[Ham-Mac] WiFi

[David Allred]

On 2/18/02 at 09:04, dagro@dogparksoftware.com (Don Agro) wrote:

> > http://www.seattlewireless.net
> > 
> > Any other Hams doing this stuff?
> 
> It's hard to tell what you are referring to - the link was down when I tried
> it - hope it wasn't wireless :)
> 
> But as I understand it, the Seattle Wireless group is using off-the-shelf
> 802.11b hardware. This is interesting, but somewhat less so than TAPR's
> approach of actually designing digital Spread Spectrum radios and modems.

The Seattle group is using off-the-shelf 802.11b hardware (mostly). And it seems
that their primary interest is "free wireless Internet for everybody."

Someone "discovered" that anyone within range of an open 802.11b hub could use
that hub. And since someone else had hooked it up to the Internet, this meant
"free high speed access" for anyone with an 802.11b card.

Next, these brilliant experimenters "discovered" that hubs could be chained to
give them "unlimited" size to their "free" Internet network.

While I do applaud initiative and resourcefulness, there seems to be a few
fundamental disconnects in the group thinking. What they think they are getting
for free, and how they can build huge networks, never seem to get in the way of
their ideals.

This is not a ham radio project, or even a radio project. It is a political
project based on huge amounts of ignorance of the fundamentals of networking as
well as the concepts of radio and RF technology.

In their quest to "improve" on the limited range of their 802.11b products, they
are modifying equipment and publishing the results.

This is bad for hams, and ultimately, bad even for these groups.

1. These are Part 15 devices. No modifications permitted. No use permitted if
interference to a licensed service results. No remedy provided if interfered
with by a licensed service.

2. As traffic on these "free networks" increases, some ISP will notice the
increase in bits being sucked through their pipes. They will want money for the
service that they are providing.

3. The people running these groups do not care about radio or communications,
they are interested in "giving free Internet access to everyone."

4. There is the possibility of a real danger from these experimenters. Although
their attempts at more distance, through the use of high gain antennas, has
resulted in EIRPs of less than a Watt or two, sooner or later, one of them will
try to do something like taking the door off of a microwave oven to use it as a
transmitter.

5. If this movement does get really big, we could end up with another chunk of
RF spectrum that has gone completely out of control. (Remember when 27 MHz
operations required a license?)

Fortunately, the fundamentals of networking and the fact that some ISP somewhere
will want to be paid for all of this traffic will insure the collapse of this
endeavor.

So, if you want to get involved with these people, remember that they are: not
really interested in radio, wilfully violating FCC Rules and Regulations,
building a pyramid scheme, and trying to steal service from the ISPs. You might
want to burn your ham license before you get started.

Other than that, it sounds like a really neat-o idea.    8-)


One last question: What is "WiFi?" This has shown up in the popular press, but I
have never seen it defined. Since this thread started with "WiFi" as a subject,
perhaps we could get a definition.

Thanks,
David
N1EXQ

     |  J. David Allred
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