Slashdot Mirror

← Back to Stories (view on slashdot.org)

Why We Don't Need Gigabit Networks (Yet)

Posted by timothy on from the more-suspense-this-way dept.

AmyVernon writes "Most computers today can't support gigabit connections and current Wi-Fi networks can't offer those speeds either. The first trial of Sonic.Net's gigabit network was a speed test on a generic laptop that showed off 420 Mbps down; the laptop couldn't handle a full gig. Plus, few applications need those speeds. It's hard to justify such a huge investment in a network that will have few subscribers and few applications that need it. Of course, that can change, and then these networks will be vital. This story has a good analysis of where things stand and what has to change."

5 of 359 comments (clear)

  1. Could Not Disagree More by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Insightful

    Gigabit networks are important when working with almost any kind of file copy. I am not sure the last time someone tried to backup even just 100GB of data (Think backups) over a 100 megabit network. Copies like that can take for ever a fully saturate 100 megabit network and slow down traffic for everyone. While copies over gigabit rarely use the entire pipe its good to know that there is still bandwidth left over for other tasks.

    1. Re:Could Not Disagree More by buyvalve · · Score: 5, Informative

      It's not too clear from the title but the article is referring to internet connections, not home/business networks.

  2. HERETICS! by iCEBaLM · · Score: 5, Insightful

    How DARE you say we don't need faster networks! This article should be purged from the interwebs and timothy should be strung up by his gonads for even considering posting it!

    1. Re:HERETICS! by msauve · · Score: 5, Interesting

      The guy being quoted (Jasper) has a pretty weak argument. It's based on there only being a single computer accessing the network. Add in multiple channels of streaming HD video, multiple computers/users in a household, etc., and you can easily fill that pipe that his cheap laptop could only use half of.

      The article is poorly written. It mentions "Jasper's ISP," but Jasper is CEO of an ISP. So is this a competitor offering the gigabit for $70/month? If you dig just a bit, you'll find he sells 10 Mb Ethernet connections for $600/month, so perhaps that's the real reason he doesn't think $70/month for gigabit service makes sense.

      --
      "National Security is the chief cause of national insecurity." - Celine's First Law
  3. Stupid article by Ralph+Spoilsport · · Score: 5, Interesting
    Tonight, I will want to watch a movie on netflix. So will my wife. So will my daughter. And they won't be the same movie. Now, 'splain to me how a gigabit (or multigigabit) connection is going to stand in the way of our individual entertainment needs? Oh, that's right, it won't. In fact it will foster greater consumption of digital goods. Now, explain how a gigabit or multigigabit connection is going to hinder that kind of commerce. Oh, that's right - it won't. In fact, it will do just the opposite.

    When you wake up to the obvious facts of 1999, let me know, and I'll give you an invite to the 21st century. Cuz I'm k3vvL and rollz like dat.

    --
    Shoes for Industry. Shoes for the Dead.