Garage Tinkerers Claim Wireless Last-Mile Solution

BrianWCarver writes: "The NYTimes is reporting that two guys in their garage have designed a low-cost wireless broadband solution that can transmit up to 20 miles. (A previous story described a 7km achievement in Australia.) Their company is called Etherlinx and they use the Wi-Fi 802.11b standard in a repeater antenna that people can attach to the outside of their homes. The technology, which apparently costs under $100, has been operating in a small for-pay trial in Oakland, CA for a year. Is this a solution to the 'last-mile' problem, hope for rural areas, and the death of cable/DSL? Read and be the judge."

Comments

So the real questions now...

[LawGeek]

How many nodes can you stuff on a single broadband account, and how many favors can you think for your neighbors to do for you, anyway?

Read it while you can.

[Anonymous Coward]

....before They squish it, like the 200 mpg carburetor, Cold Fusion, and the personal levitation device invented in 1956.

And in other news....

[jrwillis]

A large group of FCC agents decended on the town of Cupertino, Ca. today to investigate reports that no cordless phone will work within a 20 mile radius of the town.

Re:truly rural needs

[macjerry]

15-30 miles?
Hell, I'm in a major metropolitan area and can't get DSL. What really sucks is there is a Bellsouth building 2 blocks from my house.

Wonder what they'd say if I showed up there office with the end of a long cable and asked if I could plug it in??

Second Hand Broadband!

[Gorbie]

I dunno. How long before the folks in Cali start to get up in arms about being subject to your internet transmission waves. They could cause cancer!

Maybe if they just ban the waves from public places....

In a related story

[MagicMerlin]

The sales of Pringles shot up 124% this quater. "We can't explain it," says company execs. "Young IT professionals just can't seem to get enough of our chips"

Re:In a related story

[Anonymous Coward]

I can see it now.

A commercial involving tech freaks dancing around, and snacking on Pringles, and then setting up wireless transmitters.

Gotta hack some Pringles!

Man, they could make a fortune. :D

probably out of jurisdiction

[SethJohnson]

The station is probably broadcasting from Mexico. You didn't say how far north of the border you are. If the station's located outside the US, then the FCC is
not really going to be able to do much .


I wish I was in Tiajuana

Eating barbequed iguana

I'd take requests on the telephone

I'm on a wavelength far from home

I feel a hot wind on my shoulder

I dial it in from south of the border

I hear the talking of the dj

Can't understand just what does he say?

I'm on a mexican radio

I'm on a mexican radio