WiFi Gone Wild

b4k4 writes "According to this news release, the Texas Department of Transportation is proposing to install hotspots at all 84 Safety Rest Stops and 12 Travel Information Centers statewide. This would be in addition to the four test locations already in place along US287." Reader polluted notes that Portland is working on free WiFi. An anonymous reader sent in word of this year's wifi-shootout, a contest to maximize the range for an 802.11b connection. And Roland Piquepaille writes in regarding cows wearing WiFi collars, which I'm afraid reminds me of a crummy sci-fi movie.

Comments

APs along the Interstate

[moorg]

Some truck stops in Texas already have WiFi access (though not free) via a service for truckers.

From my wardrive along the interstate it can be debated that there are enough hot spots already.

All joking aside I can't wait for there to be legitimate free APs.

Re:is it all free in these places?

[aussie_a]

They should set up some kind of service, where they can check whom you are first, so if you go on some hacking spree they know whom to blame.

Wow, sounds like China. But no, this isn't needed because of free WiFi. At the moment I can go to an internet cafe and surf the web anonymously. All I have to do is hand over cash (well, it was possible in Rome. I'm assuming it's possible in Australia and America).

Re:Crowding

[AubreyTurner]

I stopped at one of these rest stops in Hardemon county last week on the way to Colorado. I was surprised at just how nice this stop was compared to the older ones. The bathrooms were new and clean and the place included an information kiosk with an Old-West information display in the main building along with a playground for the kids on the side and several covered tables for picnics. It was really quite nice.

I vaguely recall seeing something about internet access there, but didn't really have time to pay attention to it though.

Re:A whole 'herd' of new excuses?

[plover]

No, I read the link. And the "virtual fences" don't work the same way as they do for dogs. The dog radio containment systems I'm familiar with use a buried antenna wire to mark the dog's range -- if the dog approaches the wire, they're corrected. The cow collars actually have GPS receivers, and the rancher downloads a "virtual fence" to the collar. The corrections come whenever the collar detects the animal has strayed, and the cow is "rewarded" by not being shocked when it's heading home.

The cow collars sound a lot better than the ordinary radio dog collar, because they work both ways. If Fido ever jumps beyond his radio fence, he is corrected for attempting to go back home over the antenna, so he is rewarded for NOT coming home.

Of course GPS accuracy isn't as important with cows as it is with dogs. In the suburbs, the 12-60 feet of error of the average GPS receiver would let Fido crap in the neighbor's yard or get run over in the driveway. In the country, it's really only important to keep the cows off the roads. Whether or not they stray too close to Charlie's pasture isn't as big a deal.

Re:Set up a damn ROAD CONSTRUCTION WEBSITE!

[drinkypoo]

Microsoft Streets and Trips has a system by which it downloads construction information. It usually works, too. Of course it doesn't necessarily know about every project but it certainly knows about most of them.

I know it's a microsoft product but I just want to point out that there are systems that do this sort of thing. You have to pay for them, but that's life.

Wi-Fi Spotted Everywhere

[drewzhrodague]

We've been seeing Wi-Fi turn up just about everywhere, including truck stops, municipal buildings, our favorite stores, and so many more. You can check out your area or search for specific places in the US, as seen by wardrivers.

Re:Fleecing of America..

[chefmonkey]

...this is a huge waste of taxpayer money.

You need to go back and read the news release more carefully.

TxDOT is taking bids for private companies to come in and install intenet kiosks in rest areas. These kiosks would charge users per time-unit to use them to access the internet.

These private vendors are also required by TxDOT to provide free wireless coverage. The income from the use of the kiosk is expected to fund the wireless usage.

The only expense to the taxpayer is whatever administrative time is required to run the bid and selection process. After that, it's all in the hands of private companies.

Re:Fleecing of America..

[chefmonkey]

I do love the idea of having more places to connect my laptop via wifi, but it's not blinding me of the fact that the state govenments will pay %4000 of what it should cost to install/run

Ironically, you are blinded -- but by a knee-jerk response that erroneously assumes that anything free with government involvment must be government funded. Re-read the news release. The wireless APs will be run by private companies, not the state. The companies make money by charging for internet kiosk use, but a condition of being in the rest stop is that they provide free wireless. The net cost to Texas taxpayers once the system is in place? Zero.

Re:Terrible waste of money

[chefmonkey]

If there is a compelling demand for this kind of service, then Texas should have stopped at a trial of 4 spots (if even that) and let private industry take over.

You mean, perhaps, like taking bids from private companies "able to provide free wireless Internet service and pay telephone-like Internet access at kiosks"? In other words, putting together a business case and selecting a private company to come in and run it, with no funding from the state? Perhaps you should RTFA.

This is NOT Tax Payer Funded

[krgallagher]

OK I downloaded the Request For Offer from TxDOT. This is not intended to be a taxpayer funded initiative. In fact here is an excerpt that says just that:

"3. CONCEPT: TxDOT envisions a concept where wireless internet service is available for public use.
3.1. The traveling public would be able to use a personal computing device, such as a laptop computer, equipped to acquire a wireless internet signal, to use the internet and send email during a break from the road.
3.2. A separate kiosk, provided by the vendor, would allow those traveling without a personal computing device to utilize the internet service.
3.3. This service will be provided at a cost to the consumer, not to TxDOT."

TxDOT is expecting the "People not traveling with wireless equipment" to cover the cost of the project when they "connect to the Internet at kiosks for a reasonable fee to be collected by the vendor."

Personally I think this is the fatal flaw in their plan. I doubt there will be enough kiosk users to cover the costs. Still I have to give them credit for trying.

the funniest quote from the portland piece

[Anonymous Coward]

""Right now we don't really have competition for Internet access," Sten says."

This is the biggest load of BS I have ever read. First off comcast, verizon and qwest all offer broadband city wide...his little network covers about 5 city blocks. then there are about 200 dialup isps in the yellow pages. About a month ago Qwest lowered its prices by 10$ and Comcast, a few days later, upgraded all current and future subscribers faster down load speeds free of charge. If anything competition among Portand's internet providers is red hot.

stendec@gmail.com