WLAN FUNDAMENTALS
Here are my latest fundamental thoughts and research on wireless ethernet networks ("WLAN") along with links to some excellent supporting articles, that I hope everyone will find useful in evaluating this exciting new technology:
GENERAL ARTICLES ON WLAN AND ITS POTENTIAL IMPACT
There is now little doubt in my mind that WLAN will be one of the biggest "Monster Waves" that will occur in this decade. A number of the smartest people in the business evidently share that enthusiasm:
Bill Gurley with Benchmark on why Wi-Fi will be "The Next Big Thing":
news.cnet.com
Terrific WLAN research survey report commissioned by MSFT:
wi-fi.com
Article discussing the many potential uses for WLAN, along with glowing quotes from Bill Gates about the technology (indicating that he actually read the MSFT sponsored research survey report shown above!):
usatoday.com
Interesting WLAN general website:
80211b.weblogger.com
WLAN's CURRENT PLACE IN THE TECHNOLOGY ADOPTION LIFE CYCLE ("TALC")
WLAN technology is unquestionably already well into the "Bowling Alley" phase of the TALC. The bowling pins being knocked down are:
-- Last mile solution
-- Home network
-- New or additional offices
-- Mobile users in office buildings
-- Hotels
-- Airports
-- Coffee shops
-- Trade shows
-- College campuses
-- Hospitals
businessweek.com
It is possible that WLAN may have actually already entered the "Tornado" phase. If not, it is definitely imminent IMHO. The WLAN market is now forecasted to grow from 3M to 23M units shipped in 5 years:
instat.com
PRODUCT PRICING AND INNOVATIONS
WLAN product offering prices have been falling rapidly, thus widening their potential market and increasing the acceptance rate. WLAN PC Cards can now be purchased for as little as $40 for a desktop computer and $70 for a notebook computer, and an Access Point for as low as $140. Thus creating a single home connection for about $140-210.
Product offerings are also expanding rapidly. For those home users having no broadband connection, or no network router or hub, an integrated Access Point can now be purchased to fit their needs, and reduce costs and space requirements. An Access Point with integrated DSL/Cable router and 4 port hub can be bought for as little as $170.
A new innovation 3Com just introduced is a WLAN notebook PC card (for $139) which has an XJack antennae that pops out for use, and then can be popped backin so that it does not extrude from your notebook computer (like all the other cards on the market do). I just bought one of these to replace my original card, that I had install to use, and then remove from the computer to prevent damage during transport. I will now be able to simply leave the new one in my notebook computer at all times and not have to keep up with it, or worry about accidently leaving it at home when I travel.
pcmall.com
In general, I think my home WLAN network is one of the coolest new technologies I have ever installed.
WLAN @ FALL COMDEX
WLAN's impact at Fall Comdex:
boards.fool.com
A review of the key WLAN players at Comdex:
boards.fool.com
ENTERPRISE DEPLOYMENT OF WLAN'S
MSFT was one of the first big tech companies to outfit their entire main office campus with WLAN. I surveyed a number of other large tech companies and customers at Fall Comdex which were in the process of doing the same to some or all of their offices or campuses.
I think WLAN office deployment is now overwhelmingly compelling when a company considers moving into new office space. For example, listen to Chris Corrado's discussion of the serious benefits of deploying WLAN in Merrill Lynch's replacement offices build-out following their losses in the 9/11 disaster. Also note who they chose as their vendor - I believe many large companies will make the same choice for enterprise-wide deployment:
events.mlresearchmedia.com
IBM outlines their WLAN efforts and praises "the astronomical productivity gains" that widespread deployment of the technology will bring to the enterprise:
internetnews.com
HOME WLAN'S ARE AN EASY CHOICE
As discussed elsewhere in this post, WLAN could beccome the preferred solution and savior for home broadband internet access, by providing superior availability, ease of installation, performance and price. This breakthrough could dramatically accelerate market penetration of broadband into that market.
Once a home has broadband access, sharing and multiple connections to various family members and locations will be the next thing required. The (vast?) majority of homes in the U.S. and Canada are not equipped with CAT5 ethernet cable installed throughout the structure. WLAN networking should in those cases be a "no brainer", because of the obvious time, cost and potential damage or asthetic problems that running cable to multiple locations would create. For the remainder of homeowners like me, who are lucky enough to have CAT5 wiring, there are still some problems like I incurred when I added wired network connections some time ago. To add a single connection, you typically need some specialized equipment that you may only use once or twice. You need a noise sender and a sensor to determine the target line at the telephone switchbox. Also, a RJ-45 cable jack to attach to the router or hub, and a combo RJ-45/RJ-11 wall jack for the room connection. In addition, we had to add more equipment to the DSL modem we started with - a gateway router/4 port hub. And, if we ultimately needed more than the 4 connections originally planned for, we would need to purchase another hub to add to or replace the original one.
So, basically WLAN looks more attractive for home networking than the current wired paradigm, under almost any circumstances.
PROLIFERATION OF PUBLIC WLAN'S
These articles make a strong case for the coming WLAN tsunami wave and its huge potential impact as a last mile solution and a 3G alternative. Paul Philp has also made similar observations of his own on this board and in our private discussions, and I have great respect for his opinions. As a prominent VC told me recently, the rapid "underground" proliferation of public WLAN networks looks conceptually like the early development of the Personal Computer. There was a huge market clammering to be served, but the existing tech company players (IBM, DEC, HP, etc.) were simply not providing a cheap, accessible solution fast enough. So, techies and small, new companies took things into their own hands and developed workable solutions to launch the PC revolution. The same thing has begun happening, and is now accelerating in WLAN. If you visit websites for the public WLAN network organizations in some of the major cities, you will see that they look something like the old Silicon Valley "Homebrew Club" and other similar organizations, that were instrumental in the early days of PC development.
Message 16765583
boards.fool.com
I agree with Sprint's serious concern about rapid Wi-Fi proliferation. I think that once most users have a Wi-Fi card in their mobile PC's (notebook computers, PDA's, integrated handheld PC's, etc.), and public WLAN networks proliferate correspondingly, the perceived need for 3G should diminish.
boards.fool.com
Note the current public WLAN network coverage on these maps for 6 major cities:
maps.nycwireless.net
The New York City WLAN organization. Check out the "how-to" instructions for building your own public WLAN network, in the "Article" section of the website:
nycwireless.net
Wayport's WLAN & wired broadband access service which I subscribe to and have really enjoyed:
wayport.com
Boingo's fascinating new concept for public WLAN aggregation:
boingo.com
COMING BATTLE BETWEEN 802.11 a & g STANDARDS
My current opinion is that because the 802.11b standard is, or is about to reach tornado like proliferation, it will be the dominate early platform standard for WLAN. Therefore, it is most probable that the next generation product will have to be backward-compatible with 11b. This is the same thing that happened in the PC world once the x86 architecture became the platform standard following the introduction of the IBM PC. That phenomenom has now continued for 20 years since that point, despite periodic threates from non-conforming alternatives which appeared to offer greater performance or cheaper price. So, my current take is that 11g will probably win out over 11a, as the next generation advancement for WLAN, since it will meed this critical need for backward-compatibility.
My first thoughts on the new 11g standard:
boards.fool.com
Why recent approval of 11g standard is a big win for ISIL:
Message 16679715
Microsoft DEMANDS backward-compatibility to 11b standard. And, what this King Kong Gorilla says on this issue really matters, because of their control of the desktop and notebook PC operating systems, and their probable, ultimate dominance of the handheld integrated PC O/S:
Message 16603377
General article on 11a
extremetech.com
HOPE YOU FIND THIS INFORMATION USEFUL
REGARDS, ROBERT |
