St. Louis Wi-Fi > Wi-Fi is here people

Wi-Fi is here people

Where I live (Bethlehem, Lehigh Valley), our entire south side of Bethlehem is looking to set up Wireless access to everyone down there.

I don't think they'd use streetlights like NY plans to, but we have mountains and big hills right here and I think they'd use those.

I work on the Executive Committee there, and I have heard a peep about Wi-Fi in Bethlehem. Now, maybe Lehigh might offer it - but I doubt that plan will ever come to fruition.

Brad

reply to dadkins

said by dadkins:

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Wires are so last century, connectivity without wires is WAY better. I can(and do) connect at many shops in the Bay Area, to freely offered access. No need to piggyback onto someones access point illegally.

Gotta love laptops!

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reply to telarium
It's supposedly coming, Brad. One of the reporters at the Morning Call contacted me recently about contributing to an article she's working on about it.

I had looked into a wireless hotzone model for a neighboring town via my hotspot/hotzone model but, alas, it never came to fruition.

To self-contradict what I just said, I've been having my doubts that the Valley might not be as ready for this type of technology as I wish. Anyone care to prove me wrong?

Regards,
Kory
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WISP & Wi-Fi Hotspot Industry News

reply to tomkb
Depends on what you do. For simply surfing the web and such it is fine as packet loss and restranmission of dropped packets really have no effect. But personally I think wireless blows and would never use it for my core use (gaming). Nor would I use it for things I think require security like online banking and online purchases.

said by Skippy25:

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Depends on what you do. For simply surfing the web and such it is fine as packet loss and restranmission of dropped packets really have no effect. But personally I think wireless blows and would never use it for my core use (gaming). Nor would I use it for things I think require security like online banking and online purchases.

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reply to Skippy25
Exactly! I have helped several small companies add internet access/networks. I have always strongly advised against wireless. Not only the performance issues but more importantly security. Usually starting my laptop ends the discussion. When all the neighbors SSID's start showing up, the realization that this information, passwords or not, is not contained in the office.

This brings me to another question about this whole wireless deployment. I am not referring to subscriber wireless, like I use, but open 'hot-spot' style. The wireless network I use at home is on a separate network from the rest of my pc's. Hidden behind a firewall, SSID off, WEP Encryption, and AV software. Still, I know it is vulnerable if a hacker really gave it a try. But, why would they if cities deploy 'hot-spot' style service. Everyone with their laptops connected without even a NAT?

It seems strange that these forums argue how a 128 WEP key can easily be cracked in less than 2 weeks while others are ready to open their PC's to everyone who cares to listen.
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Im not an electrical engineer, but I play one on TV.

reply to furlonium
Yeah, what they would probably do is coordinate an effort on South Mountain, for example, on AT&T's repeater to shoot back down into the Valley for coverage while, at the same time, shooting up from the Valley the backhaul to redeploy the signal across the subscribers.

Another idea would be to approach one of the mansion owners on the mountain, offer them free access in exchange for placing the retransmission antennas somewhere on their property. The antennas used are no larger than a typical cell antenna and can be quite inobtrusive.

Anyone want to try it out?

Regards,
Kory
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WISP & Wi-Fi Hotspot Industry News