After years of working to establish the Juan Valdez image as the symbol for Columbian coffee on supermarket store shelves, a federation of Columbian coffee growers is opening its first Juan Valdez coffeehouses, and has turned to Sprint to supply its communications services, including Wi-Fi access. Via [wirelessweek.com]
Parts 1 and 2 of this of this 4-part series, we discussed some of the reasons for making the switch to Wi-Fi, the all-important site survey, and what components make up a WLAN. In this, part 3 of our series, we'll discuss some of the issues that inevitably crop up and a list of the...
WiMAX products are set to increasingly compete with existing landline broadband technologies and eventually even mobile broadband technologies as DSL and cable penetration continues to grow while WiMAX products push for certification, according to Boston-based market research firm the Yankee Group. Via [reed-electronics.com]
Just when it seemed that the wireless networking alphabet soup was starting to make sense, a new flavor -- 802.11n -- promises to spice up wireless LAN (WLAN) standards once again. Even though 802.11a, b and g are already in the bowl, one vendor is pioneering this new technology years ahead of the standards groups,...
My first stop on the hotspot road trip brings me to Chicago, where it's easier to find a hotspot than a parking space. After circling the blocks around Millennium Park looking for street parking (old city habits die hard), I finally give up and pull into a garage. Via [wi-fiplanet.com]
Good news for travelers who'd rather spend their money on souvenirs: Free wireless access is gaining popularity with businesses and public venues. Via [usatoday.com]
Tropos Networks, a developer of equipment for metro-sized Wi-Fi mesh networks, announced Tuesday a new mesh cell that works in vehicles. Via [internetweek.com]
Network Chemistry, a provider of RF (radio frequency) security solutions, announced Monday that new worm-detection capabilities have been added to its RFprotect Wireless Intrusion Protection System. Via [news.zdnet.com]
Proxim has started selling a software suite to knit access points together and contend with purpose-built wireless switches from other vendors. The suite is made up of a range of software from third parties. Via [arnnet.com.au]
Mobile operator O2 has launched a 3G datacard as part of a service combining general packet radio service (GPRS), 3G and Wi-Fi access. Via [vnunet.com]
Those who vacation on the big boats increasingly are finding themselves able to access the Internet from stem to stern, thanks to Wi-Fi deployments rigged with signal backhaul through satellite connections. Who needs Wi-Fi on vacation? You'd be surprised. Via [wi-fiplanet.com]
Startup Radwin has blended an off-the-shelf 802.11a/g wireless LAN (WLAN) radio with high-gain antennas and a proprietary media access control (MAC) layer to create a point-to-point broadband wireless system for backhaul and enterprise connectivity applications. Via [commsdesign.com]
When Scott Richards is at his home in Portland, Ore., he taps into the Internet using a broadband connection from his office about 5 miles away. There's no wire tethering the two locations. Instead, the Intel Corp. executive connects wirelessly to an antenna on top of his office building that sends a broadband signal to...
Intel has snuffed out a plan to provide consumer desktop PCs with built-in Wi-Fi access points--the latest wrinkle for the chipmaker, which has faced a number of product setbacks this year. Via [news.zdnet.com]
WiMAX (Worldwide Interoperability for Microwave Access) is the IEEE 802.16 standards-based wireless technology that provides MAN (Metropolitan Area Network) broadband connectivity. WiMAX is an Air Interface for Fixed Broadband Wireless Access Systems, also known as the IEEE WirelessMAN air interface. WiMAX-based systems can be used to transmit signals as far as 30 miles. So far,...