Why Wi-Fi Will Die

[Jason Dunn]

<a href="http://www.wirelessweek.com/index.asp?layout=story&amp;articleId=LN466D-RBF0-01CS-R0JY-00000-00">http://www.wirelessweek.com/index.asp?layout=story&amp;articleId=LN466D-RBF0-01CS-R0JY-00000-00</a><br /><br />The author of this article has some interesting points, but when you boil it all down, he's basically saying "802.11b won't last forever." Well, duh. <img src="http://www.pocketpcthoughts.com/forums/images/smiles/icon_rolleyes.gif" /> Very few technologies have a long shelf life, and ultimately all standards evolve into newer, faster, cleaner versions of their former selves. I'll agree with him on this though: with the limitations around 802.11b, it may be the wrong technology to roll out in public spaces around the world. But given the current price point, how could we resist?<br /> <br />"Wireless networks based on the Wi-Fi (IEEE 802.11b) specification are the great success story of the last two years. With the exception of network security, they're the only part of the computer and telecom industry that's grown as the bubble deflated. Unlike increased security, whose necessity will only be celebrated by vendors and consultants, Wi-Fi brings real benefits.<br /><br />For no more than the cost of a typical cab ride or long distance call, a Wi-Fi card gives laptop and PDA users the same freedom with data that cell phones provide for voice. It can be used in offices, homes, and even public spaces, leading to hopes that Wi-Fi will form the future public network. Nonprofit community groups and for-profit service providers hope that cheap Wireless LANs (WLANs) will be able to compete with expensive mobile systems. They could be right, but Wi-Fi still has no long-term future." Source: angelseye2000

[Pony99CA]

For no more than the cost of a typical cab ride or long distance call, a Wi-Fi card gives laptop and PDA users the same freedom with data that cell phones provide for voice.
I wonder who the author's long distance carrier is? :-) Have WiFi cards dropped to the $10 price range yet? Not that I've seen.

Steve

P.S. #100 on the 4th of July! Cool.

[ThomasC22]

Ummm...yeah...whatever.

Really, I think the author makes a good point in that many people are considering Wi-Fi to be the be-all-end-all technology rather than what it actually is which is basically a place holder until global networks (e.g. Cellular networks probably) get up to a decent speed.

I do have to admit, although its great to have a 802.11b transmitter in an airport or school library (where money is spent every year to make the customer experience better) cities that are considering long term plans such as building them into street lamps and such are making a mistake.

[JonnoB]

Really, I think the author makes a good point in that many people are considering Wi-Fi to be the be-all-end-all technology rather than what it actually is which is basically a place holder until global networks (e.g. Cellular networks probably) get up to a decent speed.

It won't be the existing cellular networks, but the same carriers using a new technology. Mobile phone carriers are still too slow in progressing.. and for every leap in speed they make, there will be a newer technology like WiFi that the masses can (and will) use.

We as users also eat up our bandwidth... as networks get faster, we fill the pipe with more data and wonder why things don't seem any faster than they were 'back in the day'

[Dave Conger]

Mobile phone carriers are still too slow in progressing.. and for every leap in speed they make, there will be a newer technology like WiFi that the masses can (and will) use.

WiFi isn't wireless that the "masses" can use together like cellular data. Companies can't just stick a WiFi base station on a cell tower with a low power amp. WiFi is still a local technology. It only travels a couple hundred feet, and then you are down to cell data or Bluetooth speeds. Mobile phone carriers are broacasting from much further away.

[The Half-Ling]

Wi-Fi will die because it is already being developed on ways to make stroger wireless products, to network neighborhoods and stuff, I would see this as being much more appealing than 802.11 oh well wi-fi got us in the right direction

Jake

[JonnoB]

WiFi isn't wireless that the "masses" can use together like cellular data. Companies can't just stick a WiFi base station on a cell tower with a low power amp. WiFi is still a local technology. It only travels a couple hundred feet, and then you are down to cell data or Bluetooth speeds. Mobile phone carriers are broacasting from much further away.

Although not what it was, Ricochet is an example of WiFi (or similar technology) being local based, but successful in the area of potential competition to traditional cellular connectivity. As more telephony services become packet enabled, WiFi derivitives will be more practical. There is already a company that is taking standard WiFi and making it useable in a 10+ mile radius.

[Dave Conger]

There is already a company that is taking standard WiFi and making it useable in a 10+ mile radius.

Earthlink for one is trying to work with the WiFi (meaning 802.11b) for wireless. One difference in WiFi and a service like Ricochet is that WiFi service can be put in place by a number of people connecting a number of WiFi hubs (wirelessly of course) creating a sort of net. But going back to companies using WiFi, the problem with adopting 802.11b into a larger radius is you get into FCC regualtion problems because of the frequencies used.

[Will T Smith]

With such lame security, how can anyone pimp this for universal adoption.

Wi-Fi is like advertising "hack-me". Hopping on a wireless LAN station in many cases completely sidesteps the firewall protecting your compute from other hell. When one factors in the availability of "non-routable" protocols like NetBUI and service/setup oriented protocols on a local hub, Wi-Fi is a hackers dream and exposes the safety, privacy, and security of your data to serious jeapordy.

Seriously, I would not be surprised to see some lawsuits over this eventually as people get hit by some nasty incidents and even the emergence of Wi-Fi viruses designed to spread as infected equipment physically roams from one LAN to another.

[ThomasC22]

Although not what it was, Ricochet is an example of WiFi (or similar technology) being local based, but successful in the area of potential competition to traditional cellular connectivity. As more telephony services become packet enabled, WiFi derivitives will be more practical. There is already a company that is taking standard WiFi and making it useable in a 10+ mile radius.

I hear what your saying and what it sounds like to me is "Short Term, Short Term".

Don't get me wrong, if some relative of Wi-Fi finds a way to transmit for miles that may be different but as it stands, as PDADave said, there is no way anyone is going to deploy a wireless station every few miles.

Whatever technology takes over will have to have the broadcast strength of at least current cell. phone towers. I mean, look at how far cell. phone towers currently broadcast and we STILL can't get good reception everywhere.

[JonnoB]

Don't get me wrong, if some relative of Wi-Fi finds a way to transmit for miles that may be different but as it stands, as PDADave said, there is no way anyone is going to deploy a wireless station every few miles.


Don't need to wait much. There is a company that is providing service to the entire city of Oakland and Cambell with WiFi loaded with modified firmware to get cell tower like coverage.... Sure, WiFi will evolve, but I think it could evolve to replace Cell and BT uses.

[Dave Conger]

There is a company...

What company? I would be interested to see their service plans.