Network Chemistry has developed a platform that will render “integrated facility and endpoint wireless security.” It has revamped its RFprotect Distributed platform, hardware and software to extend the coverage to all areas that a mobile worker may roam, with the use of a unified control panel with automated policy enforcement capabilities. The reworked RFprotect Distributed… Continue Reading
Category Archives: Commentary
Motorola: Metro Wi-Fi’ll Never Happen
Juan Santiago, senior director of product management at Motorola, believes Metro WiFi is a futile attempt to bring WiFi outdoors. Such is the case because Metro WiFi in unlicensed, free and, various devices create too much interference to allow it to work properly. Such venture will also fail because operating an outdoor WiFi is too… Continue Reading
Users And Vendors Make WiMax Plans
At the WiMax World in Boston, vendors unveiled plans on how they plan to take advantage of and are using the emerging technology. Roy Russell, founding chief technology officer of Zipcar in Cambridge, Massachusetts, believes his company can use WiMax to boost bandwidth to its fleet of 2,000 cars. He sees the possibility of installing… Continue Reading
Why Sprint Says WiMax Is 4G
Sprint CTO Barry West regards WiMax the 4G technology because not only is it faster, it is also cheaper. According to West, WiMax causes a 10-fold improvement in the price-per-bit as it uses a wider channel. The current CDMA networks run on a 1.25-MHz channel and can deliver a maximum of 4 bits per hertz,… Continue Reading
Testing For WiMAX Wireless Broadband
Rohde & Schwarz has unveiled SMU200A, SMATE200A and SMJ100A signal generators, which have SMx-K49 option installed. The devices can generate OFDM signals in line with the 802.16-2004 and the 802.16e-2005 standards. The SMU200A can be furnished with two different baseband modules, fading options, additional noise sources and two RF paths to create different test scenarios.… Continue Reading
Product Introductions Set The Stage For WiMax
WiMax is gaining momentum as major firms continue to unveil devices and plans to support the technology. Motorola announced it will sell WiMax wireless modems early next year and WiMax chipsets in 2008. Nokia, meanwhile, will release Flexi WiMax base station for the 2.5-GHz band by the end of 2007 and the 3.5-GHz version in… Continue Reading
California Law To Require Wi-Fi Warnings
Starting October 1, 2007, manufacturers should include security warning stickers on all wireless home networking equipment sold in California. The “Wi-Fi User Protection Bill,” which Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger signed into law on September 30, 2006, aims to block unauthorized sharing of open WiFi networks and inform consumers of the dangers associated to using unsecured networks.… Continue Reading
Europe Jumps On Wi-Fi Bandwagon
WiFi is experiencing rising popularity in Europe as demonstrated by the considerable increase in the deployment of wireless hotspots in the continent. According to a new study by BroadGroup Tariff Services, the number of hotspots in the region grew by 28 percent from May 2005 to September 2006. Majority of these devices are found in… Continue Reading
Enterprise Wi-Fi Rollout Gathers Pace
The demand for enteprise equipment, according to IDC, is on the upswing, with a 14 percent increase in total revenues over the last 12 months. Still the segment is much smaller than the consumer market, which continues to drive the European WLAN market. End-user revenues from WLAN equipment in this region amounted to $1.2 billion… Continue Reading
U.K. Hotel Wi-Fi Rates Slammed
The latest edition of “The Good Hotel Guide” criticized the exorbitant WiFi rates in U.K. hotels. According to the report, some hotels demand £5 per hour of use, though running a WiFi network is relatively low-cost. The annual publication, which offers free listings and does not run advertising, uses reader input as the basis for… Continue Reading
Chicago Spreads Welcome Mat For Citywide Wi-Fi
The city of Chicago is calling for proposals to build a WiFi network that could cover at least 90 percent of the city and provide free or low-cost Internet connection. The network should deliver a speed of no less than one 1 Mbps. Aside from fully financing and owning the network, the contract winner will… Continue Reading
Wi-Fi? Why Not?
WiFi-enabled phones are the hottest products to hit the market, with Nokia launching several gadgets that it labeled as “multimedia computers” with built-in Wi-Fi capabilities. French wireless operator Orange is now offering its ulink service that will allow customers in Paris to make unlimited local calls with the use of a WiFi phone. T-Mobile plans… Continue Reading
Hidden Dangers Of Free Public WiFi
For cyber criminals, free wireless public networks provide great tools for stealing sensitive data of laptop owners. Users who are therefore not familiar with procedures to secure their computers could become victims of a “channeling” attack, a practice that allows hackers to obtain online banking passwords and other personal information by creating a fake access… Continue Reading
Going Wireless Sounds Good In Theory
More and more Canadian small businesses are turning to combined systems of wired and wireless networks to improve office productivity. Hybrid solutions allow for more mobility and enable companies to maximize investment in hardware, peripherals and wired networks. Speed is one major reason why companies opt not to go completely wireless at the moment. “If… Continue Reading
WLAN Vendor Colubris Reaps $14 Million In New Backing
WLAN vendor Colubris has obtained a further $14 million in venture capital funding. Its investors include Prism VentureWorkds, GrandBanks, Capital, Doll Capital Management, Mid-Atlantic Ventures Funds, Telecommunications Development Fund and Business Development Bank of Canada. Including their previous investments, the companies have entrusted $50 million to Columbris, which provides wireless LAN equipment to carriers and… Continue Reading