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The Coming Time for 802.11a?
abhikhurana writes "
This article on 80211-planet.com predicts a real boom in the market for 802.11a in the coming year. An excerpt from the article:
In tests in my SOHO LAN, I found that in real world conditions, 802.11a averaged four times faster than 802.11b. In addition, with its 5GHz frequency, 802.11a avoids the interference slow-downs that b must suffer with microwave ovens, high-end wireless phones, and other 802.11b networks.
Also makes an interesting read for knowing about the technologies which maybe driving the wireless bandwagon in the coming years."
they begin making base stations that support both standards and card which support both. These stations and cards would also be able to do both at the same time (IMAGINE THE BANDWIDTH!). They are on different freqs so it should be possible! This would do wonders for terrain based coms.
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WHO ATE MY BREAKFAST PANTS?
This may be slightly off-topic, but it still holds water
How are we going to adopt a technology when MS is deciding for the users what is best.
How about instead of XP deciding to take over for all WLAN third-party software and FORCING you to use an encryption key, let's let the fucking USERS decide what THEY want to do and what software THEY want to use.
Ever since switching to XP (from Win2k) as the host for my WLAN (Dlink DWL-650s in ad-hoc) I have had nothing but poor connectivity.
XP has been reporting that the WLAN is down even if it is working just fine. It won't let me use third-party software to control the WLAN. It forces me to have a network key (it would be different if the range on these cards was over the 25' from the host machine to the furthest reach of the signal).
Just my fucking rant on how MS and their "users are dumb" is really messing w/ME!
The truth is about halfway down the article, where they acknowledge that 802.11g is coming down the pike with better range than 802.11a, plus backwards compatibility with 802.11b. Any of us who already have investments in 802.11b are going to be more than a little hesitant to rip out that infrastructure and replace it with another incompatible format - when we can get an even better format, with backwards compatibility, by waiting a few more months.
I don't even buy the argument that homeowners just now getting wireless should get 802.11a equipment: they can't take their wireless cards and use them at public or private 802.11b access points. Why pay extra for something you can only use at home, when you can get something cheaper that works all over the US? It would be like buying a cellular phone that only worked in your neighborhood.
What's your damage, Heather?
My multimedia machine in my living room runs off 802.11b with a music server in another section of the house. When my 2.4 GHz phone rings, the music pauses nice and automatically (well after the buffer runs out). Its a great feature!
Seriously, webcams, phones, baby monitors all can clobber 802.11b pretty badly. I can't wait for affordable dual mode so I can put the multmedia machine at least in the 5 Ghz range. Home users with lots of tech toys are going to be much happier with 802.11a. 802.11g will do nothing for them.
If I was sitting normal in a chair and using the computer, no problems.
I see this a a bigger push from 802.11b, as the 11a components will now demand the high price, 11b components will drop even more.... eeeexcellent Smithers.
This is not the sig line you are looking for... -- Old Jedi Sig Line Trick
does anyone actually know of a PCMCIA card that does both Bluetooth and 802.11b ?
that would make alot of people Very happy
regards
john jones
p.s. bluetooth phone dialup when your not in the office and 802.11b for when you are
This seems to be the conventional wisdom, but the technical specs indicate that at a given range a is faster, and that they both drop off at roughly the same range.
Can anyone point out any docs that show why a should have a shorter range in practice? Is it just because 5GHz is not as effective at penetrating barriers?
-Peter