Portland network passes evaluation: The City of Roses says that an independent survey of the first phase of MetroFi's network meets the contracted specifications. The network has 70 nodes running and 230 awaiting this milestone to switch on.

Microsoft quietly fixes risky Wi-Fi connection behavior: Paul Rubens notes that Microsoft made big announcement about a fix a few months ago that improves security in Wi-Fi connections in Windows XP SP2 by reducing the amount of information broadcast and the kinds of ad hoc connections created by default.

Common Linux Wi-Fi can be fuzzed: The Wi-Fi drivers for Atheros chips from Madwifi--originally a port and now a fresh Linux codebase--could be exploited through techniques documented last year by David Maynor and Jon Ellch (with help from many others). The exploit can affect machines just looking for Wi-Fi beacons. The fix is out, but because of the lack of monolithic Linux releases, updates may require manual patches. Likewise, however, there's little danger of a widespread attack.

Wi-Fi iPod parts ordered? A lot of dubiousness about this DigiTimes report that two Taiwan firms will build and assemble iPods with Wi-Fi built in.

Clearer coverage of Cambridge, Mass., sensor net: The early reports on this wireless network spanning MIT and Harvard's hometown was muddled. MIT Technology Review provides a better picture, noting that early two-radio nodes, already installed, will monitor pollution and atmospheric conditions.

Concord, Calif., network launches: MetroFi covers 10.5 sq mi or 60 percent of the city in the first phase.

Review of Sansa Connect wireless music player says it's unlike an iPod, and that's okay: The Wi-Fi connection is key to enjoying music, photos. Integration with Yahoo is quite tight. The reviewer has a number of provisos about setting up the unit and some wireless glitches. But it sounds like the first portable player to look at the Internet as the main medium rather than the local network with computers on it. The Apple iPhone may have a similar orientation for some parts of its operation.