Intel's On-Board WiFi: The Death of Wireless Gateway Hardware?

[Jason Dunn]

<div class='os_post_top_link'><a href='http://news.zdnet.co.uk/hardware/emergingtech/0,39020357,39148102,00.htm' target='_blank'>http://news.zdnet.co.uk/hardware/em...39148102,00.htm</a><br /><br /></div>"Intel is encroaching on video-recorder and network-hub manufacturers' territory with its plan for desktop PCs to assume multiple functions. Intel wants desktop PCs to double up as network hubs and video recorders, in a move that could make life tough for the companies that produce those standalone products. The chipmaker will begin midyear by adding wireless networking technology Wi-Fi to an upcoming pair of desktop chipsets. When manufacturers choose a specific version of one of the two new chipsets, they will be able to add the foundation for a built-in Wi-Fi access point nearly for free."<br /><br />Wow. 8O I didn't grasp the boldness of Intel's move until I read this article. My primary PC is a <a href="http://us.shuttle.com/specs2.asp?pro_id=387">SB65G2 from Shuttle</a>, and it came with built-in 802.11b WiFi access. I never enabled it, because it seemed useless to me - I already have a Microsoft MN-700 gateway/firewall/wireless access point, so it was redundant. But after reading this article, I'm looking at this in a new way. Intel is pushing for people to plug their broadband modem into their local PC, and then using the built-in Internet access sharing capabilities of Windows XP, the PC becomes a wireless access point bridged into the high-speed ethernet connection on the PC. Install a software firewall, and you're done.<br /><br />Now, obviously this centralized model has some weaknesses (if the PC is off, you have no wireless access), but the potential to alter the way wireless is implement by home users is huge! And once you have a wirelessly enabled PC crammed full of digital media, suddenly you don't need processing or storage power on the other end, you only need display capabilities. This scenario gets even more compelling when you factor in the local PC having Media Centre or <a href="http://www.snapstream.com/">Beyond TV</a> software on it and a TV tuner. Once Intel gets ramped up to including 802.11g on their chipsets, you'll have enough bandwidth to broadcast video (this is iffy on 802.11b). This is nothing less than an attmept to drive a stake into the heart of Tivo and other PVR manufacturers, and give a good drop-kick to gateway vendors like D-Link, Linksys, and even Microsoft.

[entropy1980]

I don't think it is a stake in the heart at all for several reasons:

1. Not everybody uses Intel products. In fact AMD has been getting a lot of wins recently, last week Dell was considering using Opterons in high end servers, now it's not a desktop but HP offers AMD products and Gateway did at one point (do they still?)
2. I would hate using my PC as a gateway, in the past before home gateways I did it to share my dial-up connection (ugg slow!) it's one more thing to go wrong!
3. Definitely not a stake through the heart of TiVo, Tivo is releasing software at the end of the year to work together with your PC to be able to transfer content from your TiVo to your PC and even burn DVD copies.
4. Dedicated hardware almost always performs better than some hodge podge of swiss-army kinfe-like functionality.

[dorelse]

Jason - My PC is the Shuttle SB61G2R (20th Anv Spc Ed.) Another XPC user. Sweet! I love the XPC's. All I needed in a nice small form factor, with tons of USB port for all my gadget's, and a cool look as well.

I know that Shuttle would like us to think of them as more of a media hub than just a standalone computer. They've got some flash presentation on it...now Intel wants our PC to be the gateway as well...I'm sure I'll be on a couple new XPC's by the time I'm ready for that.

[Jason Dunn]

1. Not everybody uses Intel products. In fact AMD has been getting a lot of wins recently, last week Dell was considering using Opterons in high end servers, now it's not a desktop but HP offers AMD products and Gateway did at one point (do they still?)

As much as I like AMD processors (I've had a few) AMD is sitting at 15% market share (http://www.infoworld.com/article/04/02/03/HNintelamd_1.html), so while that's not insignificant, it's small. And you have to remember that AMD is probably taking the same approach - anyone who's invested in the PC market (Intel, AMD, Microsoft, etc.) wants the PC to be the digital gateway to the home, not a stand-alone PVR running Linux. ;-)

As for your other points, I agree personally, and wouldn't want to take this approach myself (especially with a firewall), but the reality is that most people aren't comfortable deploying a hardware gateway to begin with. ;-)

[Cortex]

a couple of other points....

1. this will greatly increase the size of wi-fi networks and dependence on wi-fi, making the possibility of free wifi access on city wide scale a possibility.

2. because of 1. the developement of distributed processing across wifi will become reality making all of the home networking/centralized entertainment applications look like childs play. afterall, most people with wifi and a Radeon All-In-Wonder card already have this...

cars will be connected, phones, you name it...
true wireless instant access will not be far behind and the software possibilities will only be limited by bandwidth, imagination and social norms.

for example, data could be collected and analyzed for just about anything.

in medicine patients with heart disease could have small wireless heart monitors or patients with seizures could have brainwave monitors that are analyzed real time, remotely and could notify health care providers if a seizure or heart attack occurred.

for cars all of your media data would be available, GPS could be replaced by analyzing locale by triangulating ip addresses and local pings as you pass through overlapping networks, and there would be a need for developing a standard to allow data to be in a format for audio output (it would be read to you) so information can be accessed on the move...

the possibilities are profound....

[Wiggin]

To me, the best part about this article is where the direction is heading, not the specific example of turning a desktop into a WiFi Router. If you continue the logic and evolution, all computing devices will eventually have the ability to "hub" within a WiFi network, and once we hit that mark, and go beyond that mark, WiFi is a replacement for Bluetooth, and the connectivity options become much more flexible than they are today.

Imagine, one protocol/tech standard, easy to use and configure, with WiFi range, as an option to link pc's, entertainment devices, handheld devices, cell phones, ear pieces, Internet hubs, digital cameras, etc... that would be nice
:mrgreen:

[tmulli]

for example, data could be collected and analyzed for just about anything.

Or stolen.

Credit card numbers, bank account numbers, social security, tax information - all yours for the taking just by driving by my house. ID theft will be an even bigger problem.

Now, one could argue that with WAP, anti-virus and firewalls enabled that this is not a concern, but the continued spread of viruses shows that not everyone uses or keeps up-to-date, their security options, despite repeated warnings to do so.

This makes me a little nervous...

[k_kirk]

This would not work for me and many other people who have coverage problems and therefore need to place their AP in an optimal position within their homes. You can move an AP around with minimal fuss but you most likely can't relocate your PC to where it will be at the dead center of your coverage area.

[Jason Dunn]

This would not work for me and many other people who have coverage problems and therefore need to place their AP in an optimal position within their homes. You can move an AP around with minimal fuss but you most likely can't relocate your PC to where it will be at the dead center of your coverage area.

Indeed, good point!

[Christian]

This would not work for me and many other people who have coverage problems and therefore need to place their AP in an optimal position within their homes. You can move an AP around with minimal fuss but you most likely can't relocate your PC to where it will be at the dead center of your coverage area.
Nevertheless, I agree that whether or not you or I will actually take advantage of this new trend, Intel is putting the pressure on other manufacturers in a major way. For one thing, the cost of a hardware WiFi router will be increasingly difficult to justify to consumers. Either way, I applaud Intel for really pushing wireless technology. :way to go:

[k_kirk]

Interesting trend emerging in broadband rich countries around the world is around ISPs giving out the wireless broadband routers free to attract customers. They bind people to a few years contract of course but eh...

I don't think "cost of a hardware WiFi router will be increasingly difficult to justify to consumers" provided there is healthy competition amongst wifi hardware manufacturers + ISPs.

I do see your point though. Intel will do this no matter what you or I think and will probably sell a lot as well. Good for them. I better go and buy some Intel stock! :-)

[unxmully]

This would not work for me and many other people who have coverage problems and therefore need to place their AP in an optimal position within their homes. You can move an AP around with minimal fuss but you most likely can't relocate your PC to where it will be at the dead center of your coverage area.
Nevertheless, I agree that whether or not you or I will actually take advantage of this new trend, Intel is putting the pressure on other manufacturers in a major way. For one thing, the cost of a hardware WiFi router will be increasingly difficult to justify to consumers. Either way, I applaud Intel for really pushing wireless technology. :way to go:

I still don't see how this addresses the problem Jason identified which is that pc turned off, no wireless gateway.

In my house we have three laptops and a PC. All can share our wireless router and through that our printer, which is connected via a print server, without the need for anything else to be switched on.

Why would I want to go back to having to boot up a desktop PC, and presumably run a Windows OS on it to, connect to the internet or print something?

One PC, OK maybe though surely a bog-standard ADSL modem would be better. But as soon as you have more than one device on a wireless LAN, needing another turned on to access services or devices just makes no sense.

[rock]

^^

I agree. I spend much more time online at home with my desktop off using my PPC or laptop through the router.

The only place it would be useful is in a small office without a professional network.

How about interference with sound cards?