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The Software Router As MiFi Killer
An anonymous reader writes "The MiFi Mobile Router has been getting a lot of positive reviews these days, for combining a cellular modem, WiFi radio and battery pack in a portable device. But playing with a beta release of a software based wireless router for Windows 7 has me wondering if there's any future to these dedicated, multi-radio routers. Is the future that every PC should be a router? Or is that a job best left to a cell phone?" I just drove across the country and back with a MiFi (using Verizon's service, which was not zippy but very reliable); it strikes me that being nicely cross-platform and not requiring a laptop with its own cell-network connection is a serious advantage for the MiFi or any similar device.
Is the future that every PC should be a router?
Absolutely not. If I wanted to share my Internet connection, I all I'd have to do is not turn on encryption.
I've been to numerous client sites where our consulting team either:
a) Could not get internet access onsite. Period.
b) Had to wait literally weeks before the internet access we requested finally appeared.
It's amazing the rube-goldberg-esque tethering solutions we've been forced to implement.
If libertarians are so opposed to effective government, why don't they all move to Somalia?
There are actually changes in Windows 7 that help with this. WiFi virtualization was added to the Windows 7 kernel allowing you to run two WiFi connections from the same hardware adapter. So you could put a PC in range of a normal access point and then share the connection by creating an access point on the second virtual adapater. With previous versions of Windows, you would need two hardware adapters, or you would be limited to sharing a LAN connection.
So basically it's asking this: "Does being able to create a WiFi hot spot FROM your laptop replace a method of getting a WiFi hot spot FOR your laptop?"
Seriously? The MiFi (for those that don't know) is a little credit-card sized WiFi router, offered by Verizon and Sprint, that gets its internet connection from the cellular network. So if you want internet and you're not near a network or hot spot, two options are:
Yes, if your primary concern is "how do I share my mobile internet connection with others," there is overlap between "computer as router" and the MiFi. But if you don't have an internet connection yet, the software router doesn't help much, does it?
I think he had you in mind when he made the deaf-mute comment. You completely missed the point he was making. Isolating functionality doesn't mean blocking yourself off from the net - he was talking about using dedicated devices to provide routing services in order to minimize the chance of being compromised. You don't put locks on your house to keep yourself from going out - you use them to keep others from coming in.
This is not 1994, 99.9999% of home users with multiple computers have a single IP and use NAT so obviously it DOES work and works well. Saying that NAT is not as secure as a stateful firewall is not a apples to apples comparison, NAT alone is not a "firewall" and never was advertised or claimed to act as one. How can you compare the two? A firewall is can be used in conjuction with NAT and again, almost EVERY home router that has NAT also has a firewall.
"Also, a dedicated routing device is more reliable than a PC, generally won't blue screen or get viruses. "
Nope but given the current shit state of electronics now days I'd not expect that piece of hardware to be worth the PCB it's built upon.
To date, since 2002, I've had:
5 Linksys routers
1 Buffalo Router
4 Netgear Routers
2 D-Link Routers
And a whole slew of other no-name generic routers, FAIL.
Most of the Linksys ones just can't handle more than 2-3 wireless clients with a full ethernet switch load. Netgears all crap out when ANY torrent starts coming in. The Buffalo (with DD-WRT firm) overheated and died, and the D-links couldn't maintain a wireless connection to save any person's life. The generic routers? Never got full speed links. never got more than 25mbit in any direction.
Also, last I checked, Cisco had to do some SERIOUS patching because a flaw in IOS was exposed, where it could be infected with a virus and spread, IIRC. What was that about being better? I don't think so. I've built more secure routing boxes and wireless repeaters using old pentium-2 age hardware and BSD.
Still waiting on Serviscope_minor to wake up to fucking reality and realize that Jessica Price isn't going to fuck him.
Assuming you mean a Ford LTD, would an LTD have done so much better than the Belair? http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_xwYBBpHg1I
I don't think it's so simple to judge a car's safety just by the way it looks. That's why they do crash tests.
There have been substantial advances made in car safety over the years. Even the steels used might be different.