The emerging wireless technologies discussed in this report will have a compounding effect that greatly extends the reach of wireless networks and improves performance by as much as 10,000 times the speed of dial-up 56 Kbps modems.
Growth of WiFi in enterprises has been driven by an increased use of mobile devices and BYOD trends, as well as a surge in technological advancements such as the Internet of Things which demand more flexible connectivity than wired alone can offer. This, combined with consumer pressure for public WiFi hotspots, means that wireless LAN connectivity has become a standard expectation on across the board.
Outlines
Introduction
What is Wi-Fi?
Wi-Fi Standards?
Hotspots
How a Wi-Fi Network works
Survey
Factors To Consider When Choosing An Internet Service Provider
Wi-Fi Providers
Limitations of Wi-Fi
Security
Maintenance
Estimated cost
Location
ICTC Requirements
Conclusion
Introduction
Imagine working on your laptop or checking
e-mailfrom anywhere in the department.
Now , imagine
doing all thesethings
easily and quickly,
withoutworrying
about finding a wired
network connection.
That is Wi-Fi !
What is Wi-Fi?
Wi-Fi (Wireless Fidelity) is a generic term that refers to the IEEE 802.11 communications standard for Wireless Local Area Networks (WLANs).
Wireless Technology is an alternative to Wired Technology, which is commonly used, for connecting devices in wireless using radio waves.
Allows you to access the Internet while on the move ; you can remain online while moving from one area to another, without a disconnection or loss in coverage
IEEE 802.11 Standard
In 1997, the Institute of Electrical and Electronic Engineers (IEEE) drafted the 802.11 standard for wireless local area networking.
In 1999, networking hardware companies accepted the standard and began manufacturing products using the 802.11b protocol which operated in the 2.4 GHz range and was capable of transmitting at speeds of 11 Mbps.
The 802.11a protocol was also released in 1999, operating at 5 GHz with transmissions speeds of 54 Mbps, but its cost was high.
What is a Hotspot ?
A Hotspot is any location where Wi-Fi network access is made publicly available.
Hotspots are equipped with a Broadband Internet connection, and one or more Access Points that allow users to access the Internet wirelessly.
Hotspots can be setup in any public location that can support an Internet connection.
How a Wi-Fi network works?
A Wi-Fi connection works
through a transmitting antenna,
which is usually connected to a
DSL or cable Internet connection.
The antenna on the router will
then beam radio signals through
a specific range. Another antenna,
which is on the laptop or personal
computer, receives the signal.
THE FUTURE DIRECTIONS IN EVOLVING WI-FI: TECHNOLOGIES, APPLICATIONS AND SERVICESijngnjournal
New research directions will lead to fundamental changes in the design of future WiFi networks. However, with an explosion of wireless mobile applications and services, there are still some challenges on the spectrum crisis and high energy consumption. Wireless system designers have been facing the continuously increasing demand for high data rates and spectrum sharing required by new wireless applications and therefore have started research on future WiFi wireless technologies that are expected to be deployed beyond 2020. In this article we propose WiFi key technologies and there prospective: WiFi CERTIFIEDTM ac and Wi Fi CERTIFIED passpointTM . Also represent super WiFi such as WiGig solution, White Fi, HetNets and Cognitive Fi. Future applications and services facing these potential technologies are also
discussed.
Growth of WiFi in enterprises has been driven by an increased use of mobile devices and BYOD trends, as well as a surge in technological advancements such as the Internet of Things which demand more flexible connectivity than wired alone can offer. This, combined with consumer pressure for public WiFi hotspots, means that wireless LAN connectivity has become a standard expectation on across the board.
Outlines
Introduction
What is Wi-Fi?
Wi-Fi Standards?
Hotspots
How a Wi-Fi Network works
Survey
Factors To Consider When Choosing An Internet Service Provider
Wi-Fi Providers
Limitations of Wi-Fi
Security
Maintenance
Estimated cost
Location
ICTC Requirements
Conclusion
Introduction
Imagine working on your laptop or checking
e-mailfrom anywhere in the department.
Now , imagine
doing all thesethings
easily and quickly,
withoutworrying
about finding a wired
network connection.
That is Wi-Fi !
What is Wi-Fi?
Wi-Fi (Wireless Fidelity) is a generic term that refers to the IEEE 802.11 communications standard for Wireless Local Area Networks (WLANs).
Wireless Technology is an alternative to Wired Technology, which is commonly used, for connecting devices in wireless using radio waves.
Allows you to access the Internet while on the move ; you can remain online while moving from one area to another, without a disconnection or loss in coverage
IEEE 802.11 Standard
In 1997, the Institute of Electrical and Electronic Engineers (IEEE) drafted the 802.11 standard for wireless local area networking.
In 1999, networking hardware companies accepted the standard and began manufacturing products using the 802.11b protocol which operated in the 2.4 GHz range and was capable of transmitting at speeds of 11 Mbps.
The 802.11a protocol was also released in 1999, operating at 5 GHz with transmissions speeds of 54 Mbps, but its cost was high.
What is a Hotspot ?
A Hotspot is any location where Wi-Fi network access is made publicly available.
Hotspots are equipped with a Broadband Internet connection, and one or more Access Points that allow users to access the Internet wirelessly.
Hotspots can be setup in any public location that can support an Internet connection.
How a Wi-Fi network works?
A Wi-Fi connection works
through a transmitting antenna,
which is usually connected to a
DSL or cable Internet connection.
The antenna on the router will
then beam radio signals through
a specific range. Another antenna,
which is on the laptop or personal
computer, receives the signal.
THE FUTURE DIRECTIONS IN EVOLVING WI-FI: TECHNOLOGIES, APPLICATIONS AND SERVICESijngnjournal
New research directions will lead to fundamental changes in the design of future WiFi networks. However, with an explosion of wireless mobile applications and services, there are still some challenges on the spectrum crisis and high energy consumption. Wireless system designers have been facing the continuously increasing demand for high data rates and spectrum sharing required by new wireless applications and therefore have started research on future WiFi wireless technologies that are expected to be deployed beyond 2020. In this article we propose WiFi key technologies and there prospective: WiFi CERTIFIEDTM ac and Wi Fi CERTIFIED passpointTM . Also represent super WiFi such as WiGig solution, White Fi, HetNets and Cognitive Fi. Future applications and services facing these potential technologies are also
discussed.
Light-Fidelity
LI-FI is transmission of data through illumination, sending data through a LED light bulb that varies intensity faster than human eye can follow.
LiFi is a wireless optical networking technology that uses light-emitting diodes (LEDs) for data transmission.
Presentation at Femtocell World Summit 2010 in London with featured speaker: Manish Singh, Vice President PLM, Continuous Computing
When: Tuesday, June 22, 2010
Time: 3:50- 4:15 p.m.
Topic: LTE Femtocells and Edge Offload
International Refereed Journal of Engineering and Science (IRJES)irjes
International Refereed Journal of Engineering and Science (IRJES)
Ad hoc & sensor networks, Adaptive applications, Aeronautical Engineering, Aerospace Engineering
Agricultural Engineering, AI and Image Recognition, Allied engineering materials, Applied mechanics,
Architecture & Planning, Artificial intelligence, Audio Engineering, Automation and Mobile Robots
Automotive Engineering….
Presentation delivered by Steve Livingston, Senior Vice President, iPass at the Mobile Data Offloading conference in London. iPass service will lower Wi-Fi roaming costs. Visit http://www3.ipass.com/solutions/open-mobile-exchange/ for more information regarding data offloading.
The why's and how's and how-not-to's of participating in meetings, what's different about women's and men's meeting styles, and some advice for all of us.
Light-Fidelity
LI-FI is transmission of data through illumination, sending data through a LED light bulb that varies intensity faster than human eye can follow.
LiFi is a wireless optical networking technology that uses light-emitting diodes (LEDs) for data transmission.
Presentation at Femtocell World Summit 2010 in London with featured speaker: Manish Singh, Vice President PLM, Continuous Computing
When: Tuesday, June 22, 2010
Time: 3:50- 4:15 p.m.
Topic: LTE Femtocells and Edge Offload
International Refereed Journal of Engineering and Science (IRJES)irjes
International Refereed Journal of Engineering and Science (IRJES)
Ad hoc & sensor networks, Adaptive applications, Aeronautical Engineering, Aerospace Engineering
Agricultural Engineering, AI and Image Recognition, Allied engineering materials, Applied mechanics,
Architecture & Planning, Artificial intelligence, Audio Engineering, Automation and Mobile Robots
Automotive Engineering….
Presentation delivered by Steve Livingston, Senior Vice President, iPass at the Mobile Data Offloading conference in London. iPass service will lower Wi-Fi roaming costs. Visit http://www3.ipass.com/solutions/open-mobile-exchange/ for more information regarding data offloading.
The why's and how's and how-not-to's of participating in meetings, what's different about women's and men's meeting styles, and some advice for all of us.
Driving economic prosperity through innovation and sovereigntyGeorg Greve
Talk at Net Futures 2015 conference in Brussels, Belgium:
http://netfutures2015.eu/programme/open-source/
Abstract: "The data- and software-driven economy has fundamentally affected the distribution of economic power, and Information Technology (IT) is one of the most rapidly growing economic sectors. IT has become the life blood of the economy with an importance approaching that of currency itself. Control of this new currency is essential to sovereignty. In his talk Mr. Greve will show how Open Source provides the most sustainable and achievable path towards achieving that control through its enormous potential for innovation and facilitation of local economic growth. Sharing some of his expertise in the field, Mr. Greve will also provide concrete ways forward for possible EU and member state activities."
Talk about the how marketers recruit Popular Vine stars to advertise their products.
Welcome to share your thoughts and comment here.
http://wingyilam4.getsmartconnect.com/2015/02/15/the-power-of-social-media/
Black & Latino dominance on Twitter & Facebook, yet omission from Social Medi...Golin
GolinHarris at Social Media Week 2013
Black & Latino dominance on Twitter & Facebook,
yet omission from Social Media Strategy
A discussion on how black and Latino’s have dominated Twitter and Facebook, however lack SM strategies. Discuss best practices for multicultural social media strategies.
#smwmulticultural
To limit the scope of this white paper, we will assume readers are currently or will soon be using a Cisco Unified Wireless Network with Cisco Light Weight APs, and Wireless LAN Controller in what is also referred to as a Split MAC design. This white paper is focused around the basics of troubleshooting Enterprise Wireless Networks (Wi-Fi), some of the most common issues seen in these environments, and common tools used to troubleshoot Wi-Fi.
Our major goal is to help you achieve your academic goals. We are commited to helping you get top grades in your academic papers.We desire to help you come up with great essays that meet your lecturer's expectations.Contact us now at http://www.premiumessays.net/
You have persuaded XelPharms CIO that wireless networking would be.pdfarpittradersjdr
You have persuaded XelPharm\'s CIO that wireless networking would benefit many of the
company\'s employees. However, he requests that you plan the
network carefully and begin with a pilot network before migrating hundreds of clients to use
wireless technology. You decide to begin with a pilot network
in the distribution facility. The distribution facility is 200 feet long by 120 feet wide. It houses
45 employees during each shift, all on the same floor. What is
your first step in planning the pilot network? As part of your later planning, draw the network,
including the quantity and optimal placement of access points. What pitfalls, some unique to this
environment, are you careful to avoid? What wireless standard do you recommend and why?
Solution
There are many factors that need to consider before developing wireless network like cost,
bandwidth, use and devices that need to deploy in network following are some points that need
to consider for planning network
There are a number of reasons for a company to implement wireless networking. Wi-fi makes it
much easier for workers to connect to the LAN from their laptops in conference rooms, break
rooms, and other areas that may not have wired Ethernet jacks (or may not have enough for the
number of people present).
A wireless network also provides a way for you to allow visitors to access the Internet with their
laptops or handhelds (for example, to check their e-mail).Rolling out a wireless LAN within your
organization, however, is more complicated than just plugging in a wireless access point (WAP).
You need to address a number of factors in the planning stage to ensure both accessibility and
security.
Steps to pilot network:-
1) Establish a pilot that will test and confirm how wireless can work within your business
campus and needs.
2) Tie in Internet access and a robust data security system.
3) Install wireless access points, and equip notebook PCs for wireless use (e.g., provide PC cards
or upgrade to PCs with integrated wireless connectivity built in).
4) Train and turn your participants loose with their wireless notebook PCs. 5 After the pilot,
build on what you learn to broaden your wireless LAN (WLAN) to cover other areas and users.
Here are some of the things you should consider as you prepare to go wireless :-
The first step in planning your wi-fi deployment is to determine who will be using your wireless
network. This can affect network design. If the wireless network is primarily to give visitors
Internet access, you will want to isolate it from your wired LAN, perhaps by placing it in a
DMZ. If the wireless LAN is for the use of your workers, you will need to give them access to
resources on the wired corporate network without compromising the security of the main LAN.
If both outsiders and employees need wireless, you may want to establish two separate WLANs
to meet the needs of each.
The next step is to look at what type of traffic will flow over the WLAN. This analysis is
necessa.
Describe the evolution of WiMAX. Why is WiMAX technology important f.pdfjibinsh
Describe the evolution of WiMAX. Why is WiMAX technology important for the continuing
development of broadband wireless?
Solution
WiMAX:
WiMAX is a coined term or acronym meaning worldwide interoperability for microwave access
(WiMAX).
Evolution of WiMAX:
WiMAX, which comes from the expression worldwide interoperability for microwave access, is
the trademark name for technologies that are based on the IEEE 802.16 broadband wireless
access standard. Although it is not necessarily a new standard (work began on the standard in
1999), WiMAX has gained some momentum with the 802.16d and 802.16e versions that have
been ratified now for several years.
The 802.16 working group initially defined a couple of different single carrier bands. However,
the most widely used implementations of the standard are 802.16d and 802.16e which instead
use Orthogonal Frequency Division Multiplexing (OFDM) and Orthogonal Frequency Division
Multiplexing Access (OFDMA). OFDMA is a multi-user version of OFDM and has some
claimed advantages over traditional CDMA and time division statistical multiplexing methods.
WiMAX, many 3G and proposed 4G networks, and the latest 802.11 versions all have chosen
OFDM and OFDMA platforms, although there are a number of different flavors even within the
WiMAX standard.
Most researchers are familiar with the technical features of WiMAX technology but the
evolution that WiMAX went through, in terms of standardization and certification, is missing
and unknown to most people. Knowledge of this historical process would however aid to
understand how WiMAX has become the widespread technology that it is today. Furthermore, it
would give insight in the steps to undertake for anyone aiming at introducing a new wireless
technology on a worldwide scale. Therefore, this article presents a survey on all relevant
activities that took place within three important organizations: the 802.16 Working Group of the
IEEE (Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers) for technology development and
standardization, the WiMAX Forum for product certification and the ITU (International
Telecommunication Union) for international recognition. An elaborated and comprehensive
overview of all those activities is given, which reveals the importance of the willingness to
innovate and to continuously incorporate new ideas in the IEEE standardization process and the
importance of the WiMAX Forum certification label granting process to ensure interoperability.
We also emphasize the steps that were taken in cooperating with the ITU to improve the
international esteem of the technology. Finally, a WiMAX trend analysis is made. We showed
how industry interest has fluctuated over time and quantified the evolution in WiMAX product
certification and deployments. It is shown that most interest went to the 2.5 GHz and 3.5 GHz
frequencies, that most deployments are in geographic regions with a lot of developing countries
and that the highest people coverage is achieved in Asi.
G.fast is the next generation of Broadband Access - delivering up to 1Gbps over existing copper wires.
This document provides basic background information about the standard and answers fundamental questions about G.fast, the industry and the future of broadband.
With the continual improvements of speed and performance in wireless, comes the need to be knowledgeable in the latest wireless standards. This white paper addresses both technical and business aspects that have led to the ratification of 802.11ac. A number of considerations need to be made when making the decision to deploy this technology. Topics covered include compatibility, speed, range, modulation, channelization, beamforming and how it works, null data packet beamforming, Multi User MIMO, spatial streams, migration, compatibility, and deployment.
5G is the fifth generation of cellular mobile communications. It succeeds the 4G, 3G and 2G systems. 5G performance targets high data rate, reduced latency, energy saving, cost reduction, higher system capacity, and massive device connectivity.
After the read, you will learn the characteristics of the 6 wireless protocols IEEE protocols: LoRa, NB-IoT, ZigBee, Wi-Fi, BLE, WiMax.
In the field of IoT, a wide range of communication technologies wireless protocols exist simultaneously. In terms of transmission distance, there are BLE, WI-FI, ZigBee, sub1G, etc., which are widely used in the context of local wireless networks, such as wearable, home, and enterprise applications.
Similar to Sound Solutions for Wireless Woes (2004) (20)
Gun violence reframed as a public health issueWayne Caswell
Public Health officials have a legitimate interest in preventing gun violence, even if the NRA, Congress, and the health insurance and medical industries do not, because they profit more from gun sales and treating gun injuries and long-term disabilities than from preventing them.
At Modern Health Talk, we see the future of mHealth as less about Mobile health and more about MODERN healthcare that includes all sorts of solutions for addressing demographic shift of retiring baby boomers and the resulting doctor shortage.
These solutions include mobile technologies (smartphones & tablets) and big broadband support of high-def video calls with medical imaging, as well as new delivery options such as retail clinics and insurance-funded home care (and home modifications), remote sensor monitoring, healthcare robots, Watson-like cloud services, new laws & regulations, support of family caregivers, and more.
Affiliated with Boy Scouts of America, The Vigil Honor is the highest honor that the Order of the Arrow can bestow upon its members for service to lodge, council, and Scouting.
Chipping away at healthcare special interests yetWayne Caswell
In this article about public interests versus private interests, I reflect on the healthcare progress that consumers are making despite politicians working against them.
PURPOSE -- Choosing Why you live, not just HowWayne Caswell
Slides supporting a talk given to Austin's LaunchPad Job Club about finding Purpose in your life, or your job search, using my own journey as examples.
This is the complete technical spec of HomeRF V2.01 adopted 2001/05/07.
HomeRF is a frequency-hopping spread-spectrum wireless home networking technology that once dominated the market with over 90% share, but that was when Wi-Fi was still new and expensive. The market eventually decided on a single standard for work, home and public hotspots, and it was an improved and more affordable Wi-Fi. Still, the hopping design of HomeRF has some significant technical advantages.
A history of HomeRF and collection of presentations, whitepapers, and related materials is available in the HomeRF Archives. Just Google it.
It's risky to say that something can't or won't be done, especially when technology is concerned. Here are some past quotations that still haunt their speakers today:
For Wild Flower is a community park in the Dallas suburb of Flower Mound with an interesting funding model. You'll see from the slides that individuals and businesses alike can sponsor the various park equipment and even the brick pavers and fence pickets.
The commemorative plaque credits the various politicians and business leaders that helped make the park a success, and could be a model for others trying to fund their own land purchases and park development.
I created this handout for the Democratic National Convention. Homeowners of Texas, a nonprofit consumer advocacy, was urging Congress to adopt a Homeowners' Bill of Rights that includes financial, legal, and disclosure reforms.
XPS™ One™ Sales Aid (2007 2-page flyer)Wayne Caswell
I created this for Dell as Messaging Manager for consumer desktop PCs. I did the layout and graphics and wrote all of the copy. Before leaving Dell, I got permission to use documents shown here as samples of my work.
As Dell Messaging Manager for consumer desktop PCs, I created this brochure with help from Linksys for Dell's CES product launch. The images and messaging were a collaborative effort between the two companies.
Smart TV Buyer Insights Survey 2024 by 91mobiles.pdf91mobiles
91mobiles recently conducted a Smart TV Buyer Insights Survey in which we asked over 3,000 respondents about the TV they own, aspects they look at on a new TV, and their TV buying preferences.
GraphRAG is All You need? LLM & Knowledge GraphGuy Korland
Guy Korland, CEO and Co-founder of FalkorDB, will review two articles on the integration of language models with knowledge graphs.
1. Unifying Large Language Models and Knowledge Graphs: A Roadmap.
https://arxiv.org/abs/2306.08302
2. Microsoft Research's GraphRAG paper and a review paper on various uses of knowledge graphs:
https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/research/blog/graphrag-unlocking-llm-discovery-on-narrative-private-data/
Le nuove frontiere dell'AI nell'RPA con UiPath Autopilot™UiPathCommunity
In questo evento online gratuito, organizzato dalla Community Italiana di UiPath, potrai esplorare le nuove funzionalità di Autopilot, il tool che integra l'Intelligenza Artificiale nei processi di sviluppo e utilizzo delle Automazioni.
📕 Vedremo insieme alcuni esempi dell'utilizzo di Autopilot in diversi tool della Suite UiPath:
Autopilot per Studio Web
Autopilot per Studio
Autopilot per Apps
Clipboard AI
GenAI applicata alla Document Understanding
👨🏫👨💻 Speakers:
Stefano Negro, UiPath MVPx3, RPA Tech Lead @ BSP Consultant
Flavio Martinelli, UiPath MVP 2023, Technical Account Manager @UiPath
Andrei Tasca, RPA Solutions Team Lead @NTT Data
LF Energy Webinar: Electrical Grid Modelling and Simulation Through PowSyBl -...DanBrown980551
Do you want to learn how to model and simulate an electrical network from scratch in under an hour?
Then welcome to this PowSyBl workshop, hosted by Rte, the French Transmission System Operator (TSO)!
During the webinar, you will discover the PowSyBl ecosystem as well as handle and study an electrical network through an interactive Python notebook.
PowSyBl is an open source project hosted by LF Energy, which offers a comprehensive set of features for electrical grid modelling and simulation. Among other advanced features, PowSyBl provides:
- A fully editable and extendable library for grid component modelling;
- Visualization tools to display your network;
- Grid simulation tools, such as power flows, security analyses (with or without remedial actions) and sensitivity analyses;
The framework is mostly written in Java, with a Python binding so that Python developers can access PowSyBl functionalities as well.
What you will learn during the webinar:
- For beginners: discover PowSyBl's functionalities through a quick general presentation and the notebook, without needing any expert coding skills;
- For advanced developers: master the skills to efficiently apply PowSyBl functionalities to your real-world scenarios.
Generative AI Deep Dive: Advancing from Proof of Concept to ProductionAggregage
Join Maher Hanafi, VP of Engineering at Betterworks, in this new session where he'll share a practical framework to transform Gen AI prototypes into impactful products! He'll delve into the complexities of data collection and management, model selection and optimization, and ensuring security, scalability, and responsible use.
Essentials of Automations: Optimizing FME Workflows with ParametersSafe Software
Are you looking to streamline your workflows and boost your projects’ efficiency? Do you find yourself searching for ways to add flexibility and control over your FME workflows? If so, you’re in the right place.
Join us for an insightful dive into the world of FME parameters, a critical element in optimizing workflow efficiency. This webinar marks the beginning of our three-part “Essentials of Automation” series. This first webinar is designed to equip you with the knowledge and skills to utilize parameters effectively: enhancing the flexibility, maintainability, and user control of your FME projects.
Here’s what you’ll gain:
- Essentials of FME Parameters: Understand the pivotal role of parameters, including Reader/Writer, Transformer, User, and FME Flow categories. Discover how they are the key to unlocking automation and optimization within your workflows.
- Practical Applications in FME Form: Delve into key user parameter types including choice, connections, and file URLs. Allow users to control how a workflow runs, making your workflows more reusable. Learn to import values and deliver the best user experience for your workflows while enhancing accuracy.
- Optimization Strategies in FME Flow: Explore the creation and strategic deployment of parameters in FME Flow, including the use of deployment and geometry parameters, to maximize workflow efficiency.
- Pro Tips for Success: Gain insights on parameterizing connections and leveraging new features like Conditional Visibility for clarity and simplicity.
We’ll wrap up with a glimpse into future webinars, followed by a Q&A session to address your specific questions surrounding this topic.
Don’t miss this opportunity to elevate your FME expertise and drive your projects to new heights of efficiency.
Key Trends Shaping the Future of Infrastructure.pdfCheryl Hung
Keynote at DIGIT West Expo, Glasgow on 29 May 2024.
Cheryl Hung, ochery.com
Sr Director, Infrastructure Ecosystem, Arm.
The key trends across hardware, cloud and open-source; exploring how these areas are likely to mature and develop over the short and long-term, and then considering how organisations can position themselves to adapt and thrive.
State of ICS and IoT Cyber Threat Landscape Report 2024 previewPrayukth K V
The IoT and OT threat landscape report has been prepared by the Threat Research Team at Sectrio using data from Sectrio, cyber threat intelligence farming facilities spread across over 85 cities around the world. In addition, Sectrio also runs AI-based advanced threat and payload engagement facilities that serve as sinks to attract and engage sophisticated threat actors, and newer malware including new variants and latent threats that are at an earlier stage of development.
The latest edition of the OT/ICS and IoT security Threat Landscape Report 2024 also covers:
State of global ICS asset and network exposure
Sectoral targets and attacks as well as the cost of ransom
Global APT activity, AI usage, actor and tactic profiles, and implications
Rise in volumes of AI-powered cyberattacks
Major cyber events in 2024
Malware and malicious payload trends
Cyberattack types and targets
Vulnerability exploit attempts on CVEs
Attacks on counties – USA
Expansion of bot farms – how, where, and why
In-depth analysis of the cyber threat landscape across North America, South America, Europe, APAC, and the Middle East
Why are attacks on smart factories rising?
Cyber risk predictions
Axis of attacks – Europe
Systemic attacks in the Middle East
Download the full report from here:
https://sectrio.com/resources/ot-threat-landscape-reports/sectrio-releases-ot-ics-and-iot-security-threat-landscape-report-2024/
UiPath Test Automation using UiPath Test Suite series, part 3DianaGray10
Welcome to UiPath Test Automation using UiPath Test Suite series part 3. In this session, we will cover desktop automation along with UI automation.
Topics covered:
UI automation Introduction,
UI automation Sample
Desktop automation flow
Pradeep Chinnala, Senior Consultant Automation Developer @WonderBotz and UiPath MVP
Deepak Rai, Automation Practice Lead, Boundaryless Group and UiPath MVP
Accelerate your Kubernetes clusters with Varnish CachingThijs Feryn
A presentation about the usage and availability of Varnish on Kubernetes. This talk explores the capabilities of Varnish caching and shows how to use the Varnish Helm chart to deploy it to Kubernetes.
This presentation was delivered at K8SUG Singapore. See https://feryn.eu/presentations/accelerate-your-kubernetes-clusters-with-varnish-caching-k8sug-singapore-28-2024 for more details.
Accelerate your Kubernetes clusters with Varnish Caching
Sound Solutions for Wireless Woes (2004)
1. Sound Solutions for Wireless Woes
By Wayne Caswell
CAZITech Consulting
www.cazitech.com
Several new technologies will improve the range
and speed of wireless networks, with a
combined effect of 10,000 times the capacity of
dialup 56 Kbps modems. With such
advancements, networks that use radio signals
for communication could replace most of the
network cabling we now use. How real is this
promise? When will we see it? And what will it
mean for equipment manufacturers, service
providers, homebuilders, and homeowners?
January is a good time to reflect back on the past year, ponder the future, and explore the
answers to those questions. I just returned from the annual International Consumer Electronics
Show where many of the newest devices and technologies are shown. A similar article, “Wireless
in 2003: CES Shows Consumers the Way,” (www.hometoys.com/mentors/caswell) provided a
starting point for listing important events of the year and for considering the wireless potential and
challenges still ahead.
This report examines wireless developments during 2003 and those on the near horizon, along
with their implications for three categories of wireless products and services:
1. Wireless LAN (WLAN) for devices in local networks,
2. Cellular & PCS service for highly mobile devices in wide coverage areas, and
3. Fixed broadband wireless for buildings and stationary devices.
The report concludes with implications for homeowners and builders.
IEEE 802.11 Standards (Wireless LAN)
Wireless Fidelity (Wi-Fi) is the consumer name covering a mix of IEEE 802.11 standards,
including 802.11b, 802.11g, and 802.11a. It has become the worldwide standard for wireless
LANs, beating out competitors like HomeRF. Wi-Fi is “wireless Ethernet,” and compared to other
wireless technologies like GSM, PCS and CDMA, it has a wider global presence.
Sales of Wi-Fi products helped lead the technology industry into recovery last year. Market
research firm In-Stat/MDR says over 22 million Wi-Fi products shipped in 2003, an increase of
more than 200% over 2002, when the industry sold about 7.2 million units. But even with this
success, it’s clear that there still is a lot of work to do in the area of standards.
Security remains a critical issue that has tempered enterprise deployment and caused most of the
growth to occur in homes where security is less of a concern. Quality-of-service (QoS) is another
concern because of new wireless applications for home users that include voice services and
streaming audio and video.
802.11g (2.4 GHz)
802.11g gained momentum in 2003 as a faster follow-on to 802.11b. Its rated speed of 54 Mbps
(about 22 Mbps throughput at close range) compares well against 802.11b (11 Mbps with 4-5
Mbps throughput). The added speed means that newer .11g products should outsell .11b
products in 2004, even as prices of the older products fall; and this trend parallels what happened
2. with Ethernet. Older 10 Mbps Ethernet adapters gave way to new ones that were 10 times faster,
were backward compatible, and only carried a small price premium.
The two 802.11 standards are compatible since they both use the license-free 2.4 GHz frequency
band. That band is especially crowded, however, since cordless phones, microwave ovens, and
numerous other devices that cause interference also use it. Because it’s becoming more difficult
to avoid interference problems at 2.4 GHz, I recommend looking at 802.11a instead, and I’m
especially excited about products that automatically support both 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz
frequencies.
802.11a (5 GHz)
A key advantage of 802.11a is that it’s less susceptible to radio interference. The 5 GHz band is
less noisy than the crowded 2.4 GHz band, and with more spectrum available there’s more non-
overlapping channels and more overall performance. 802.11a has 19 channels in most of the
world, and the FCC just increased that to 24 in the United States. Avoiding interference will
become a critical factor as wireless networks gain popularity and more people have them. In
contrast, 802.11b and .11g each have only three non-overlapping channels, so it’s harder to
avoid interference from neighboring networks.
Everyone is not a fan of 802.11a, and companies that only sell 802.11g products often say the
.11a standard has a limited market. I don’t agree, however, and think this rhetoric is simply
designed to protect their turf.
Because 802.11a uses a different frequency band (5 GHz), a common complaint is that it is not
compatible with the large installed base of .11b products, but several companies already offer
multi-mode products that support either standard. The NetGear equipment I use, for example,
recognizes both .11b and .11a networks and automatically picks the band with the best
performance. My notebook PC uses 802.11a at home and downshifts to .11b when I’m at a public
hotspot.
A second argument is the theory that 802.11a has a limited range because there’s more signal
loss over distance with higher frequencies, thus impacting performance. That’s not necessarily
the case and not supported by my own experience. I placed a single access point in my home
office, and it provides an average throughput of about 70 Mbps anywhere in the house, using
Netgear’s proprietary “turbo” mode. That’s much faster than native .11g products deliver, with just
22 Mbps of throughput. And even though NetGear now offers an upgrade to add .11g support, I
feel no need to install it.
Contrary to some claims, 802.11a doesn’t necessarily cost more since retail prices depend more
on the manufacturer, the store, and marketing promotions. Several months ago I paid $29.95 for
my multimode PC card adapters and $49.95 for my access point, after receiving $50 rebates on
each, and I still haven’t seen 802.11g products advertised with a lower price.
A final concern with 802.11a was recently settled at a conference sponsored by the International
Telecommunications Union in Geneva, Switzerland. Negotiators from 180 nations agreed to
allocate more bandwidth for 802.11a products in the 5 GHz band and eliminated differences in
how countries allocate spectrum in that band. As a result, vendors can more easily make
products for use anywhere in the world.
802.11e (Quality of Service)
Applications for home users are expanding beyond simple data networking and now include voice
services and audio and video streaming. These apps add specific requirements for bandwidth,
latency, and jitter that current 802.11 standards don’t satisfy. So the standards community has
put a high priority on adding quality-of-service (QoS) guarantees. Most of this work is in the
802.11e task group.
3. I see little chance of 802.11e actually solving the QoS problem, however, because every device
in the network must play by the same rules that give some information packets priority over
others. For QoS to work, each device in a network must be replaced or upgraded, since any one
device that ignores the rules or cheats can destroy QoS for all others.
The QoS problem goes beyond simple priorities and also includes the issue of RF interference
since 802.11 is contention-based and uses CSMA-CA protocols. “Carrier Sense Multiple Access
– Collision Avoidance” is the protocol that causes devices to first listen before transmitting. If they
hear other transmissions (or noise), they must wait a random amount of time before retrying.
These minor delays are not noticed in data apps, and video apps can compensate by buffering
content, but voice apps have very tight timing requirements, and any interference can be deadly.
In the worse cases, 802.11b and .11g networks can be shut down entirely by certain types of
interference from cordless phones that hold up their transmit energy for the entire duration of a
phone call.
The interference problem is easier to solve in the 5 GHz band where the additional capacity gives
enough “headroom” to help avoid packet collisions and where it’s easier to pick a clean channel.
That’s why I think apps that need QoS will migrate to 802.11a until Wi-Fi is replaced by
something better.
802.11i (Security)
Privacy is about perception; security is about trust; and technology either makes us feel better or
causes more concern. I find it interesting that personal modesty goes out the door when we are
seriously injured and need medical attention, but hidden cameras in restrooms or airports outrage
us. And even though many of us grew up in neighborhoods where we never locked the doors, but
we wouldn’t think of doing that today. Wireless brings similar conflicts, with both great benefits
and serious concerns.
Security remains a concern for wireless enterprise and consumer apps since radio signals
penetrate walls and can be monitored by someone miles away with a directional antenna. Wi-Fi
products include an encryption mechanism called Wire Equivalent Protection, and while enabling
WEP can add complexity and reduce performance, not having it is like having no lock on your
door.
WEP is like a flimsy lock. It won’t keep out determined criminals, but it does an effective job
against casual burglars. Please follow the advice of experts and turn on WEP. Here’s what can
happen if you don’t:
1. Personal Records – A young reporter doing work on a story at Palo Alto High School
made a discovery that evolved into a much bigger story on security that was picked up by
TechTV and other national media. It was a huge embarrassment for the school district
and could have been far worse. The reporter opened her notebook PC to take notes, and
up popped a Windows XP invitation to log into the school’s wireless network. OK, why
not? Once connected, she discovered that personal student files weren’t even password
protected. They included a psychological profile of each student, grades, home
addresses, phone numbers, and color photographs. OUCH!
2. Credit Card Numbers – A network administrator who went to BestBuy with his wife stayed
in the car working on a project while she went inside. While typing on his notebook PC,
he noticed that there was unprotected network nearby, so he curiously checked it out.
The guy didn’t want to hack into the network itself but just wondered what kind of
information was being sent, so he started a trace program. Concerned by what he saw,
he left the PC running and went inside to buy something. He returned and found his
credit card number in the trace log, so he took the PC in to show the store manager.
They closed the store immediately and didn’t open again until the problem was fixed. It
4. seems that BestBuy used Wi-Fi to connect cash registers to the back office systems for
credit verification, but they never turned on WEP. OOPS!
3. National Security – A grandfather with no experience downloading digital music was
surprised to be the subject of a lawsuit by the RIAA. He had an unprotected wireless
network, and it seems that a neighbor (or even someone high on a hill a mile away with a
directional antenna) must have tapped into his network for free Internet access. This
brings up a national security concern, because an Internet trace only goes as far as the
IP address. In this case it was the grandfather’s Internet account, but it could be your PC;
and instead of a neighbor looking for music, it could be an international terrorist.
SCARED YET?
The standards guys know they should have made WEP mandatory, so the 802.11i task group is
working on security improvements for 2004. Some of them are available to vendors today. Even
before official 802.11i security standards are ratified, the Wi-Fi Alliance endorsed a specification
called WPA (Wi-Fi Protected Access). WPA includes much stronger encryption, user
authentication, and dynamic encryption-key distribution, and since most homes and small offices
don’t have network administrators or authentication servers, a simplified mechanism is included
as well.
Security will remain an issue throughout the year because Wi-Fi can’t be made bulletproof. A lot
of work has been done on products that find the rogue access points that compromise network
security (usually installed by office workers or others), but none of those products are able to find
a lurker. A lurker is someone that simply monitors network traffic, decrypting it if need be, but
never actually transmits or attempts to break in. The lurker can collect personal records and credit
card numbers and become a national threat without detection.
802.11n (faster still)
Even with planned QoS enhancements, Wi-Fi won’t easily send high-definition TV programs from
your PVR to HDTV sets, at least not this year. There’s not enough wireless capacity, but that will
change in the future.
One initiative for the 2005-2006 timeframe is IEEE 802.11n. Developers have defined a
requirement for at least 100 Mbps of real throughput, not just the rated radio speed. That’s
enough for several HDTV streams.
802.11n will operate in the 5 GHz bands and include built-in QoS and security. You may not need
its performance now, but you’ll want it when falling prices entice you to mount flat-panel HDTV
sets on walls. You won’t want to see the wires, and you’ll want to watch content that’s stored in
your media center.
IEEE 802.15 Standards (Wireless PAN)
The 802.15 Working Group develops low-power standards for personal area networks (PANs)
with long battery life and low cost requirements. Some of the interesting sub-groups include:
• 802.15.1 – derivative of Bluetooth
• 802.15.3 – 20+ Mbps WPAN for digital imaging and multimedia
• 802.15.3a – 110+ Mbps follow-on to 802.15.3
• 802.15.4 – 200 Kbps max for interactive toys, sensor, actuators and automation
802.15.3 and .15.3a (Ultra-wideband)
802.15.3 is a recently approved standard for high-speed PANs. It operates in the same 2.4 GHz
band as 802.11g but uses much less power, so it has a shorter range of about 30 feet like
Bluetooth instead of up to 300 feet for .11g. It includes QoS for voice and video apps and should
have enough capacity to carry one HDTV signal from a set-top box to a TV.
5. Developer are also working on a follow-on standard that uses the same media access control
(MAC) layer on top of ultra-wideband (UWB) radio technology for much higher performance that
should exceed 100 Mbps. While 802.15.3 is being positioned as a high-speed wireless PAN,
some advocates expect it to compete with 802.11n and offer whole-house coverage, but they’ve
not said how they’ll extend the range.
Proponents say ultra-wideband could blow Wi-Fi away in a few years with performance that could
exceed 1 Gbps. UWB spreads itself across more spectrum than Wi-Fi and does it in a way that
both avoids interference and causes less of it. It also uses far less power than even Bluetooth, so
some say UWB could eventually replace both Bluetooth and Wi-Fi, but that’s still years away.
UWB became an important technology last year when the FCC approved its use in commercial
applications. Current rules governing UWB limit the transmit power, but the FCC has hinted that it
may relax those rules and allow more power and more spectrum. (That may be how UWB gets
more range.)
Political infighting in the 802.15.3a group is currently divided over two competing technologies –
Multiband OFDM and Direct Sequence CDMA. Consumers won’t really care which one wins, but
it will be interesting to watch how the battle plays out since each side has its own set of
advantages and strong allies. Motorola has an early start in the UWB battle by providing chipsets
from its recent acquisition of XtremeSpectrum, and early adopters of its technology include
companies like Samsung. On the other side, a group led by Texas Instruments has gained press
coverage of Multiband OFDM, describing it as a new technology for sending cable television
signals from wall outlets to nearby TV sets. I won’t bet on a winner since history has shown that it
may not be the better technology.
802.15.4 (ZigBee)
ZigBee is for applications that need the ultimate in low cost and low power-consumption – things
like smoke alarms, security sensors, and tire pressure sensors that must function for the 50,000
mile life of the tire tread.
ZigBee is not fast by data networking standards, but it’s good enough for wireless keyboards,
mice, toys, and control systems. ZigBee supports speeds of 20 Kbps in the 858 MHz band (in
Europe), 40 Kbps in the 902-928 KHz band (in the U.S.), and 250 Kbps in the 2.4 GHz band.
When ZigBee apps need a range past 30 feet, devices can create mesh topologies with multi-hop
and self-configuring capabilities.
We should see early ZigBee products emerge in 2004, and I can imagine homes with hundreds of
ZigBee devices, so there’s lots of market potential. And recently there has been talk about ZigBee
converging with RFID, the wireless tracking technology that Wal-Mart uses. By combining the two
and making them work together in tandum, vendors could offer wireless tracking, sensing, and
control in one system.
IEEE 802.16 and 802.20 Standards (Wireless WAN)
Emerging 802.16 and .20 standards for municipal and wide area networks will be serious
challengers for both fixed wireless networks (MMDS/LMDS) and mobile networks (2.5/3G). And
with these new technologies, wireless could also compete with cable and DSL services for voice,
data, and entertainment apps. Let’s look at how these different technologies stack up.
MMDS (point-to-multipoint)
Multichannel multipoint distribution service (MMDS) uses licensed spectrum in the 2.1 to 2.7 GHz
range and is designed for line-of-sight communication, meaning there must be a clear path
between each antenna. This restriction and the high cost of licensing spectrum has limited MMDS
to specialized commercial applications, even though it supports speeds up to 10 Mbps over
6. distances of up to 30 miles. In my opinion, the line-of-sight requirement makes MMDS a poor
choice for offering broadband services to consumers.
LMDS (point-to-point)
LMDS also is unsuitable for residential broadband services since it is point-to-point and requires a
directional antenna. That’s because LMDS operates at much higher frequencies (24 GHz, 28
GHz, and 39 GHz) to deliver speeds ranging between 150 Mbps and 620 Mbps. LMDS is
primarily used between cell phone towers and central offices.
802.16 (WiMAX)
802.16 is an emerging standard that should be completed sometime this year and has real
potential for last-mile access and consumer broadband services. Compared with LMDS, it
operates over greater distances, supports a variety of deployment architectures, and takes
advantage of a broader range of frequencies that spans from 2 GHz to 66 GHz and includes both
licensed and unlicensed bands.
At lower frequencies, 802.16 doesn’t need a line-of-sight path to work, and that’s a big
advantage. The roof of your home may be too low for line-of-sight service, but 802.16 lets carriers
offer wireless broadband anyway. 802.16 will be especially beneficial to consumers and
communities that can’t get broadband today. It can support a bundle of voice, data, and
entertainment services and adds new competitive choices for consumers with cable or DSL
service.
WiMAX, the consumer name for 802.16, can cover 30 miles and support multiple channels of
tens of megabits each, compared to Wi-Fi networks that only extend up to 300 feet. Subscribers
that share a single 70 Mbps channel will likely see that subdivided into symmetrical bandwidth
matching T-1 speeds (1.5 Mbps). The symmetry means upstream transmissions can be as fast
as downstream ones, a distinct advantage over cable and DSL.
An extension of the WiMAX spec, called 802.16a, will be ratified in 2004 and add mobility with the
ability to roam between access points.
802.20 (mobile broadband)
Think of 802.20 as mobile broadband wireless access (MBWA), with the potential of replacing 3G
cellular networks that were designed and optimized for voice apps with more capacity for more
subscribers.
802.20 will bring global mobility and roaming capabilities to data applications, including voice-
over-IP (VoIP) with its low-latency requirements. Just as with cellular networks, 802.20
connections are handed off from one access point to another as you drive, but this standard
offers much greater performance and less cost due to its ability to use unlicensed spectrum.
In an extreme test of rapid handoff, data rates of 1 Mbps were sustained while driving at highway
speeds of up to 150 miles per hour.
2.5G, 3G, and 4G Cellular
First generation (1G) cellular used analog circuit-switched networks. 2G added digital voice
encoding and data capabilities at 9.6 Kbps or 14.4 Kbps. A problem with 2G in the United States
was competition between three incompatible standards: CDMA (Code Division Multiple Access),
TDMA (Time Division Multiple Access), and GSM (Global System for Mobile Communication).
This contention put our nation several years behind the Asians and Europeans who more easily
adopted 3G technologies. A roadmap to 3G now exists for each of the American standards, and
the half step toward getting there is often called 2.5G.
7. Packet-switched 3G networks can use a range of frequencies and support simple data apps at
speeds up to 2 Mbps when stationary, 384 Kbps when moving slowly (walking), or 144 Kbps
when driving in a car.
4G is a conceptual term that describes a future convergence of cellular networks and WLAN,
supporting a rich mix of data, voice and video over Internet Protocol version 6 (IPv6). 4G will
likely rely on smarter antennas and software and multiband radios for speeds between 20 Mbps
and 100 Mbps while moving.
Agile, Multimode Radios offer Flexibility
With such rapid change in the wireless market, you should look for products that can be upgraded
and support multiple standards. That way, future QoS, security, and performance enhancements
can be added as firmware upgrades instead of product replacements.
Multimode 802.11a/b/g products automatically associate with the strongest signal and the fastest
speed available, making it easy for you to move between an office network using 802.11a at 5
GHz, a home network with 802.11g at 2.4 GHz, and 802.11b in a public hotspot, all without
swapping out network adapters or changing configuration settings. Multimode also lets newer
devices work with older ones, albeit with compromises in speed and features.
The next trend in agile radios is to differentiate between 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz networks and also
support 1.9 GHz mobile phone networks with the ability to keep a connection active while moving
from one network to another. That will give you Internet access even while you’re away from your
enterprise or home office and away from public hotspot – like at your customer, at a bus stop, or
anywhere you get cellular coverage.
Multimode wireless is becoming a standard feature of all notebooks, and the trends will carry into
desktop PCs and consumer electronics products this year. Intel, which holds about 80% market
share in PC microprocessors, has had a big impact on notebook configurations with its low-power
Pentium M and its Centrino chipset, but Centrino only supports 802.11b today.
Intel will add multimode (802.11a/b/g) support and introduce a similar chipset for the 120 million
desktop PCs produced each year. Intel’s new desktop chipset, codenamed Grantsdale, will
feature Mesh topology that turns each PC into a wireless access point. These significant moves
will help make Wi-Fi as ubiquitous as Ethernet and will help Intel dominate the Wi-Fi chip market.
Mesh Topologies extend Range and improve Performance & Security
Mesh Routing is a new, self-adjusting and self-healing topology that extends range, reduces
interference, improves security and performance, and lowers costs by requiring fewer access
points. Each device only transmits enough power to reach adjacent devices instead ones far
away. Performance is improved because there’s less attenuation over distance, and security is
improved since signals don’t transmit as far.
NETWORK TOPOLOGIES
RING BUS STAR TREE MESH
8. Mesh is not yet popular in notebook PCs since precious battery power must be used to retransmit
signals for others. Users also worry about security when someone else’s network traffic goes
through their PC, especially when it’s a stranger in the same public hotspot. These concerns
vanish, however, in enterprise offices where people know each other and use desktop PCs.
Mesh also has promise in deploying wide area wireless networks. An electric utility can install
access points on light poles and have them share one broadband connection, with the poles
providing height and electric power. The access points could even be solar powered, so no wired
infrastructure is needed beyond the first broadband connection – a great solution for developing
countries.
Powerline & Coax Signal Repeaters also extend range
Just as Mesh networks let adjacent PCs extend the range and function as wireless signal
repeaters; repeaters can also work on wired networks.
A Panasonic demo at CES showed three HDTV video streams being sent simultaneously
between A/C outlets in a home. They were using a prototype version of HomePlug-AV, an
emerging standard for high-speed audio/video applications over the 110v powerline with speeds
up to 170 Mbps and with full QoS support. These characteristics are especially impressive when
you consider the “noise” injected by electric motors, fluorescent lights, and air conditioners. Even
if the available bandwidth varies at different outlets or fluctuates over time, powerline still makes a
good backbone for extending the range of wireless networks.
Coax can also be a backbone for extending range. The Multimedia over Coax Alliance (MoCA)
presented new work at CES designed to let TV programs, data, and voice applications share the
same coax cabling.
More Spectrum leads to more Capacity
The FCC is happy to see that unlicensed spectrum has caused so much innovation, and it is
opening up more spectrum space for general use. Much of this is tied to HDTV and FCC plans to
reclaim spectrum used for analog TV broadcasts. That won’t happen until sometime after 2006
when 85% of homes can receive digital TV signals over the air.
Other countries are already freeing up spectrum. Germany recently took back spectrum in Berlin
by subsidizing the cost of converter boxes for low-income families, and South Korea is another
particularly interesting example.
The Korean government plans to allocate more than 100 MHz of spectrum for their “Portable
Internet” project, but that’s just part of a very deliberate “Broadband IT Powerhouse Vision” that
calls for ubiquitous broadband access of 155 Mbps to 5 Gbps by 2005.
Better Digital Compression lets us send More Exciting Content
Digital networks that carry a mix of signals – beyond just voice, music, or television – help
eliminate redundancy and dead space – redundant networks, TV channels that no one is
watching, and the idle time when no one is talking on the phone or the space between words.
Once content is in digital form, it’s easier to compress and decompress (codec), eliminating
further redundancy and improving the ability to send more information across a given network.
Compression can either be “lossless,” as required for most data applications, or “lossy,” which is
OK for pictures, music, and video where users may not even notice a difference. Increasingly
powerful processors, driven by Moore’s Law, help improve the compression algorithms, and that
in turn helps wireless networks carry more interesting content.
To see the impact of video compression, just look at MPEG-4, a relatively new codec for video. It
needs far less storage and bandwidth than the older MPEG-2 format. Rather than demanding 3
9. Mbps for DVD-quality video, MPEG-4 gets nearly the same quality at just 750 Kbps – a huge
savings. And rather than 20 Mbps for HDTV, MPEG-4 needs only 2-3 Mbps.
Smarter Antennas extend Range, conserve Power, and improve Security
0
Where omnidirectional antennas radiate energy in a 360 pattern like ripples in a pond when you
throw in a stone, directional antennas focus that energy more narrowly like a cheerleader’s
0
megaphone that focuses her voice and helps it reach longer distances. Directional 180 antennas
0
are useful on the outside walls of buildings when aimed inward, and 90 antennas are good for
corners. Even more narrowly focused models are good between two buildings: point-to-point.
COVERAGE PATTERNS
3600
900
Omnidirectional Directional Smart Antenna
Antenna Antenna Subsystem
Smart antennas are derivatives of the directional antenna conept. With technically called MIMO
(for multiple input, multiple output), smart antennas greatly improve range and bandwidth
capacity, sometimes extending more than 100 times farther than omnidirectional antennas. They
use digital signal processing and an array of two or more antennas to adjust the focus and shape
of transmissions.
Think of smart antennas as narrowly focused directional antennas that can “spin” around
electronically and aim at each user in turn. Some of them can also adjust transmit power as they
spin. It’s like talking to someone close by for one millisecond and someone far away the next.
There’s no need to yell when they’re close and you can whisper instead and make it hard for
others to hear. Smart antenna systems also conserve power and improve security.
Number Portability increases Competition and talks of Consolidation
Local phone companies have noticed that consumers are starting to replace their local service
with mobile phone service, and recently the FCC ruled that consumers must be allowed keep
their phone number when changing services. Now both local and wireless carriers are running
scared, improving their networks and customer support, extending service plans, and stepping up
their marketing.
The latest Number Portability ruling is an extension of similar requirements imposed on local
phone companies as part of the Telecommunications Act of 1996, and it includes the ability to
keep the same number when switching between local services and mobile services, not just
between two local services or two different mobile services. Since Congress and the FCC are still
studying VoIP and whether to apply any rules from traditional phone service, don’t be surprised if
they extend number portability to cable companies and VoIP as well.
Wireless Carriers are Prime for Consolidation
Industry analysts predict that the six big national carriers – Cingular Wireless, AT&T Wireless,
Nextel, Sprint PCS, Verizon and VoiceStream – will consolidate into to four or five bigger players.
I also expect mergers between wireless and DSL or cable companies. Any one of several factors
could be the catalyst that causes a consolidation firestorm.
10. • Stock prices of wireless carriers have fallen along with the rest of the telecom sector,
helping to spur talks of consolidation among carriers.
• Wireless subscribers are growing slowly as carriers face new competition and are forced
to react to new FCC rules regarding Number Portability, and that has caused price wars
that make it harder to turn profits.
• VoIP creates new service opportunities and opens new markets, but it lets in new
competitors and obsoletes old networks.
• Carriers face the costly task of enhancing their networks to support next-generation
services and hope new revenues justify this investment. They are looking for ways to
hold down those costs.
• Standards-based technologies that use Internet protocols and license-free spectrum are
less expensive to deploy, reducing the cost of entry and offering more capacity.
• Nextel has been acquiring spectrum licenses at bargain basement prices and was the
highest bidder for WorldCom’s spectrum. At the same time, the FCC plans to open up
more spectrum, much of it license-free.
• The latest rumor is that Cingular Wireless is in talks to acquire AT&T Wireless, and more
bidders are emerging, including NTT DoCoMo from Japan.
• Since Cingular is partly owned by BellSouth and SBC Communications, a merger with
AT&T could also prompt consolidation among RBOCs, long-distance carriers, and even
cable MSOs.
• Local phone companies are squeezed by cable telephony on one hand and cellular
competition on the other. Over 10 million U.S. consumers have already replaced their
local phone service with wireless, and in markets where cable companies offer voice
services, they’ve grabbed up to 25% from the Baby Bells.
• Phone companies bet heavily on the ability to squeeze more bandwidth out of old copper
wires, but DSL is hampered by limited range. Telcos also face a downward spiral of high
per-user costs, few customers, and little new revenue opportunity.
• Replacing copper phone wires with fiber is expensive and hard to justify, so companies
like Verizon are testing wireless in the last mile with an eye on mobility too, and with their
fiber interests focused on new neighborhoods where there’s no infrastructure yet.
• Telecom lobbyists are busy with politicians, but they may become less influential as these
policy makers begin to worry that our nation is losing its technological leadership to
countries with more aggressive broadband policies.
• The Wi-Fi hotspots built by community groups in Austin, New York, San Francisco, and
other large cities or small municipalities are largely for free use by the general public.
How do you compete against “free?” Carriers want ways to minimize or share their risks
as they experiment with new business models.
Wireless Future-proofs Homes
As I started this paper and pondered the implication of new wireless technologies, I reflected
upon my first HomeToys article, “Future-Proofing Your Home: Is it Possible?” and I found that
many of my original observations remain true today.
11. 4. Lifestyles will change. As kids grow older or go off to college, you may want to reclaim a
bedroom as your home office, but that may mean you need more power outlets and a
broadband connection.
5. New device types and applications will appear. Multi-handset cordless phone systems let
you put handsets anywhere there’s a power plug. Wireless will soon let you hang the flat
TV screen on the wall without wires showing.
6. Ordinary devices will get smart and networked. Smart doorknobs with fingerprint
recognition that eliminates the need for keys (they showed one at CES). Networked
appliances and wireless sensors, actuators, and interactive toys based on ZigBee. Don’t
forget the smart toilet? Panasonic sells one in Japan that includes a heater, bidet,
exhaust fan, and dryer. It also recognizes you by your weight and body fat, chemically
analyzes your output, and sends the results to a health monitoring service.
7. Residential Gateways will enable convergence. By bridging between different media,
gateways allow an easier migration from legacy analog services and devices to digital so
you don’t have to replace everything at once.
8. Technology will come to the rescue. It’s often impossible to imagine the impact of
scientific and technical innovation, government regulation, or changes in economic
conditions, fashion and social interaction. But engineers love a challenge. That’s why I’m
convinced that technology will evolve to address any market need. In the context of this
paper, that means “wireless” technology.
Wayne Caswell is a home systems visionary, pioneer, and change agent with over 30
years of experience applying computer systems, marketing and strategy to solving
business problems and building new markets. He is also founder of CAZITech Consulting,
an Austin, TX firm serving broadband, wireless and home network markets with marketing
related services. Contact him at wcaswell@cazitech.com or 512-335-6073.