[A/S] Internet On The Road

["Dick Martin" <suburbandvr@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

There is hope for inexpensive Internet access from Airstreamers while
traveling.  The new hot thing is called a Wi-Fi connection to a public
access WLAN.  It is a wireless network connection.  Long Beach
California is in the process of setting up a network to provide free
high speed connections anywhere in the downtown area.  Here is a new
story I just found about it's use in Canada
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Wednesday, January 15 @ 11:31:22 PST 


Bell Canada and San Diego, Calif.-based technology consulting firm
inCode Telecom have come up with an innovative new use for payphones.
The two companies have developed a strategy and technology that turns
existing payphones into Wi-Fi hotspots.

Bell Canada is the first wireline operator to implement this strategy,
which uses the existing wireline infrastructure to transform an area of
up to 300 feet around the payphone into a Wi-Fi hotspot, allowing
business travelers to access the Internet to download data. 

In addition, Bell Canada is using AccessZone, a Wi-Fi hotspot pilot
service that enables mobile users to connect 802.11b-enabled devices
like laptops and PDAs to payphone access points in high-traffic areas.
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A network capable operating system and one of the newer wireless network
cards are all that is required to access a system that permits outside
users.  Current hardware cost is in the $100-$200 range.  Starbucks is
setting up some of it's shops with wireless networks and I talked to
some who was able to surf the Internet in the parking lot of a Home
Depot in Southern California.  A range of in excess of 600' has been
reported with a wireless card that can use an external antenna 


 Dick Martin
   mailto:martin13@internetcds.com
   http://home.cdsnet.net/~martin13