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Does 802.11n Spell the 'End of Ethernet'?

Posted by CmdrTaco on from the not-bloody-likely dept.

alphadogg writes "Is the advent of the 802.11n wireless standard the 'end of Ethernet'... at least in terms of client access to the LAN? That's the provocative title, and thesis, of a new report in which the author began looking into the question when he heard a growing number of clients asking whether it was time to discontinue wired LAN deployments for connecting clients. Would 11n, the next generation high-throughput Wi-Fi, make the RJ45 connector in the office wall as obsolete as gaslights?"

8 of 404 comments (clear)

  1. Um, no. by morgan_greywolf · · Score: 5, Funny

    When the Porcine Aviation Assocation makes WiFi as secure as wired LAN, then we'll see the end of Ethernet. Until then, no.

    --
    My blog
    1. Re:Um, no. by Praedon · · Score: 5, Insightful

      I think we will always have wired networks, for the simple fact that as technology progresses, so do the methods of spying and such. It's much easier to eavesdrop on WiFi than it is on a wired network. You would need physical access to the wired network in order to carry out your plans for espionage.

      --
      Just me
    2. Re:Um, no. by Tiger4 · · Score: 5, Informative

      I agree that wired LAN is more secure than WiFi. But can't you do some pretty scary signal reconstruction by reading electromagnetic noise coming off your network cable? It's my understanding that this can be done from X yards away, through walls, whatever.
      Where X is 1 - 3 meters. If you are running a Must Be Secure network in a single cubicle of a hostile cubicle farm, or up against the wall of an apartment, you might have trouble. The vast majority of people are inherently secure, at least against this particular threat.

      Guess you could always wrap your cable in tin-foil.
      Shielded Twisted Pair will deal with this for you. It has been on the market for the past 2 or 3 decades. Maybe more.
      --
      Behold, this dreamer cometh. Come now, and let us slay him... and we shall see what will become of his dreams.
    3. Re:Um, no. by The+-e**(i*pi) · · Score: 5, Informative

      ever hear of managed switches
      they not only can require registration before turning on a port, but allow only one specific mac per port and either notify you, record all the data, and or shut off any port that is doing anything funy with mac addresses.

      they also have a VLAN capacility that makes virtual switches connecting any ports in your whole building so noone but those on those specific ports can listen in.

      and hacking a CISCO switch is no easy task.

    4. Re:Um, no. by cayenne8 · · Score: 5, Informative
      "If they really want in, they're going to get in. Most people's houses are going to be pretty easily accessible compared to trying to crack WPA wireless encryption."

      I dunno about that....at least in the Southeastern part of the US. Once you get past the locked doors, you run the risk of dogs and the inhabitants with their guns drawn and ready to fire.

      Somehow I think sitting out in a car a distance away trying to hack the wireless is a little safer. It does and the very least, make the 'head shot' a little harder.

      :-)

      --
      Light travels faster than sound. This is why some people appear bright until you hear them speak.........
  2. No by DJ+Jones · · Score: 5, Insightful
    RJ45 jacks will never be obsolete for one reason... Security.

    And I don't know what you're talking about, I still use gaslights.

  3. Shared medium. by saintlupus · · Score: 5, Insightful

    I can't wait for wireless to take over everything. Collisions and shared bandwidth are awesome. I miss hubs so much.

    --saint

  4. Doubt it. by ynososiduts · · Score: 5, Interesting

    Unless buildings are made of less concrete and brick. My school has a wireless network, but it's spotty due to the big maze of concrete and brick buildings. You only get a connection when the room you're in has a wireless bridge, but every room has a RJ45 port. There really is no question of signal strength when talking about wired networks.

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    622677120