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Australian ISP Unveils WiMax Like Card

Posted by ScuttleMonkey on from the wide-open-spaces dept.

krispy78 writes "If you're looking forward to the day your laptop has WiMax built in and can access wireless broadband as easily as WiFi, you're not alone. But the 802.16e mobile WiMax standard is yet to be finalized on paper, and we'll be lucky to see it the first products this side of 2007. In Australia, a wireless PCMCIA card has been released that comes close to the "WiMax ideal". It appears to Windows like a regular WiFi card (no heinous login clients to run) but can pick up wide-area wireless broadband signals. The network that runs the cards ("Navini Ripwave") is apparently being rolled out in USA and other countries too."

10 of 69 comments (clear)

  1. Ireland has had this for a while by donutface · · Score: 5, Informative

    Ireland had this for a while, and a lot of people arent happy with the service, hopefully the aussies will do a better job. If your interested check out www.irishbroadband.ie, they also sell "ripwave" modems.

  2. That's some range! by intmainvoid · · Score: 5, Funny
    So this card is being released in Australia... but the network is apparently being rolled out in USA and other countries too.

    That thing must really have an amazing range!

    --
    Drag n' Drop DVD Recommendations
  3. Yeah cool. by Spit · · Score: 4, Informative

    I'm using a desktop rabbit unit right now, just plug your ethernet in and your on. No phone line, no ADSL bullshit, no headache when moving.

    Also good for test when at a client site. Wireless broadband is the greatest!

    --
    POKE 36879,8
  4. Lack of info amidst marketing barrage by lightyear4 · · Score: 5, Informative

    This device works across a wide range, from 2-6ghz. WiMax, being part of the 802.16 spec, can hop all around that range.

    So then, I have question for the better informed (considering that any real information on Navini's site is very effectively obscured under a deluge of marketing babble). Does this device support the accessing of 802.11 networks as well? The article summary seem to infer it: [the card] appears to Windows like a regular WiFi card... Also, (from TFA) the card's hardware includes a range of Field Programmable Gate Arrays (FPGA) and Digital Signal Processing (DSP) chips. Does this mean it COULD support 802.11 with a change of firmware? I imagine this functionality would be welcomed by many.

    1. Re:Lack of info amidst marketing barrage by REBloomfield · · Score: 3, Informative

      Providing it supports the 802.16 spec as it currently stands, it will allow the integration of 802.11 networks, and the support already exists at the MAC layer...

  5. Re:Australian Angle by FinestLittleSpace · · Score: 4, Funny

    You aussies have computers?!

  6. For those who want wireless broadband now by RzUpAnmsCwrds · · Score: 4, Informative

    For those of us who want wireless broadband today, Sprint and Verzion both offer 1x EV-DO (about 512k, 200-300ms latency) in the US for about $60. There aren't any bandwidth caps, but you probably get cut off if you download 80GB.

  7. Re:Australian Angle by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 4, Funny

    You aussies have computers?!

    Yeah, but we run into problems, because the endianness switches once you are south of the equator.

  8. Got it in the UK too by frinkacheese · · Score: 4, Informative

    NOW Broadband www.now.com have a similar service in the UK but it's not PCMCIA yet. They use IP Wireless www.ipwireless.com which is a 3g (but for data only) type system and whom according to their website have a PCMCIA card version so maybe NOW will have PCMCIA soon too. But for now, only in London.

  9. Obligatory Windows Sledge by denebola · · Score: 4, Funny

    FTFA

    What's particularly impressive about Unwired's card over all other solutions is that it doesn't need any godawful proprietary software clients to log in to the network.

    Except Windows.