The Triangle

Issue date: 10/15/04 Section: Sci-Tech

Paul Corkery [Click to enlarge]

Have you ever been on a road trip and wished you could be IMing your "Internet buddies" while your "driving buddy" in battling traffic? Or maybe you wanted to log in to the office to check on things from the comfort of a beach blanket. However sick and twisted these ideas might sound, they may soon become very real possibilities.

For the last few years, Drexel students, companies, enthusiasts and coffee shops have been cutting the cord, and taking their networks wireless - sort of. Drexel was one of the first universities in the nation to offer campus-wide wireless connectivity to the Internet, and Mayor Street has plans for Philadelphia to become the first major city to offer universal wireless coverage. While Philadelphia, and Drexel in particular, may become the epicenter of wireless saturation, still other technologies are on the horizon that may put these small scale solutions to shame.

Most home networks, and Drexel's DragonFly network, use a wireless standard designated 802.11, which currently comes in three varieties: a, b, and g. Consumers are arguably most familiar with the 802.11b standard, commonly referred to as Wi-Fi. This is the current standard at Drexel University, though there are plans in place to add 802.11a support.

All wireless networks work in much the same way, with a few exceptions. Hardware devices called Wireless Access Points (WAPs) are installed to broadcast the wireless network signal. To connect to the WAP, computers must be configured with a wireless network interface card that communicates with the WAP by transmitting wireless radio signals understood by both devices. This is the basic structure of most wireless networks.

802.11 WAPs have a relatively short broadcast range of 50-250 ft, although specially designed antennas can increase this distance. This short range is sufficient to cover most households, but to maintain coverage in an area like Drexel, it is necessary to install several of these WAPs to account for all corners of campus.

An inexperienced computer user doesn't always understand that having a wireless card in one's laptop does not mean you can open it up and access the net. They're understandably disappointed to learn that they have to go in search of a WAP or an area designated as a wireless hotspot, which are not always easy to come by outside urban areas.

Connectivity in suburban and rural areas is hard to find unless you're running your own wireless network out of your house. You'll also have to pay for your Internet service, for which the wireless network is merely a conduit. Cellular giants like Cingular have been busy adding hi-speed (currently low-speed) Internet connectivity to their service in an attempt to tap this power-user market. The idea is to use the existing cellular phone infrastructure to connect people to the Internet via their cellular phone. Still others in highly remote areas use expensive satellite connection services for their Internet.

Media Credit: US Robotics A wireless access point, or WAP.

Hardware manufacturers, led by Intel and other industry giants, have been busy at work fashioning what will be the next generation in wireless Internet connectivity. A new standard, thought to be vaporware by many enthusiasts, is now forecasted to enter production early next year - 802.16, commonly known as WiMax. But how is WiMax going to change things?

Speed & Distance: WiMax will deliver speeds faster than most broadband Internet services. Through walls and over distances of 30 miles or more, WiMax delivers packets at speeds up to 75Mbps. While the speed is somewhat matched by the uncommon 802.11a standard, the distance of WiMax speaks of unlimited potential. WiMax's incredible transmission radius can carry wireless signals into remote areas where wireless, and maybe even broadband, isn't available.

Capacity: 802.11 WAPs (depending on model) can handle a limited number of connections, usually in the double digits. WiMax base stations can handle hundreds, if not thousands, of simultaneous connections without any signal degradation.

Cheap: You'll hear geeks talk about their "direct-fiber-line" which gives them lightening fast Internet. Truth is that most of them are pulling your chain, and those of them that aren't paid an ungodly amount for said service. As reliable and fast as fiber may be, the benefits usually cannot outweigh the price of the media, the cost of the expertise to work with it, and the cost of laying the lines. Moreover, it's not very portable unless run through a WAP. Fiber is more practically employed and more easily deployed as the backbone of a wireless system. Global fiber optic connectivity is just a little farther down the line.

This does not, however, mean the death of Wi-Fi. WiMax base stations will almost certainly not be consumer products - I doubt very much that anyone has the need to access their home network wirelessly from 30 miles away. The 802.11 standard and its variances will remain useful on a small scale, while WiMax covers areas beyond the home or business. WiMax base stations will more than likely be owned and operated by broadband Internet Service Providers (ISPs). Access to the signals will require a subscription and will function similar to cellular phone systems. Instead of having your cable modem or DSL line, you'll simply connect wirelessly to your ISP, and in turn, the Internet.

When can I get mine? - Prototypes are currently being tested in Montana and New York City, but certified WiMax equipment won't arrive until spring 2005. But don't sell yourself on those beach lounging Internet adventures just yet. Early units will require users to affix antennas to the exterior of their home, similar to small satellite dishes, but as WiMax gains acceptance, smaller units that can be kept indoors will become available, possibly fall 2005. The road trip and beach scenario painted at the beginning of this article may not become reality until the receiver units are small enough to be configured for individual laptop computers and handhelds, but the teams behind the project insist that these could be available as early as 2007. This will give ISPs ample time to deploy the necessary base stations.

Industry observers predict that cellular giants and would-be WiMax ISPs will unite to offer joint services to their customers. These partnerships will not only enhance the services, but drive down the price of the hardware, which will, after the early-adoption phase, be comparable to current broadband services and 802.11 wireless products. The future is a world where the Internet is as accessible as cellular phone service or FM/Satellite radio.



Paul Corkery is BS/MS student in information systems.

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