wireless efforts

Take that mesh network practically anywhere

Sun, 02 Jul 2006 20:01:38 -0400

Setting up wireless networks can be difficult even within a quiet, secure and known location. But trying to set one up in a volcanic environment, with unstable elements such as power outages and climate changes, proves extra challenging, as one Harvard computer science professor recently learned. Matt Welsh was intent on gathering data about Reventador, an active volcano in Ecuador. He wanted to track seismic activity a better way than the traditional approach--carting up heavy sensor stations to the volcano along with data-logging and data-collection equipment. Since Welsh already knew that a mesh network could handle environmental data collection (he set up a 190-node system at his university to monitor temperature and humidity in his office building on campus) he figured he could build a mesh net to handle the data collection on the volcano. But, as he continually learned throughout the process, Mother Nature and human elements can wreak havoc on wireless efforts. He and his team built a 16-node mesh network that covered nearly two miles on one side of the volcano. He didn't go the 802.11 route as it would have needed too many power resources and instead used IEEE 802.15.4 low data-rate radios with a FreeWave radio modem that then sent collected data to a laptop sitting 2.5 miles away a hotel room. The goal was to achieve a data stream featuring no dropped packets with the data time-stamped to within 10 milliseconds. It took nearly half a year, but he accomplished that goal while learning a few hard lessons along the way. Article

How to develop mobile applications

Sun, 22 Jan 2006 19:01:38 -0500

As one expert explains, the initial wireless efforts are primarily in place already, with devices being added to the wireless network on a continuing basis. Now the business imperative is to develop applications for your organization to further enhance productivity and foster greater connectivity and collaboration. There are seven steps you need to take, ranging from establishing success metrics and putting process controls in place to the human resource issues involved. A big element is a cost recap--an analysis of the risk factors and a good cost assessment determination. Find out what exactly is involved in all the steps before you take that first swing at building out wireless applications. Article

QUICKLINKS: Broadband over powerline gaining ground; Wi-Fi Alliance developments; Much more...

Sun, 25 Sep 2005 20:00:50 -0400

The reasons broadband over powerline is gaining ground. Article

What the Wi-Fi Alliance is up to these days. Article

WiFi Internet may fly over wireless cell service on airlines. Article

Telecom protest not stopping public sector wireless efforts. Article

Most corporate phone lines will be IP-based by the end of the decade. Article

Editor's Corner

Sun, 21 Aug 2005 20:01:40 -0400

Welcome to the first issue of IT Wireless, brought to you by FierceMarkets. Our quest is to help IT managers, network leaders, and CIOs keep up on the latest and greatest in mobile and wireless technologies, as well as the important issues and technology advancements made every day in this dynamic marketplace. While I don't have a study to quote, I believe wireless is synonymous with business today -- for both in-house employees and internal networking, as well as the ever increasing number of road warriors and virtual offices cropping up everywhere. Our goal is to put valuable information, knowledge, and best practices right into your hands as you expand your wireless efforts. That's why we're hoping that you'll share your successes, your failures, and your valuable insight on everything from rolling out an IP converged network to securing your WLAN. In return, we promise to bring you good, meaty content articulating what to do and not to do on key topics, as well as expert insight and opinions. We hope you'll feed us some insight on what you need most and the type of mobile and wireless IT information you need to have in your hands every week.

Thanks for reading our first issue. I hope you'll stay with us on this exciting road, and let me know if you've got a good case study to share or a nugget of insight I can include in a future issue. - Judy Mottl