Wednesday, May 03, 2006
Wifi - WIRELESS Fidelity
So, Lily Pad launched a two state-three city wifi zone on Monday. A digital internet bridge creating 24 million square feet of free wireless. I think it's great, and the project has gotten an amazing response from locals and people from around the country with what we are doing.
I can't help but be perplexed by the article in the Post by Joe Wessels. Who by the way, I've met a number of times, and was one of just a few who I thought 'got it', when it comes to technology and attracting/retaining young, creative people in our region.
I don't want to sound petty, so I won't go through every point in the article i don't understand, just a few of the biggest question marks.
"A test from near the middle of the Purple People Bridge showed the connection to be 235 kilobits per second for downloads, or about four times faster than the average dial-up Internet connection; and 123 kilobits per second for upload, about two times faster than dial-up. Most home broadband connection get downloads 100 times faster than in the wi-fi zone."
Okay... first off, 235 KBs is worse than any test I've done personally, so that is surprising. But the last statement that home broadband is 100x than in the 'wi-fi zone' is just crazy talk. 235kbs * 100 = 23500kbs (or 23.5 MBs). The best anyone will even advertise is 5 mBs and that is not gaurentted bandwidth.
But more importantly is the article spends about 1/4 of the time talking about not being able to find someplace to 'plug in'... did anyone notice the 'wireless' part of the term wifi. Now I understand that applies to the internet connection, but if you are going to be teathered to power, you may as well be teathered to the internet as well... for comparison for those that might not agree... when was the last time you got made at Cincy Bell and the Cincinnati parks because you were walking through the park talking on your WIRELESS phone and got made at the service and the parks for not having a place to charge your phone... that's just part of the game... wireless technologies are only as good as the power of your battery.
I can't help but be perplexed by the article in the Post by Joe Wessels. Who by the way, I've met a number of times, and was one of just a few who I thought 'got it', when it comes to technology and attracting/retaining young, creative people in our region.
I don't want to sound petty, so I won't go through every point in the article i don't understand, just a few of the biggest question marks.
"A test from near the middle of the Purple People Bridge showed the connection to be 235 kilobits per second for downloads, or about four times faster than the average dial-up Internet connection; and 123 kilobits per second for upload, about two times faster than dial-up. Most home broadband connection get downloads 100 times faster than in the wi-fi zone."
Okay... first off, 235 KBs is worse than any test I've done personally, so that is surprising. But the last statement that home broadband is 100x than in the 'wi-fi zone' is just crazy talk. 235kbs * 100 = 23500kbs (or 23.5 MBs). The best anyone will even advertise is 5 mBs and that is not gaurentted bandwidth.
But more importantly is the article spends about 1/4 of the time talking about not being able to find someplace to 'plug in'... did anyone notice the 'wireless' part of the term wifi. Now I understand that applies to the internet connection, but if you are going to be teathered to power, you may as well be teathered to the internet as well... for comparison for those that might not agree... when was the last time you got made at Cincy Bell and the Cincinnati parks because you were walking through the park talking on your WIRELESS phone and got made at the service and the parks for not having a place to charge your phone... that's just part of the game... wireless technologies are only as good as the power of your battery.
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Since I'm in the network profession I can understand your frustration. Somewhere along the line the CONVIENCE of wireless turned into some kind of divine right to 53mbps.
Anything less and there’s hell to pay.
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Anything less and there’s hell to pay.
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