FCC Approves 802.11b Phased Array 157
n6zfx writes "802.11b Networking News is reporting that vivato received FCC approval for the 802.11b AP that has a range of 4 miles... This was discussed recently here on slashdot -- There were comments that it might not be totally legal. Hopefully, this paves the way for more WISPs, bigger hotspots, and replacement of outdated wireless technology that seemed to be the only competitor to DSL and tv-cable for the last mile."
High effect (Score:2, Interesting)
Good for Bandwidth Co-ops (Score:5, Interesting)
This will be especially relevant for Bandwidth co-ops.
The biggest obstacle to creating a co-op is having enough potential subscribers to convince the telcos that it will be worth their while to run the dry pairs the "last mile" from the DSL POPs to the houses. I am guessing that this technology will begin to allow metropolitan bandwidth co-ops to have an effective solution outside of the telco's control. Please, oh please, let broadband not suck forever.
wireless (Score:3, Interesting)
Exciting possibities....
Re:High effect (Score:3, Interesting)
Guns before butter (Score:5, Interesting)
Alot of problems solved, new ones created. (Score:5, Interesting)
Too many "off-limits" zones in the suburbs of major cities for this to be any good. Considering the fact that upwards of %80 of the people that'd benefit from this live in such suburbs. PD's, FD's, Hospitals, etc. are all considered to be zones absolutely off limits to any such interference this would cause (suburbs are totally PACKED with these, There are 3 PD's and 2 FD's, as well as 2 Hospitals within a 4 mile radius of my house). That's FCC regulation that's been around since the '30s, and they're sure as hell not going to change them now.
Given the method they'd have to use to make sure they aren't broadcasting in that area, you end up with 1 or 2 degree swaths of no service areas eminating from the tower. May not sound big, but after a mile or so it gets to be the width of a city block.
I'm all for this, but a better solution would be to use smaller and cheaper arrays. Just find a way to lower the latency and it'd be even better.
Security issues addressed? (Score:4, Interesting)
Ken Biba? (Score:4, Interesting)
Given the qualifications and history of Ken Biba listed in the article
Biba started in security and networking R&D 30 years ago with Mitre Corp. and was a member of the Advanced Research Projects Agency Transmission Control Protocol (TCP) Working Group
I wonder if he is the same Ken Biba that worked on/devised Mandatory Access Control (MAC) and the Biba Integrity Model.
There is a good description of MAC here [freebsd.org], and an explanation of the Biba Integrity Model here [tml.hut.fi].
AMPS (Score:4, Interesting)
That was part of why the old phones where so large - a 5 watt 100% duty cycle power amp isn't tiny. (the other reason was that since AMPS requires the phone to transmit and receive at the same time, the phone had to have an RF duplexer in it - not a small item, even at 800MHz. TDMA phones don't transmit and receive at the same time, hence they don't need the duplexer).
That's one of the reasons I tell people to look for the old phones at garage sales - get the phone and you have a dandy 911 phone - you WILL get a connection!
What about the client? Does it get a 4 miles too? (Score:2, Interesting)
Re:Low-tech alternative (Score:3, Interesting)
In Montana they've had trouble because people tend to build in narrow valleys (more water, less wind, etc.) and thereby are choosing the areas with the *worst* possible radio wave accessability. The higher you go, the less that matters.
Rustin
Re:My child has grown a third leg . . . (Score:2, Interesting)
The radiation is shielded on 5 sides of the oven box by the metal case and the door also has conductive shielding. So, even if you place parts of your body next to the microwave, you won't be exposed to the radiation.
I read somewhere that they placed people inside big microwave ovens and applied moderate amounts of power. The test subjects experienced a warm fuzzy feeling...
Re:Is it too powerful? (Score:3, Interesting)
Think of it this way. With a normal access point, it's like lighting a stage with diffuse lighting: there ends up being light everywhere. This access point is intended to be like a bunch of spotlights on a dark stage: only the areas where it is aimed are actually lit up; the rest of the stage remains in darkness.
As an aside, I also saw the sad effects of this directional power on a new apartment bulding constructed on a hill less than 400 yards from the antennae in the direct path of the focused radiation. First, realize that once the FCC grants approval the radio station has a right to the frequency, more so than those who experience interference from the signal. Especially more so than new developments begun well after the station has been approved and begun broadcasting. Anyway, the poor schmucks could hear our broadcasts on the toasters (!). CD players wouldn't play (but they worked in the stores a couple miles away), forget cordless phones--forget corded phones! These people were living in the spotlight, alright. Before the apartments were completed, the foreman came to visit me at the station--the fire alarm couldn't call out to the alarm company due to interference. I called my broadcast engineer (a local area college professor who loved radio and worked more for the fun than anything else) as I hummed the tune "The Fool on the Hill." Dave came out and helped the construction crew insulate and filter the building so people wouldn't die and he even helped the toaster problem. Dave helped other nearby businesses and schools located in the direct path of the signal to filter there systems--one school couldn't use their public address system because it just played our station when activated. . .Dave fixed it.
Boy, I miss those days! Sometimes. . .