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Need to go to a certain website for research? Sports scores? Looking for a place to
eat? Today there are many things you need and want that are located online. But
what if you are not at home using your DSL or Cable modem connection? We will
show you all the ways you can now get online wirelessly, either through your cell
phone, PDA, or laptop computer. In the future, this will be the mainstream way all
of America will get online.
CELL PHONES
In the cellular phone universe there are several technologies and many different
speeds available to get online. Let’s look at the main three.
2G, or GPRS (Global Package Radio Service), give you connection speeds of
40kbps, which is a little bit slower than a 56k modem. Companies in America that
use this speed are T-Mobile and AT&T (formally Cingular). A majority of the
continental US has this speed available but certain areas have been privileged to
support higher speeds. The advantage though of using this speed is increased
battery life.
2.5G or EDGE (Enhanced Data rates for GSM Evolution) is the next level of
speed in wireless data. It can support speeds of up to 384 kbps, which are light
years faster than GPRS ever could go. Currently this speed is available in about 70%
of the country and is supported by both T-Mobile and AT&T.
2.5G or 1xRt (1 times Radio Transmission Technology) is the main speed of all
CDMA2000 compatible phones and PDA’s It is available to a majority of the country
and can support speeds of up to 384kbps. Using this speed, users can download
large emails and browse the web comfortably, but still unable to stream video or
music.
Laptops
Laptops today have more options available to them to get online and much higher
speeds then a cell phone signal. And although you can use a PC data card to use
each service mentioned earlier, here are 2 technologies that only laptops and PDAs
will have access to in the near future.
802.11B
The first speed that was available to the public was 802.11B. 802.xx is a
technology associated with a network protocol. The .11 signifies the Wi-Fi standard
and must be ratified worldwide before it can be used. Now the “b” indicates the
overall speed and range of the product. Max speeds for “b” was 11 Mbps and a
range of 300 square feet. Now the illusion people had was that if the speed of this
technology was 11 MBPS then the internet speed would be as fast. Sorry folks, but
the router is limited in internet speed to the fastest speed of the internet, which now
tops off only at 8 MBPS using a cable modem. However if you were to transfer data
from one pc to another using wireless, then you will see the speed increase in the
transfer.
802.11G
The second speed boost came in 2003 in the form of the letter “g” which indicated
top transfer speeds of 54 MBps. This protocol however advanced in many other
ways. Using new discoveries in Wi-Fi, scientists have discovered ways to increase
not only the range, or cloud these signals produces, but enhance the security
features as well.
The 2 offspring of “g” are SRX and MIMO. SRX allows the range of the cloud to
double in size in all directions, using multiple antennas. MIMO (Multiple in Multiple
Out), boost the strength of the signal as well, but allows the overall speed of the
router to double to 108 MBps. This technology is mainly used in homes that
transfer very large data files, like videos or email attachments, but it is also used in
the consumer electronics realm for Tivo and Slingbox to stream TV data to other
computers in your home or a mobile device. Along with easier security
implementations and setup, this has replaced the original “g” product for everyday
home or office use.
802.11N
The third and newest boost became standardized in 2007. Busing on SRX and MIMO
technology, “n” can now create speeds topping 648 Mbps and ranges up to 2400
square feet. Now the “n” can do something the previous router could not, be
neighbor friendly. Using this setting the router looks for other signals and adjusts its
total range to not how all the bandwidth of your neighbors’ routers. This router is
the ideal choice for Voice over IP applications as well as neighborhood-wide Wireless
clouds. Many companies and cities are investing into this to create the first in its
kind city Wi-Fi clouds.