Wireless LAN - Infoworld

Cisco bundles target BYOD, mobile virtual desktop

admin — Thu, 17 May 2012 13:34:02 +0000

Cisco announced yesterday three pre-tested bundles of products and services designed to cut through the confusing complexity of enterprise mobility.

The new Smart Solutions packages are by themselves not new at all: they're formed of existing Cisco hardware and software, third-party partnerships, and consulting services from Cisco or its partners. But Cisco says they represent a shift in the company's thinking about how to deploy mobile technology for businesses.

Genachowski lays out plans for more spectrum, lays into AT&T

admin — Tue, 08 May 2012 19:35:39 +0000

Federal Communications Commission Chairman Julius Genachowski outlined several agency initiatives to open up more spectrum for mobile services, as well as improve spectrum efficiency, in a keynote address at CTIA Wireless today.

T-Mobile commits to Passpoint automatic Wi-Fi access; other U.S. carriers mum

admin — Tue, 08 May 2012 14:04:29 +0000

Of the nation's four biggest wireless carriers, only T-Mobile USA has revealed plans to deploy Passpoint, a technology that would allow wireless users to automatically access Wi-Fi hotspots from carriers' 3G and 4G cellular networks.

Certification of Passpoint on network gear and end-user devices, such as smartphones and tablets, begins in June, according to the Wi-Fi Alliance, which coordinated development of Passpoint, based on the Hotstop 2.0 specification, over the past two years.

Google's Wi-Fi spygate troubles have only just begun

Robert X. Cringely — Wed, 02 May 2012 19:22:40 +0000

Google probably thought it was tossing water on that smoldering Wi-Fi spying controversy by releasing the full version of that FCC report a few days ago -- turns out it was gasoline instead. Now Google is looking at a raging inferno that could engulf the company.

New Verizon service brings LTE to private IP networks

admin — Wed, 18 Apr 2012 14:24:47 +0000

Verizon Business is now offering its customers the ability to have their LTE devices route traffic directly to their private IP networks instead of through the public Internet.

Three-stream Wi-Fi hits the mark

admin — Mon, 26 Mar 2012 15:36:52 +0000

The rapid adoption of 802.11n has become a significant milestone in the history of wireless LANs. The MIMO-based technologies used in most 802.11n systems provide enough throughput, reliability, and rate vs. range performance to effectively remove the last major barriers to the broad adoption of WLANs in the enterprise.

Designing 'iPad WLANs' poses new, renewed challenges

admin — Mon, 26 Mar 2012 14:17:18 +0000

Complications that the influx of Apple iPads and iPhones bring to enterprise Wi-Fi networks and wireless LAN administrators are illustrated vividly at The Ottawa Hospital in Ontario.

LTE option poses data dilemma for iPad, smartphone users

admin — Fri, 23 Mar 2012 11:21:35 +0000

The new iPad's LTE option, which allows access to fast 4G networks, has also shocked some customers who found they can eat up an entire month's worth of data watching just a couple hours of streaming video.

For a long time, analysts and even carriers have urged customers to download videos and other large files over Wi-Fi to avoid the high price of using a cellular connection.

Cell-to-Wi-Fi roaming on the way -- but may come with a price

admin — Tue, 20 Mar 2012 12:23:48 +0000

Getting your phone onto Wi-Fi networks may get a lot easier starting in about a year, but it won't necessarily get cheaper.

The main trade groups for mobile operators and Wi-Fi hotspot providers are working out the details of how to hand off devices automatically between the two types of networks. Within nine months, the GSM (Global System for Mobile Communications) Association and the Wireless Broadband Alliance (WBA) expect to have a framework for service providers to set up roaming systems similar to those already available in the cellular world.

Meru unveils virtualized WLAN infrastructure

admin — Wed, 14 Mar 2012 16:30:28 +0000

Meru Networks this week unveiled virtualized versions of its wireless LAN infrastructure software, part of trend that's simplifying enterprise WLANs and eliminating hardware.

How Passpoint could make Wi-Fi hotspots more like mobile data services

admin — Mon, 05 Mar 2012 13:47:17 +0000

We all love Wi-Fi, as long as we're logged into one particular hotspot and aren't moving much.

Speedy 802.11ac Wi-Fi set for fast, wide rollout

admin — Tue, 28 Feb 2012 16:14:03 +0000

Mobile carriers embracing Wi-Fi is one of the sub-themes of Mobile World Congress. And the particular flavor of Wi-Fi that's generating buzz in Barcelona is 802.11ac, which promises to boost handset throughput to over 300Mbps.

Aruba simplifies IT management of BYOD

admin — Tue, 21 Feb 2012 17:22:45 +0000

Aruba Networks this week unveils software designed to protect corporate data and networks when accessed by employee-owned mobile clients, whether laptops, tablets, or smartphones.

Alcatel-Lucent integrates Wi-Fi with mobile networks

admin — Tue, 14 Feb 2012 17:23:43 +0000

Alcatel-Lucent is integrating Wi-Fi with mobile networks with its lightRadio architecture, allowing users to move seamlessly between the two networks and authenticate using the SIM card, the company said on Tuesday.

As mobile data demands have increased, mobile operators have increasingly turned to Wi-Fi as a means to handle growing traffic volumes. It has now come to the point where many operators no longer have a choice, but have to use Wi-Fi, according to Parker Moss, vice president of Wireless Marketing at Alcatel-Lucent.

Cisco's John Stewart on the latest security threats and how enterprises can fight back

admin — Mon, 13 Feb 2012 16:40:20 +0000

Freelance writer Susan Perschke recently sat down with Cisco Vice President and Chief Security Officer John N. Stewart for an in-depth discussion of the state of enterprise security.

Wi-Fi in flight has yet to soar

admin — Mon, 06 Feb 2012 13:12:17 +0000

Launched four years ago, the use of Wi-Fi on U.S. airlines has yet to catch on, with estimates that the wireless technology is still used by only 7 percent of the flying public.

There are a number of reasons: With Wi-Fi cropping up for free in many airports and public locations, passengers don't want to fork over as much as $10 for a flight of a few hours. Passengers also may not know when Wi-Fi is available on a flight since the airlines provide the wireless service on only a small percentage of their planes.

HTC Android phones can leak Wi-Fi passwords

admin — Thu, 02 Feb 2012 13:18:07 +0000

A group of HTC Android phones is susceptible to an exploit that can steal Wi-Fi credentials and passwords and send them to attackers.

Cisco aims Wi-Fi enterprise access point at BYOD profusion

admin — Wed, 01 Feb 2012 12:57:36 +0000

Cisco Systems developed its latest enterprise access point with corporate bring-your-own-device (BYOD) policies in mind, aiming to give tablets and smartphones as well as traditional workplace devices strong and consistent performance.

Wireless bandwidth: Are we running out of room?

admin — Wed, 25 Jan 2012 17:09:09 +0000

Wireless bandwidth is like land in Manhattan -- it's extremely valuable because they're not making more of it.

But we sure are using more of it. The wireless-industry association CTIA reported in October 2011 that the number of wireless devices in the U.S. had, for the first time, exceeded the number of people.

Apple Mac-based security threats jumped in 2011

admin — Thu, 19 Jan 2012 22:17:55 +0000

New Mac-based security threats jumped in 2011, but still remain far below that of Windows PCs, according to a posting by F-Secure Labs.