Category: Commentary

The 802.11 chip market will reach $720 million this year and is on track to top $1 billion in 2005, but 802.11n will not happen quickly, according to a new report. Via [reed-electronics.com]

As great as it is, Wi-Fi isn't the only game in town for connecting to the Web while on the road. Via [freep.com]

Bob Metcalfe, the inventor of the Ethernet networking standard, knows a thing or two about the computer industry. He has seen it shift from mainframe to minicomputer to personal computer in his long tenure on the technology mound. Now he says that computing is moving to a new era, with wireless as the platform. Via...

People who seek anytime, anywhere Internet access face trade-offs between 3G service over cell phones and high-speed WiFi data "hot spots." Could high-quality phone calls over wireless networks tip the scales in favor of WiFi? Via [technologyreview.com]

Even though 802.11i has been done for a while and companies have been steadily announcing support for this finalized security standard, there have also been a rash of announcements talking about new security issues that 802.11i can't prevent, such as DDOS attacks and holes in RADIUS servers. Such is the world of networking. Via [wi-fiplanet.com]...

A research note from Meta Group points to WiMax - just now becoming known as a broadband wireless standard that works over wide areas - as a way for some telcos to compete with incumbent local operators for voice services. It means they don't have to use copper lines or voice over IP technology. Via...

Emerging broadband wireless technology gives users more room to roam. It offers flexibility, ease of use and built-in security. WiMax wants to be your wireless everything. With a line-of-sight range of up to 30 miles, WiMax is the next step in the evolution of the wireless local-area network concept of Wi-Fi, which has only a...

The latest edition of ABI Research's "Wi-Fi Quarterly Service" shows solid second quarter growth across the bundle of wireless networking technologies collectively known as Wi-Fi.

While 802.11b wireless networking has freed many mobile device users from wires and expensive cellular data plans, many PDAs still don't offer the technology. Via [wi-fiplanet.com]

With performance at a premium for enterprises packing their WLANs with heavy-duty applications such as voice over IP, wireless gear makers are finding ways to improve the speed and security of the networks. Via [eweek.com]

Cellphone makers plan to release so-called Wi-Fi phones ahead of schedule, bringing new threats and opportunities to wireless carriers and traditional phone service providers. Via [insight.zdnet.co.uk]

Borrowing a neighbor's unsecured Wi-Fi signal could be against the law. Or it might be legal. The law is unclear, said cyberlawyer Mark Rasch. Via [internetweek.com]

Cell phone makers plan to release so-called Wi-Fi phones ahead of schedule, bringing new threats and opportunities to wireless carriers and traditional phone service providers. Via [news.com.com]

Is it really any wonder that wireless LAN service providers continue to struggle to generate a sustainable revenue stream when they pay so little attention to the needs of the end users they are targeting? Via [computerworld.com]

WiFi-in-the-sky works very well, thank you, but what I learned about it in my aerial experiments this week included some surprises. Via [pbs.org]