Introducing The Wi-Fi-Mobile

tech writer writes "A Twin Cities tech entrepreneur has retrofitted an old TV-station truck to serve as a roving hot spot for Internet access. His technology firm has blanketed the metropolitan area with WiMax transmitters atop local skyscrapers, so all he needs to do is grab bandwidth using the truck's telescoping mast and convert it to Wi-Fi for use in the vehicle's immediate surroundings. The dude happens to be in a band, so his wireless arrangement has been great for streaming outdoor Savage Aural Hotbed performances!"

Comments

Re:Right, how long before he gets arrested?

[Anonymous Coward]

Read: "His technology firm"
It's about as criminal as one asking his parents to borrow money to buy a toy, only he's asking his employers to let him broadcast material he owns the copyright to. Please, think about reading the post in full before writing an uninformed comment.

Is this technology adaptable to fixed networks?

[Dancin_Santa]

In my current abode, I only have a single WiFi access point which is the wireless router. It seems to work fine, but for times when I'd like to use my laptop downstairs (approx. 2 storeys away) the signal strength is always poor with signal dropping out every now and then. With the least amount of cash outlay, I'd like to get more signal into other parts of the igloo.

Obviously, this DeVaan guy is a networking whiz. I'd like to replicate this same 'rebroadcasting' of WiFi coverage inside my home. The article does not mention the type of machinery he uses beyond the media van that it's all stored in. Do any of the networking engineers here at Slashdot know of a way to boost the signal strength of my home wireless network?

Re:Is this technology adaptable to fixed networks?

[RealProgrammer]

The truck is basically a WiMax to WiFi router. It doesn't just act as a WiFi repeater, since WiMax and WiFi are different radio signals. From an Intel site:

An implementation of the IEEE 802.16 standard, WiMAX provides metropolitan area network connectivity at speeds of up to 75 Mb/sec. WiMAX systems can be used to transmit signal as far as 30 miles. However, on the average a WiMAX base-station installation will likely cover between three to five miles.

WiFi is IEEE standard 802.11, usually 802.11b or 802.11g. It operates over short distances, usually under a mile. You can get lots further with paired line-of-sight antennae, but most uses are short range.

The simplest way to add more coverage in your house is connect a second base station by wire.

Re:Is this technology adaptable to fixed networks?

[polecat_redux]

for times when I'd like to use my laptop downstairs (approx. 2 storeys away) the signal strength is always poor with signal dropping out every now and then. With the least amount of cash outlay, I'd like to get more signal into other parts of the igloo.

Well, you could run some cat5 downstairs to another access point, or if you have a Linksys wireless router, you could purchase another AP and set it up to repeat the signal from one floor below (depending on the model). Barring that, you may have some luck with the Linksys high-gain antenna, or even one of these.

Re:Is this technology adaptable to fixed networks?

[petecarlson]

I don't know what your floors are made of, but right now I am connected to one of my APs which is on top of a building two buildings away and three floors up. The AP is a Seneao CBS+ Deluxe with an 8dbi omni on it. I have a 200mw Seneao card in my laptop on this end. No problem ever. Customers (I sell bandwith) within a one block radius get a cb3, in bridge mode, inside near their computer and customers up to 1.5 miles away get an outdoor mounted 14dbi rootenna with the same cb3 inside of it. A cb3+ deluxe (the deluxe model works in AP mode also) will run you about $115 from wisp-router.com. If you want more gain, add a six dbi antenna available from hyperlinktech. Because you are trying to push your signal up and not out, I wouldn't recomend using an antenna over 8dbi.

CP

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[account_deleted]

Comment removed based on user account deletion

Re:Right, how long before he gets arrested?

[Concerned Onlooker]

The subject of this story is not stealing access. I have, however, seen a guy parked outside a Starbucks offering internet access for $1/hour. Not exactly the path to riches given the number of potential sales it looked like he could make there. His car was bristling with antennas and when I asked him about the it he came right out and said that he was using the Starbucks wi-fi access. I only saw him there once, but I was amazed he was able to stay there as long as he did.

Plus, I wonder about whether or not he was harvesting information from people hooking up.

What a fantastic Hack!

[Johnny Fusion]

This is some capital out-of-the-box thinking. I am sure it has applications outside of what DeVaan is doing with Da Van. With Wi-Max having a range of 30 miles or so, I am thinking something similar could be used for temporary internet access where needed.

The first things that pop in mind is ruarl schools can have an "Internet Day" when the truck pulls up in front of the school, or possible military operations, extending internet out into the desert or jungle, or high steppe, or wherever they want to go next.

Ding ding ding!

[Anonymous Coward]

Precisely.

Basically what this guy is doing is pulling bandwidth from his own company's WiMax (802.16) system, and pumping it out for the peeps 802.11b (Or b-g? or a-b-g? The article didn't say.) stylee with his truck.

Nothing illegal is going on here. This is a dynamite piece of guerilla marketing, though. I wish this guy all the best.

Wi-max gear retailers

[Wapiti-eater]

OK, so who's got links to some places online where a guy could actually buy some of this mystical Wi-max gear? A single, strategicly placed, Wi-max base in my town could easily cover ALL OF IT. Yea, pretty small town. What with the lack of DSL coverage, something like this would make a real invenstment opp for some eager geek (me?!).

I find one place "Wi-lan.com" via google - but not only are they not in my country (type accepted???), they've got some marketing channels outside of what I'd prefer to use.

Come on slashdoters - share the 'insight'!

Re:Wi-max gear retailers

[legend]

URLs of the Day:
www.apertonet.com
www.alvarion.com
www.tra ngobroadband.com
www.smartbridges.com
www.motoro lacanopy.com
www.part-15.org
www.dslreports.com/ forum/dslalt
www.isp-wireless.com

Not all Wi-Max, not even all vendors, but good reads nonetheless

Re:Isn't This Illegal?

[Student_Tech]

If everything he is using is already FCC ceritfied and he hasn't modified the actual equipment it shouldn't be a problem. Plus since he is working for the ISP he might have access to the propper equipment already. It is really when you go slapping power amps and antennas(or opening up the boxes and removing the shielding to get it into a smaller container) that aren't cerified by the manufacturer for use with that equipment that you might get into trouble. In the sense that they[manufacturer] can say that yes, using this combonation of equipment is still within the allowed part-15 regs.

Odds say that I could take 2 wireless APs set them up to bring the signal in, go via an ethernet cable to the other and rebroadcast it, put it in a big box, and sell it as a unit and not have problems. But I don't know that, it is just a good guess. Or a better way, include instructions to build the contents of this "box" with the 2 APs and set them up to just be in a bridge mode (or one be a DHCP server and the other be a bridge).

Re:God forbid one may live without...

[Jaruzel]

Of course this is News. It shows emerging topology of WiMax and Wi-Fi working together.

Most Cities in the world don't even have Wi-Fi on the street corner, so I would say that it was an interesting piece for about 90% of it's readership.