Slashdot Mirror


FCC Goes WiFi

Newer Guy writes "Today, the FCC announced that they will offer their visitors free wireless Internet access. Here's the press release (pdf)."

6 of 108 comments (clear)

  1. Re:Loss Leader by afidel · · Score: 4, Informative

    It doesn't have to be free. McDonalds for instance has a WiFi system where you can order 15 minutes of access for a small fee with your meal. The register just prints a unique number that you put into the web frontend for the NAT system and it gives you a new DHCP lease which is good for 15 minutes. Works well for simply grabbing email from the office or checking out slashdot on your meal break. My friend used it for a couple weeks when he moved into his new place and the DSL transfer took forever.

    --
    There are 4 boxes to use in the defense of liberty: soap, ballot, jury, ammo. Use in that order. Starting now.
  2. Re:now if only by afidel · · Score: 3, Informative

    Cisco has full GPL drivers for their .11b cards. In fact there are two drivers, the Cisco official driver and an independant driver written by a college student who was given some tech data by Aironet before they were bought by Cisco. I believe they are working towards one for their .11a cards as well.

    --
    There are 4 boxes to use in the defense of liberty: soap, ballot, jury, ammo. Use in that order. Starting now.
  3. Lousy PDF. here's the text. by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Informative

    NEWS

    News media Information 202 / 418-0500

    Fax-On-Demand 202 / 418-2830

    TTY 202/418-2555

    Internet: http://www.fcc.gov

    ftp.fcc.gov

    Federal Communications Commission

    445 12th Street, S.W.

    Washington, D. C. 20554 This is an unofficial announcement of Commission action. Release of the full text of a Commission order

    constitutes official action. See MCI v. FCC. 515 F 2d 385 (D.C. Circ 1974).

    FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE News Media Contact:

    August 4, 2003 David Fiske (202) 418-0513

    Richard Diamond (202) 418-0506

    FCC Goes WiFi

    The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) announced today that it would provide free wireless Internet access to visitors at its Washington, D.C. office. "When you come to the FCC, leave the cords at home," said FCC Chairman Michael K. Powell. "We're embracing the power of WiFi and the freedom and convenience of wireless Internet access it gives to consumers."

    Last year, Powell directed his staff to take the steps needed to make the FCC one of the first federal agencies to provide public WiFi access. Visitors bringing their own hardware and software can use the service on the Twelfth Street, Courtyard, and Eighth Floor levels of the headquarters located at 445 12th Street, SW in Washington, D.C.

    The system uses the 802.11a and 802.11b protocols, commonly referred to as WiFi. The Commission will be unable to provide technical support, and all transactions using this service are the responsibility of the visitor. At present, the FCC will not request personal identifying information prior to allowing access to the wireless network. If requested by outside authorities, however, the FCC will provide data from system audit logs to support external investigations of improper Internet use.

    If there appears to be a system outage, please call (202) 418-WIFI.

    - FCC -

  4. Re:now if only by Chanc_Gorkon · · Score: 2, Informative

    What reg? The only thing holding back GPL'd drivers for WiFi may be the manufacturers. The FCC won't care about device drivers. They casre about the design of the device. It would be pretty hard with software to make a WiFi card be anything but a WiFi card. Not saying it ain't possible, but highly unlikely.

    --

    Gorkman

  5. Two words: Portability; Standards by jstockdale · · Score: 2, Informative

    Why release the document in PDF if it is meant for the internet? How about because the PDF ensures true to original formatting and text? Just because something is electronic doesn't mean that it can't be a document, and thats where PDF comes in; PDF bridges the gap between the printed and electronic document worlds, because it renders irrelent where, when or by whom the electronic doc is printed, or if it is printed at all. It doesn't matter whether you want to read the document on your *nix/OSX/Win/Palm/JVM, you can get a supported app that will render it appropriately and clearly for your device, regardless of resolution. Don't even get me started on Word documents being distributed instead of PDF. Additionally, PDF allows for revision history, you know exactly what document you are discussing, without the need for cross checking access dates on a webpage (which I assume would be the alternative). Especially with my background in graphics and design work, PDFs are a godsend when exporting vector work or text. This is especially true when Joe Average decides to print something off www/email. PDF = perfect print, txt/html/rtf = same print, plus the wonderful bonus of having whatever mutilations Mr. Average's printer settings and margins decide to make
    /rant

    --
    **AA: a bunch of mindless jerks who'll be the first against the wall when the revolution comes
  6. +1 Informative! Without the karma whoring! by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1, Informative

    Stupid fucking shit Michael Powell has done:

    http://www.businessweek.com/technology/content/j ul 2003/tc20030723_5352_tc024.htm