Wireless N

Posted on June 6, 2008
Filed Under Internet, Networking, Security | Leave a Comment

I spend a lot of time in computer stores. Far too much time in fact.

On one of my excursions recently I noticed the proliferation of wireless “N” products that are popping up on the high tech vendors’ shelves. And I’m not sure what to make of it.

Wireless networks have of course been around for a number of years and have become pretty much standard. Aside from the wireless networks we have in our homes and businesses, the same technology can be used, and is used, to connect buildings, span great distances that would be prohibitively expensive to connect with the likes of fibre optics, and even in the local coffee shop.

IEEE 802.11 is the set of standards that dictate how wireless networks should operate and allow interoperability between different vendors’ wireless products. For example, an 802.11b wireless router from any vendor should (in theory) work with any other vendor’s wireless products.

Over the years the 802.11 standard has grown up from the original specification in 1997 with a maximum data rate of 2 Mbps through to:

You might be wondering why 802.11n isn’t on the list. I mean, that’s what we’re talking about isn’t it, 802.11n? Well, yes we are but 802.11n isn’t standardized yet, it’s still a draft standard and is expected to be finalized in September 2008. The products cropping out there are based on version 2.0 of the 802.11n standard that was voted upon on March 9, 2007.

The benefits of 802.11n will be greater speed, a maximum data rate of anywhere between 200 and 300 Mbps, and greater range. The draft technology employs a new technology called multiple input, multiple output (MIMO). MIMO uses multiple antennas to carry multiple streams of data and thus improve performance. It also uses “channel bonding” where 2 separate channels are used at the same time and a technique called packet aggregation that packs more data into a single data transmission.

So is it time to jump on the 802.11n bandwagon? It depends. The release of pre-standardized equipment means that there’s no guarantee that products from different manufacturers will work together.

If you are going to use this equipment in a home or a small office, that may not be a problem as long as you buy all of your equipment from the same manufacturer. There can be a great argument for moving ahead now in such a case if you are otherwise faced with running a network cable in a difficult place. The speed of the pre-standard equipment rivals if not exceeds standard copper cable.

In a diverse environment where there might be a number of different manufacturers’ equipment in place it might be wise to hold off however. The 802.11g standard is proven and standardized and you can be pretty sure most if not all of the equipment will support it.

In either case though, most off the shelf Wireless N products also support the older a, b, and g standards. If you’re alright with some of your equipment (made by the same manufacturer) running faster than others, and gambling that your 802.11n investment may not fit the standard when it’s released, the new Wireless N products my just be what the doctor ordered.

Linux Becoming Mainstream?

Posted on May 9, 2008
Filed Under Business Computing, Internet, Open Source/Freeware, Software | Leave a Comment

Pre-installed Linux has been available on servers for some time now but for the first time ever, a major manufacturer will be offering Linux pre-installed on consumer products. Dell announced late in March that it would be offering Ubuntu Linux 7.04, codenamed ‘Feisty Fawn’, on selected desktops and notebooks.

You can love or hate Dell but there’s little denying that it is a major player in the PC market. Dell shipped 8.7 million PCs in the first quarter of this year, a 7.8% decrease from 2006, and it is only overshadowed by HP who saw a 28% increase in the number of PCs shipped. Acer saw an incredible 46% increase in PCs shipped and there’s no doubt some of that gain was at Dell’s expense.

Dell has been getting beaten up and this move is seen by analysts as a way for Dell to demonstrate that it is still an innovator.

For an innovative standpoint, Dell is the only major manufacturer to sell directly to consumers, bypassing the reseller channel altogether. Dell was founded on the model and continues to sway toward direct sales. Dell does sell some products for resale but I can tell as a reseller that they don’t make it particularly painless or lucrative to be a Dell reseller.

In addition to the move to provide Linux on consumer products, Dell also appears to be rethinking the direct to market sales approach. Dell founder Michael Dell said in a memo April 27th that “direct model is not a religion” and that Dell is pursuing “new manufacturing and distribution models to address the unique needs of customers in all our markets.”

If Dell’s plans are successful, Linux may just be poised to help a hardware giant regain market share and on the flipside, Dell may just help Linux finally become more mainstream.

Ubuntu Linux has only been around for 3 years but in that short time, it has generated a great deal of buzz. Like many other Linux distributions, Ubuntu is a free operating system that competes with Microsoft Windows. Linux has traditionally been seen as complex and difficult to use and has never really been able to make a dent in the Windows market. With a bit of a push from Dell, that may change if even only a little.

Ubuntu is derived from Debian Linux and has shined in the desktop operating system foray. There is a server version of Ubuntu but what has really made it stand out is the clean desktop it offers and the relative ease of use it provides. Out of the box it supplies Office.org for word processing and spreadsheets etc, Firefox for web browsing, and Evolution, an email client that competes well with Microsoft Outlook.

Linux has long suffered from the stigma of being ridiculously complex when it comes to installing and managing software. Debian is known for its software management capabilities with its APT program, and Ubuntu too makes installing and managing software easy with a simple click and install tool.

Dell stands to gain from an underdog operating system and Ubuntu stands to gain recognition and to get in front of a wider audience. It will be fascinating to watch this relationship unfold!

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