devices to 108 Mbps. (Really, it’s Atheros under the hood that’s providing this bump. We don’t know if all Atheros-based G gear will interoperate at 108 Mbps, but it’s likely.) Actual throughput? We don’t know yet.
The 802.11n committee at the IEEE will be working on increasing the rated speed of wireless LANs and improving the net throughput. Real-world experiments like Atheros and D-Link’s might provide data points, but they almost certainly won’t increase market share. Most home users don’t need 108 Mbps raw, and wouldn’t have a good reason to use it. Business users wouldn’t buy consumer gear, nor would they buy a proprietary solution that didn’t have a guaranteed upgrade path.
Remember D-Link’s previous chip vendor Texas Instruments’s 802.11b+ (PBCC-based 22 Mbps)? Those chips can’t be taken to 802.11g, and I doubt Atheros would guarantee that 802.11g + 108 Mbps could be brought up to 802.11n (nor should they make such a promise). [via eHomeUpgrade]
Posted by Glennf at 10:12 AM | Comments (4) | TrackBack
STSN deploys Wi-Fi throughout the Swindon Marriott in the U.K. : The service will support secure VPN access for corporate users and will be available everywhere in the hotel. This installation marks 461 Wi-Fi-enabled hotels for STSN.
Posted by nancyg at 10:06 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
Swisscom and TeliaSonera sign a roaming agreement: It seems like European hot spot operators are signing lots of roaming agreements so each operator will be responsible for building hot spots in its own territory and rely on the hot spots of others for roaming customers. This announcement doesn’t specify if roamers will pay extra to use hot spots run by another operator, but we expect so.
TeliaSonera now has an enormous roaming footprint through partnerships across Europe, allowing its members a single login and single bill for their extensive travel—Swedes at least, spend a lot of time outside of the country, especially in those long winter months when charter flights whisk sun-starved natives off to Sardinia and elsewhere.
Posted by nancyg at 9:50 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
Security still a deal breaker for some companies that could benefit from WLANs: Some departments in Boeing are deciding to hold off on WLANs until 802.11i because they don’t want to make two upgrades—the first to 1x—in two years. This is a very in-depth piece exploring Boeing’s needs and challenges.
Despite all the work on upgrading 802.11 security, security seems to still be a major gating factor for the highly security-conscious companies.
Posted by nancyg at 9:47 AM | Comments (1) | TrackBack
Odd article starts out looking at conflict between government agencies and private companies: But the information about government bodies using Wi-Fi is off-base. For instance, the piece notes that many airports are run by government agencies that offer Wi-Fi in the terminals, presumably for free. All the large commercial airports I know of that have Wi-Fi charge for the service and most use third-party companies to manage the networks. Perhaps the author is referring to smaller airports for private planes?
The article also points to the fact that agencies like the FCC run their own Wi-Fi hot spots in their lobbies. So does the author think that instead Wayport ought to offer service there? It seems reasonable to me that the FCC should offer its own Wi-Fi service to its workers and visitors.
This is a pretty misguided article by someone who doesn’t have a firm grasp of the free vs. fee topic.
Posted by nancyg at 9:44 AM | Comments (2) | TrackBack
Ephraim Schwartz wonders if Microsoft’s Wireless Provisioning Services (WPS) is a way under the tent flap for proprietary configuration: Microsoft’s WPS is apparently an automatic configuration tool that will allow users with Windows XP and hotspots running Windows Server 2003 somewhere in the authentication chain to have a handshake that doesn’t require a user to manually configure settings.
Schwartz wonders if this is a way for Microsoft, outside of a standard process, to lock in hotspots to using something that doesn’t necessarily interoperate with many other platforms and even other Windows’ versions.
It’s clear that Microsoft’s focus on improving link-level security in Windows XP is strategic: they don’t want to devote lots of resources to re-engineering old versions of their system, and they want enterprises to abandon NT and 2000 in favor of XP, which the company will now be selling in the same architectural form until 2006, Longhorn’s new shipping…uh, year.
But if you examine the flip side of the equation, as Nancy Gohring did yesterday, T-Mobile has said that they’ll support WPS, but that they’ll also work with any 802.1X client. 802.1X, just to remind everyone, is sung by three parts: a client, a port-restricted access point or switch, and an authentication server. The client can talk just to the AP or switch, which passes authentication messages (using EAPOL or EAPOW) to a server.
Because 802.1X allows continuous messaging, not only does each user in such a system receive a unique WEP or WPA key, but those keys can be rotated at whatever frequency a network administrator decides with zero involvement by the user.
The advantages for 802.1X in the hotspot world are enormous, and WISPs should consider subsidizing distribution of 802.1X clients to their customers of all platforms. If you review the client compatibility lists at Meetinghouse and Funk, you can see that an enormous range of platforms are available: all Windows flavors (98 and later), Mac OS X 10.2, Linux (kernel 2.4), and Solaris. On the backside, most hotspots are using some kind of RADIUS or AAA solution already.
In the open-source world, 802.1X has lagged severely due to lack of non-enterprise interest in the spec. WISPs should just build 802.1X into their clients (as T-Mobile and ostensibly Boingo is doing) or give away third-party clients. (The latest version of Open 1x appears to be moving along, however.)
Users, of course, are responsible for their own security in the hotspot world, and hotspots have gone out of their way to highlight this. The 802.1X-in-the-hotspot solution makes it possible for casual users to have a relatively high degree of data encryption without the overhead.
I’m hoping that the WPS system developed by Microsoft doesn’t overshadow the general benefits of 802.1X in the hotspot. In fact, if Microsoft’s new way of doing things extends here, the company will release the specification, allowing others to consider adopting it or extending it.
(Note that the brief entry pointed to says WPA several times when WPS is intended. I sent them a note.)
Posted by Glennf at 7:08 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
If you already subscribed to the new Wi-Fi Networking News mailing list, you can now set digest mode: Sorry about the difficulty, but you can now set the digest mode for the mailing list so that you receive a single message each day containing that day’s posts.
This didn’t work earlier today, but has been fixed. Send email to lyis@news.wifnetnews.com with just the words:
set wifinetnews digest
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Posted by Glennf at 12:13 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
InfoWorld ran a story I wrote about the difference between WLAN switches and gateway solutions: It was a rough process pulling this together, but the result is accurate.
The story is designed for IT managers who want to install a wide-scale WLAN but must decide between the different management tools that are available today. While I generally categorized the solutions as gateways, layer 2 switches, and layer 3 switches, each option has its own idiosyncrasies that make it unique. Those subtle differences make it hard to come up with generalizations about which solution best meets any given enterprise need.
I hate to suggest a move that will slow down market adoption, but after writing this story I think if I were an IT manager I’d probably put off the decision as long as I could. There are too many start ups in the market and too many different ways of managing a big network to be able to make a smart choice on a product that is likely to survive for very long.
This sidebar offers some more details about the risk and uncertainty in the WLAN management space.
Posted by nancyg at 11:36 AM | Comments (1) | TrackBack
TechDirt reports that the Wi-Fi network built to cover the island of Niue has been shut down: Apparently the free network that covered the entire Polynesian island was built without proper authorization from the government.
This is a case of the government shooting itself in the foot. Only between 1,000 and 2,000 people live on the island (reports vary). Yachters stop by the island a lot and have enjoyed the network. If Wi-Fi draws tourists and their dollars, you’d think the government would support the idea.
Posted by nancyg at 11:15 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
The TGV, the French high-speed train, will offer Wi-Fi access in the passenger cars on certain routes. Travelers can use their own laptops or rent one from a station.
Also, a company called Makkina News has created an Internet TV channel with business news stories that passengers can watch on their laptops. [via Eddy, the story is written in French]
Posted by nancyg at 11:02 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
Just to clarify and add a couple points to the short Seattle Times blurb. T-Mobile sounds really open about playing with a wide variety of 802.1X clients, not just the one offered by Microsoft. Users of Meetinghouse’s Aegis and Funk’s Odyssey clients can also use T-Mobile’s more secure network — and those two companies offer clients for many platforms, including various flavors of Windows, Mac OS, and Unix/Linux. In addition, T-Mobile will support open-source clients.
Another interesting tidbit that didn’t make it into the blurb is that T-Mobile will make its own client. T-Mobile is currently working with Boingo, which is developing a customer client for them that allows both 2.5G cellular and Wi-Fi connections, and we assume that this new 802.1X authentication is part of that deal.
The 1X upgrade will be quite an undertaking seeing as T-Mobile workers will have to go out and touch each AP to add software and firmware. Currently, T-Mobile has 3,000 hot spots and they predict 4,000 by year’s end. The effort should be worth it, considering that 88 percent of T-Mobile’s hot spot users are business people.
T-Mobile offered a couple of other unspecific points about network usage. The company has noticed more data travelling over its network, which Pete Thompson, director of marketing for T-Mobile hot spots, attributes to customer comfort with using the network. “People are happy and satisfied with the system and they’re starting to change their behavior,” he said.
Thompson also clarified a stat he gave up earlier when he said that the average session time is 45 minutes. The average time is pretty venue specific, he said. In retail venues, the average is closer to an hour but in places like airports where customers don’t have a lot of time the average is lower.
Posted by nancyg at 10:48 AM | Comments (1) | TrackBack
Boingo Wireless to roam with UK’s The Cloud; details to come: Boingo announced that they are finalizing an arrangement to allow their customers access to the currently 2,500 hot spots operated by The Cloud in the UK, which is adding 100 more hot spots each week.
In email follow-up, a Boingo spokesperson confirmed that the date that roaming will start and the terms of roaming aren’t yet set: will users pay a per-session fee or have their usage included in an unlimited Boingo package? That’s still to be determined when the integration is finished.
Posted by Glennf at 10:46 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
IceFyre Semiconductor has come out with an 802.11a/b/g chip: Like its more established competitors, IceFyre says the chip will boost range and cut power consumption in half.
The existing chipmakers with name recognition are struggling to win market share. I don’t envy IceFyre as a new entrant.
Posted by nancyg at 10:25 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
The trade ministry in Israel just officially set aside spectrum for Wi-Fi and Bluetooth: I wonder if people there have used Wi-Fi illegally without this designation? I’m surprised that the country is just approving Wi-Fi use seeing as Israel has a quite advanced wireless technology industry, including Alvarion, which has its headquarters there.
Posted by nancyg at 10:23 AM | Comments (2) | TrackBack
The Guardian takes a nice look at the hot spot market in the U.K.: Just like in the U.S., operators there are playing with different ways of offering service. One provider, Broadreach, always puts PCs in its hot spot locations so customers can use the network without bringing in their own laptop.
One difference in the way hot spots work in the U.K. compared to the U.S. is T-Mobile’s deployment. At Starbucks in the U.K., customers who aren’t regular subscribers must buy a voucher from the barista to use the network by the hour or day. The vouchers expire if customers don’t use them within a time frame. It seems this process discourages use.
I wonder why T-Mobile doesn’t just set it up like in Starbucks in the U.S. where you can buy a day’s use online? Maybe in the U.K., it’s an issue of people using credit cards and their comfort with making online purchases.
Posted by nancyg at 10:21 AM | Comments (2) | TrackBack
This press release is a nice roundup of a few interesting Wi-Fi deployments: iAnywhere is a subsidiary of Sybase and offers software and services to companies looking for Wi-Fi networks.
One of the deployments described here is by Britannia Airways, which uses Wi-Fi in its crew rooms for cabin crew and pilots to check rosters, updated destination details, and air traffic control notices. The system automates 50 paper-based workflow processes.
Another cool one is at a department store in Korea. Sales clerks carry wireless terminals that let them process purchases from anywhere, reducing lines at cash registers.
Posted by nancyg at 10:15 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
BP in New Zealand is adding Wi-Fi to its cafes at gas stations: Once 802.11g products are widely deployed in the market, I think implementations like this one will start to appeal more to the mass market. Ideally people could pull into the gas station and download music or movies to their Wi-Fi-enabled cars. Such entertainment applications will draw additional users.
(Glenn notes that Estonia was the first country in which Wi-Fi was available at gas stations — apparently, they pioneered a number of interesting combinations of Wi-Fi and other services, but are rarely cited because of their remoteness.)
Posted by nancyg at 10:11 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
T-Mobile will use 802.1X authentication to secure local Wi-Fi links: Nancy will have more on this story later today — she filed a brief with the Seattle Times this morning about it — but I wanted to push out a more general note.
Security at hot spots has been one of the bugaboos of the industry. 802.1X authentication with secured EAP (in this case, Protected EAP or PEAP) allows the secure login of a user and then secure exchange of unique WEP or WPA encryption keys.
This means that a T-Mobile user with Windows XP using a software update that Microsoft promises for early next year will be able to have their own separately encrypted local channel. Unless T-Mobile has made mistakes on the gateway side that would allow employees to tap into the access point or router — which seems a much lower threshold of worry — customers with the right software and without VPN access suddenly have a very high degree of local link security and integrity.
Posted by Glennf at 7:02 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
Microsoft releases garble, something, yadda, to allow automatic provisioning of garble garble: This press release from Microsoft is so full of jargon, market-speke, and other obsfuscating details, that I’m not sure what they’re saying.
I think they’re announcing an update to Windows XP which will appear next quarter that will let hotspots more easily allow arbitrary users to login using PEAP and 802.1X. We’ll see if it turns out to be what the announcement meant.
If I’d written the release, I might have said, “Microsoft is using software already built into Wiindows XP to let hotspot users enter a login name and password in a profile, click a single button, and have a secure connection that other users in the same location can’t snoop on because of robust encryption.”
A little clearer? Maybe still obscure.
Posted by Glennf at 8:56 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
If NIST approves 802.11i, then VPNs may be optional in governmental installations: Mat