Comments on: A decade later, and Wireless networking still sucks http://www.kgadams.net/2008/04/12/a-decade-later-and-wireless-networking-still-sucks Technology, computer games, MMOGs, science...and other nerdy stuff Mon, 08 Sep 2008 08:28:32 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.5 By: Kelly Adams http://www.kgadams.net/2008/04/12/a-decade-later-and-wireless-networking-still-sucks#comment-17799 Kelly Adams Sun, 13 Apr 2008 20:15:07 +0000 http://www.kgadams.net/2008/04/12/a-decade-later-and-wireless-networking-still-sucks#comment-17799 A wireless network router... with fricken' laser beams attached :) I'm thinking I might eventually buy a couple of <a href="http://www.apple.com/airportexpress/features/sharing.html" rel="nofollow">Apple Airport Express devices and use them as range extenders</a>. They are small, relatively inexpensive (about $100), and ... well, like all the other Apple stuff I've absorbed into my collective recently, I expect they'd just work. Currently, one of my hubs sits in the living room, the other in my office: the living room hub is 5 GHz wide spectrum 802.11n only- that increases speed significantly at the cost of range, but a single wall kills even the longer-range 2.4 GHz signal. So long as there are no walls in the way (I.E.: I'm in my office, or in the living room/kitchen), I get good access. This is "working as expected" if you ask any wireless networking technical expert, but it is a far cry from the consumer expectation of plugging in one access point and covering their entire living space. A wireless network router… with fricken’ laser beams attached :)

I’m thinking I might eventually buy a couple of Apple Airport Express devices and use them as range extenders. They are small, relatively inexpensive (about $100), and … well, like all the other Apple stuff I’ve absorbed into my collective recently, I expect they’d just work.

Currently, one of my hubs sits in the living room, the other in my office: the living room hub is 5 GHz wide spectrum 802.11n only- that increases speed significantly at the cost of range, but a single wall kills even the longer-range 2.4 GHz signal. So long as there are no walls in the way (I.E.: I’m in my office, or in the living room/kitchen), I get good access. This is “working as expected” if you ask any wireless networking technical expert, but it is a far cry from the consumer expectation of plugging in one access point and covering their entire living space.

]]> By: Chris http://www.kgadams.net/2008/04/12/a-decade-later-and-wireless-networking-still-sucks#comment-17797 Chris Sun, 13 Apr 2008 18:35:05 +0000 http://www.kgadams.net/2008/04/12/a-decade-later-and-wireless-networking-still-sucks#comment-17797 I know whereof you speak. I'd be quite happy with reliable internet speeds, but even with my laptop in the same room it sometimes "stalls out." Why? Because I have 8 - 11 other networks in range ( and I live in a house, not a apartment! ) Sometime it just smokes ... usually when half the other networks are offline or ( I suspect ) idle. The rest of the time... I may as well be using dial up. It's painfully slow even for surfing. I don't really have an issue with running wires, though I already have all 4 ports on my combined modem/router/accesspoint full, so I need to figure out how to add a subrouter or something. But It would be nice to sit outside, or use a wireless webcam to keep an eye on the back of the garage at night. Maybe we should just use really high powered lasers with target tracking. Higher bandwidth and they can just burn through any walls, people or pets that get in the way of the signal ;) I know whereof you speak. I’d be quite happy with reliable internet speeds, but even with my laptop in the same room it sometimes “stalls out.” Why? Because I have 8 - 11 other networks in range ( and I live in a house, not a apartment! ) Sometime it just smokes … usually when half the other networks are offline or ( I suspect ) idle. The rest of the time… I may as well be using dial up. It’s painfully slow even for surfing.

I don’t really have an issue with running wires, though I already have all 4 ports on my combined modem/router/accesspoint full, so I need to figure out how to add a subrouter or something. But It would be nice to sit outside, or use a wireless webcam to keep an eye on the back of the garage at night.

Maybe we should just use really high powered lasers with target tracking. Higher bandwidth and they can just burn through any walls, people or pets that get in the way of the signal ;)

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