Hiawatha, other Midwest Amtrak trains to offer Wi-Fi by early February

The rail company is installing equipment on cars under contracts with the states of Wisconsin, Illinois, Michigan and Missouri, and the service will reach more than 3 million passengers annually. The Hiawatha, which consists of 17 cars running between Milwaukee and Chicago, is the busiest corridor in the Midwest with more than 800,000 riders annually.

Trains getting Internet service aside from the Hiawatha include routes from Chicago to St. Louis, Carbondale and Quincy, Ill.; from Chicago to Detroit and Pontiac, Port Huron and Grand Rapids, Mich.; and St. Louis to Kansas City, Mo.

A completion date will be announced next month.

Amtrak has done research that indicates Wi-Fi could increase use of its train services, possibly attracting even more riders to the Hiawatha.

Capital costs for Wi-Fi service for Wisconsin's Department of Transportation are about $300,000, according to Wisconsin's agreement with Amtrak, dated Aug. 23. Total operational costs, which include technical support, are about $86,000 a year. Wisconsin pays for 75% of costs, while the State of Illinois pays for the rest.

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Ready SIM Offers Identity- and Hassle-Free Wireless

T-Mobile, this fall, made it newly inexpensive for subscribers to text and email while traveling, and a T-Mobile MVNO (mobile virtual network operator) is doing the same for international travelers headed to the United States—along with anyone who wants a quick, hassle-free connection.Ready SIM markets itself as the "James Bond of SIM cards," explaining that no personal information is connected to the SIM, so calls can't be traced to a specific name or organization.Ready SIM's real draw is how hassle-free it is, CEO Emir Aboulhosn said. The company sells GSM SIM cards by the data allotment (500MB to 2GB) or the time frame. Talk, text and data plans are available in 7-, 14, 21 or 30-day increments.8 Tips for Android App TestingDownload NowAn example of a use model is someone who uses a tablet at home over WiFi, but is going away for a week. She can take a Ready SIM, pop it in for the trip, and throw it away when she's back."The idea is that you can buy wireless service on short-term or disposable-type setups, without having to go to a retail store, pick out a plan, and deal with all the hassles. This is the first product that commoditizes wireless," Aboulhosn told eWEEK. "You buy a SIM, whether just data or voice too, pop it in the phone or tablet, punch in your five-digit ZIP code, it gives you a local phone number, and you start using it."Aboulhosn said that since launching in January, the company has sold "hundreds of thousands" of SIMs, all around the world."We have distribution around the world so that people can buy the SIM in advance and use it as soon as they arrive in the U.S. The product has been very successful [in this way]. People pop them into their phones while the plane is still on the runway, and they have access to local phone service."Pricing ranges from $15 to $40 for the data-only plans, and from $25 (for seven days with unlimited talk and text and 500MB of data) to $55 (for 30 days with unlimited talk and text and 2GB of data).

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Bus Wi-Fi’s big success

WI-FI on the go has been rolled out to two more bus services in Swindon following the success of an initial trial run.Thamesdown Transport and Swindon Travel Choices have launched phase two of their Wi-Fi project, extending free internet to services 11, from Haydon Wick to Pinehurst, and 12, which travels between St Andrew’s Ridge and the Great Western Hospital.The scheme was introduced back in May on a number of buses on the number 15 route, which runs from East Wichel and through to Haydon Wick.Passengers were then consulted on their views and experiences to ensure that the system was performing well.Around 900 Wi-Fi users completed the survey, with 91 per cent rating the scheme as either excellent or very good.A total of 83 per cent also said that it had encouraged them to use the bus more often. Thamesdown and Swindon Travel Choices, funded by Swindon Council, have now taken steps to widen it across the whole bus network.Paul Jenkins, Thames-down managing director, said: “The Wi-Fi project has been very well received by the bus passengers of Swindon.“Bus travel around the town is easy and, by having a reliable Wi-Fi service, people can make the most of their time, whether they are commuting or travelling for leisure, to look at emails and catch up with their friends online."The majority of passengers were found to use Wi-Fi to access social media.The system also allows them to download small amounts of data or check their emails. Commuters do not have to sign up or enter a password to access the network – just tick a box on their screen to agree to conditions of use.Coun Keith Williams, Swindon Council's cabinet member for High-ways, Strategic Transport and Leisure, added: “It is good news that Wi-Fi on Thames-down Service 15 is proving so popular.“The funding the council has received to support the launch of the service, via Swindon Travel Choices, on other routes will hopefully support the increased use of buses throughout Swindon.”

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Working in a Wi-Fi world

The need for Wi-Fi goes beyond just a single application, location, or group of users. It is being rolled out as more than just a form of mobile network diversity or off-load, or as a backhaul tactic for wireless operators. (Many mobile operators use Wi-Fi to offload soaring mobile traffic to the fixed network, while fixed operators deploy Wi-Fi to retain customers of their core services.Meanwhile, integrated operators pursue Wi-Fi to fulfill both objectives.) With the increasing adoption of wireless LAN within the business, Wi-FI is now also one of the primary network options for the campus environment.Wi-Fi has to work for all the employees, vendors, contractors, consultants, and guests of the enterprise with the same level of reliability as wireline services. As such, service providers and device manufacturers are busy integrating Wi-Fi into their network service offers, along with the tools needed to provide secure access, monitor its use, and manage its performance.Service providers take Wi-Fi security very seriously. Poor network security can negatively impact service subscribers and the operator's overall communications network. For this reason, security support provided by carrier-grade Wi-Fi equipment can be much more extensive than what is found with typical consumer-grade access points.For these reasons, a majority of business IT managers appreciate the value of carrier-grade Wi-Fi equipment because they recognise Wi-Fi as a critical element of their ICT services portfolios.Demand for such services is increasing year-on-year, and the widespread use of smartphones and tablets at work means this demand now extends beyond just a few users, sites, or employees. This trend is pushing the limits of most existing Wi-Fi networks within the business campus, and end users increasingly expect better coverage, more bandwidth, and additional service support. Enterprise network planning therefore needs to include Wi-Fi coverage, management, and monitoring, with the required security, user authentication, and application/data access policies correctly deployed.In addition, Wi-Fi services now need to be reviewed and assessed on a regular basis, along with other business network and IT services.

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Eye-Fi 32GB Mobi Card

The Eye-Fi Mobi 32GB gives anyone the ability to capture a lot of photos and video and:

* Set up simply and instantly: The Mobi has the simplest Eye-Fi card setup yet – no computer, no account and no cloud. Just download the free Eye-Fi app for iOS or Android, enter the Mobi card’s unique 10-digit code, and the mobile device is paired. Use the same code to pair as many mobile devices as needed.

* Share in real-time: Full-resolution photos and videos instantly transfer from camera to a device’s photo roll/gallery. From there, edit and share using the mobile apps you already love.

* Shoots in RAW/JPEG: Capture RAW and uses WiFi to transfer to JPEG to mobile devices

* Transfer anywhere: Built-in WiFi means no WiFi network, hotspot or internet connection is needed for pairing or transfer; Mobi literally captures photos and then copies them from camera to device anywhere, whenever new content is detected.

* Works with the devices users already own (and love): As with other Eye-Fi cards, Mobi works with thousands of cameras, including hundreds of Eye-Fi Connected cameras that have integrated Eye-Fi technology for improved usability. And, the Eye-Fi app can be downloaded for iOS and Android smartphones and tablets, including the Kindle Fire.

* Back up automatically: Photos and videos transfer as they’re taken, so if anything happens to the camera, content is already safe on themobile device.

* Exceptional quality and speed: Mobi reinforces Eye-Fi’s commitment to provide state-of-the-art performance in SD memory. HD video, low light and fast action shots are easily captured with this Class 10, high-capacity card.

The 32GB Mobi card retails for $99.99 and is available now through www.eyefi.com, as well as otherretail and camera specialty stores nationwide. The Eye-Fi Mobi card is alsoavailable in 8GB, for $49.99, or 16GB, for $79.99.

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802.11ac bolsters wireless LAN market

...In the third quarter of 2013, 11ac access points represented just over five percent of shipments. But total wireless LAN growth continued to decelerate, with worldwide access point and controller investment growing 14 percent to $1.1bn. This was down from growth rates of 16 percent in the previous quarter, 19 percent in Q1, and more than 24 percent for the whole of 2012.

Market leader, Cisco, which increased its share of wireless LAN shipments to 59 percent in Q3, took the initial approach of offering an 11ac add-on module to its Aironet 3600 series 11n customers. It has now launched the purpose-built 11ac Aironet 3700 series. Second-placed Aruba Networks, which accounted for 10 percent under its own brand, took an aggressive pricing approach with the launch of its purpose-built AP-225, by having price parity with its high-end 11n line. Meru Networks also took a similar approach with its AP832.

“Gaining first-mover advantage in the move from 11n to 11ac is important given the opportunity to replace wired networks in campus and office environments due to higher throughput performance,” comments Matthew Ball, principal analyst at Canalys.

“11ac notebooks have been on the market for more than a year, but it is the arrival of 11ac smart phones, including the HTC One and Samsung Galaxy 4S, and upcoming tablets that are piquing interest, especially in the education sector. These devices will increasingly proliferate in workplaces and public areas, with more people wanting to use more bandwidth-hungry applications.”

In addition to supporting new devices, vendors are also promising an improvement in throughput performance for existing 11n clients with the deployment of 11ac access points to convert interest to deployments.

“11ac will be deployed in high device density environments, such as campuses, stadiums, airports and retail centers, and also be used for new purposes, such as mobile backhaul traffic, wireless displays and large-scale machine-to-machine processes,” Ball adds.

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Ruckus, San Francisco Partner on City WiFi Program

Wireless systems and infrastructure specialist Ruckus Wireless announced it partnered with the City and County of San Francisco to deliver free, high-speed outdoor public WiFi service up and down the city’s Market Street corridor, starting from the intersection of Market and Castro Streets down to the pedestrian corridor at the Embarcadero.

Mounted on traffic poles with gigabit fiber backbone connections, Ruckus ZoneFlex 7782-S outdoor access points (APs), which extend signals and adapt to changing environmental conditions, are powering the service, providing dual-band (2.4 and 5 GHz) WiFi to users along Market Street.

The public-private partnership between San Francisco's Department of Technology (DT) and Ruckus teamed technical staff from the city and Ruckus to design, build and deploy a WiFi network capable of delivering a high-speed online experience to users while acting as a reliable utility for existing and future city services.

"Because San Francisco is at the world's epicenter of technology innovation and use, residents, visitors and even businesses now have a fundamental expectation for pervasive wireless connectivity," Mayor Edwin M. Lee, said in a statement. "We have gone to great lengths to build the foundation to deliver on these expectations with the best WiFi technology we could find right in our own backyard."

In locations where fiber backhaul to the Ruckus access points is prohibitive, Ruckus smart mesh networking technology is being used to provide more resilient wireless connections between access points.

"Ruckus and San Francisco share a similar vision of the vital importance in providing pervasive, reliable wireless connectivity to people who rely on getting online everyday to work, play, and live," Selina Lo, president and CEO of Ruckus Wireless, said in a statement. "With the explosive growth of the mobile Internet and mobile Internet applications, high-speed Wi-Fi access is now viewed as a non-negotiable utility."

In addition, redundant Ruckus SmartCell Gateway (SCG) 200 wireless LAN (WLAN) controllers are deployed within the city's data center to aggregate traffic and provide centralized management of the WiFi infrastructure

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Xirrus Equips Messe Munich Trade Fair With New High-Performance Wi-Fi

Xirrus®, the leading provider of high performance wireless networks, today announced that Munich trade fair giant, Messe München has deployed Xirrus networks throughout the facility. The implementation provides Wi-Fi in all 16 exhibition halls, all entrances, the ICM Congress Centre, the Messehaus meeting rooms, both press centers and the "Atrium" between Halls A and B. Only 183 Xirrus Arrays were needed to equip the trade fair's expansive grounds (a total of approx. 217,000 sqm: 180,000 sqm halls, 30,000 sqm atrium and 7,000 sqm ICM) with a scalable network to accommodate high densities of mobile wireless clients, while maintaining Wi-Fi flexibility. A total of 1,188 integrated access points (APs), with a maximum of eight APs per Array, were deployed. While conventional installations require a cable run for every single access point, the only cable runs needed for this deployment were for the actual Arrays. As a result, Messe München reduced installation efforts by 650 percent.



Xirrus Arrays' software configurability enables granular customization, down to the Wi-Fi radio frequency (2.4 or 5 GHz), allowing for real-time adaptation to Messe München's various trade shows. Radio coverage can be customized according to the layout of an individual exhibition hall and address any bottleneck issues resulting from a large group of people in one area. The Xirrus Management System (XMS), implemented as a virtual appliance in a VMware environment in both Messe München data centers, enables administrators to monitor the network at all times and make any event-specific adaptations autonomously.



Messe München is also realizing huge financial benefits from Xirrus' software configurability -- due to the significant reduction in operating expenses. Changes can be made quickly without any complicated physical handling of the access points. Alternative solutions require physically handling of all 1,188 access points to make such changes. With the Xirrus solution, the XMS management system handles the change.

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Aruba Networks connects over 25,000 devices to WLAN at Dubai WTC Gitex Technology Week 2013

Dubai World Trade Centre (DWTC), the region’s premier event organizer and operator of the largest exhibition venue in the Middle East, partnered with Aruba Networks, Inc. (NASDAQ:ARUN) to provide secure and high speed wireless internet access to visitors at the recently concluded Gitex Technology Week 2013. Over 25,000 devices, including laptops, tablets and mobiles, were successfully connected to the Wi-Fi network during the five-day event, cementing Aruba Networks’ credential as the best WLAN vendor in interoperability, handling client diversity, density and world class support.

Over a span of five days, Aruba powered 25,000 users across all exhibitor halls. Day 4 witnessed most traffic with the total connections surpassing 8000. 37% of all devices authenticated during the event were Apple followed by Samsung with 30% Windows at 13%.

With an increase of customers per day, WLAN solutions initially covered 1,500 users to over 6,000 to 8,000 daily users by the end of Gitex. As demand rose between the hours of 3:00 PM and 5:00 PM, over 20% of new users were able to rapidly and efficiently connect with no interference.

Ammar Enaya, General Manager for Middle East at Aruba Networks, said: “Client applications are bandwidth hungry and sensitive to connectivity issues, so ensuring assured bandwidth in a high interference and dense environment, such as Gitex, is a major challenge to network vendors. Aruba’s commitment to providing local and remote WLAN support during major exhibitions guaranteed that access to the internet was seamless and uninterrupted even during the peak hours.”

“Our work with Dubai World Trade Centre reinforces our position as the most trusted network solutions provider in the region, with the capacity to provide tailored solutions to a large varied audience. The project is one we are glad to be associated with because of its high density nature where we could showcase our superior networking solutions,” he added.

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Savant Systems Selects GainSpan Wi-Fi for SmartLighting Control System

According to a release, the system gives users lighting control and energy monitoring capability from a smartphone, and can be integrated without rewiring the home or commercial facility.



The Company noted that Savant's SmartLighting Wi-Fi comprises lighting-control keypads that connect to a Wi-Fi network, providing on/off, dimming, and energy monitoring. The controllers work with any lamp/lighting fixture, allowing the user to turn a light into a Wi-Fi controllable fixture. Once installed, the new switch provides physical buttons for light control, and can be controlled from a computer or smartphone. Savant is targeting its networked lighting control for the commercial marketplace in applications such as having conference room lights turn on just before a meeting or having predetermined facility lights turn off once the security system has been activated, reducing energy costs.



"Lighting control, when integrated with automation, is quickly becoming an essential smart home and building application. By using Wi-Fi we've designed an elegant and versatile product that simplifies installation, reduces labor costs and expands intelligent lighting control possibilities to areas such as renovation and high bay applications that traditionally have been challenging," said James Carroll, executive vice president corporate strategy and business development, Savant Systems. "We originally selected GainSpan's ultra-low power Wi-Fi for a prototype remote control. We liked the module's small form factor, versatility and full set of Wi- Fi features so much that we felt it would be ideal for the keypad and switch in our flagship lighting control line.



SmartLighting Wi-Fi takes advantage of GainSpan's low-power Wi- Fi and the company's proprietary firmware provided to run on the module The firmware offers complete Wi-Fi functionality including security, networking stack and advanced networking features/ services not readily available with other Wi-Fi modules such as enterprise security, embedded servers (HTTP, DHCP and DNS servers), service and device discovery (mDNS and DNS/SD), XML parsing, and Over-the-Air firmware upgrades, as well as WPS and other provisioning features.

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Huawei WS322, portable WiFi repeater

With a lot of homes these days having their own WiFi network, it’s nice to have a simple solution that allows you to extend the WiFi access to other parts of the house where signal is weak like in your garden or basement. Typically, people use access points but Huawei has introduced an elegant and simple device in the form of the Huawei WS322 WiFi Repeater/Extender.

....

This device comes with an Ethernet port which is handy if your PC doesn’t have a built-in WiFi, you don’t have to run a long line of cable to your router. Or if you have a Smart TV but don’t have a WiFi adpater for it and it’s far from your router, the Huaweii WS322 is a handy solution for you. You’ll get wireless transmission speeds of up to 300Mbps with this one.

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BearExtender Turbo Adds 802.11ac Wi-Fi to Older Macs

Using AJA System Test on Mac OS X 10.9 Mavericks, a 2GB file was transferred between a Mid-2012 802.11n MacBook Air and a 2013 Apple Time Capsule at a rate of 10.66 Megabytes per second (MB/s not megabits). The same test with BearExtender Turbo connected to the MacBook Air’s USB 3.0 port had a rate of 23.84 MB/s, more than twice the Macbook Air’s internal Wi-Fi card

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Mobile Network Marketing Corporation Releases MobiPromo, a Technological First WiFi Marketing System

....With social media interaction, email, and text messaging integrated, merchants also benefit from the viral possibilities.

MobiPromo is a 100 percent Cloud based platform that includes proximity marketing hardware devices that do not require any configuration or maintenance. It is a comprehensive Plug and Play system, which can automatically update with the advanced Set and Forget technology, once it is deployed. Merchants keep 100% of the collected sale price.

Many online marketing experts believe that MobiPromo is the future of advertising, due to its unique ability to deliver targeted advertisements geographically, contextually, by device type, and by the advertiser's direct competitors, intercepting consumers who showcase products in-store with online vendors attempting to find a better price. It has the ability to deliver advertisements around the clock at one price, and offers a platform that can be managed exclusively by the advertiser. The system contains real-time tracking metrics and delivery of any type of content, such as coupons, images, redemption codes, app dissemination, and even video infomercials.

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TTC (Toronto Subway) unveils free WiFi at two subway stations

BAI Canada paid the TTC $25-million for a 20-year contract to build a WiFi network for Toronto’s subway. WiFi at the first two stations is still in the testing phase, but after it launches permanently next month, the company is hoping to bring the service to more stations.

“We just need to make sure that the WiFi itself and the band that it’s using does not interfere with our radio systems, with our signalling systems that could be safety-critical,” said TTC spokesman Brad Ross, “We don’t anticipate there being issues – these things are figured out before they’re installed and run – but we still need to do that testing.”

He said that BAI is currently mapping out a schedule for building the same infrastructure for the rest of the subway stations over the next couple of years.

In order to connect to the free WiFi, riders will have to watch short, 15-second advertisements beforehand, said Mr. Ross. There will also be ads on the network to help support and pay for the service. All ads will be subject to the TTC’s advertising policy.

The agreement with BAI also gives the company two years to secure a cellphone provider to potentially also bring cell service to subway stations. The infrastructure for cell service at the two prototype stations is already built, but as of yet, no cell provider has come on board.

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We2 to connect NYC's retailers and consumers via 'social WiFi'

We2 to connect NYC's retailers and consumers via 'social WiFi'Retailers in New York are being encouraged to sign up for a new location-based "social WiFi" network that will connect consumers to more than 2,000 hotspots throughout commercial centers in the city.The We2 social WiFi network is to be launched in just over 10 days time, on 15 December, 2013. As part of New York City's roll-out of public WiFi access the benefits to businesses in the region could be huge.We2 works by turning "private" hotspots - such as those found in shops and restaurants - into public hotspots, which can be accessed for free by users registered on the We2 network."The We2 network will also include access to GOWEX's hotspots in around 80 cities worldwide. Users accessing the We2 network through We2 App, will also be able to see other We2 users on the network, creating "ad hoc" localized relationships," said developers GOWEX in a recent announcement.Via the We2 network businesses will be able to attract new customers by advertising to mobile users nearby via their device and send, receive real-time direct messages to customers. Furthermore, retailers and restaurateurs alike will be able to offer secure WiFi to their customers without the need for passwords and free-of-charge while at the same time being able to gather insights about what they like and their activities."Our partnership with GOWEX will bring a pioneering approach to free Wi-Fi, providing additional tools for New Yorkers to participate in the innovation economy," said New York Economic Development Corporation President Kyle Kimball.

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Hotspot 2.0 promises to redefine the Wi-Fi experience

How will enterprises know that they can trust these networks? Enterprise Strategy Group Senior Analyst John Mazur says the creation of federations of secured wireless networks will be key. For instance, carriers or cable providers would develop global preferred networks of wireless hotspots and then allow users to access them. Instead of negotiating credentials and security levels for each hotspot, users would configure their security preferences upfront and then the device would automatically handle each hotspot's login requests.Education institutions across the world have developed a similar federated structure, called eduroam, using RADIUS and 802.1X technologies. Researchers, teachers, students and staff who are eduroam-enabled by a member institution are able to securely access the Internet from their notebook or mobile device when visiting another member institution. The home network performs user authorization while the network the user is visiting deals only with access.

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A few finally find HotSpot 2.0 Wi-Fi connections

There are currently several million smartphones certified to run on a "HotSpot 2.0" Wi-Fi network. In November, about 400 of them finally got a chance to do so -- in Beijing, China.Attendees at a carrier Wi-Fi conference found that their smartphones, from different “home” carriers, automatically authenticated with and connected securely to a Cisco Wi-Fi network hosted by China Mobile.The next big public demonstration of what’s confusingly referred to as both Hotspot 2.0 and Next Generation Hotspot (NGH) will be in February 2014: an estimated 75,000 attendees at the next Mobile World Congress in Barcelona will be able to take part.

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Ventev Wireless Intros Optimized Wi-Fi Antennas ~ Converge! Network Digest

Ventev Wireless Infrastructure, a division of TESSCO Technologies, introduced a new line of TerraWave Solutions High-Density Antennas for Wi-Fi deployments in stadiums, convention centers, campuses, city centers, airports, manufacturing facilities, and other locales with high densities of wireless clients.



Ventev says its next-generation antennas increase capacity and optimize coverage for Wi-Fi users in large, indoor/outdoor venues by providing a narrower, focused beam of coverage that reduces channel-to-channel interference.

The highest-performing TerraWave High-Density 2.4/5 GHz Patch Antenna uses a narrow 35-degree beamwidth (compared with the traditional 50-80 degrees) and features a higher gain (14 dBi versus 6-10 dBi) that enables a greater distance between the antenna and users. Thus there is a much higher flexibility in placement without sacrificing network performance.



The 2.4/5 GHz 10/11 dBi narrow-bandwidth TerraWave Ceiling-Mount High-Density Antenna for indoor applications features an inconspicuous in-ceiling tile mount that camouflages the Wi-Fi access point for improved aesthetics and increased security. It is the only ceiling-mount high-density antenna currently available specifically designed for indoor applications such as convention centers, auditoriums, large warehouses and factories.

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All set with wifi and 400 hours of movies, Emirates Airlines launches longest flight in the world

Packed with Hollywood movies on ice Digital Widescreen, the double-decker touched down in Los Angeles yesterday, becoming the world’s longest A380 service in operation.

The landmark flight, crossing the Russian Federation, the North Pole and Eastern Canada, has a published duration of 16 hours 20 minutes, more than enough time to delve into over 400 hours of in-flight Hollywood movies.

“Bringing the glamorous A380 set of wings to the City of Angels seemed like a natural fit as this aircraft mirrors the luxury of the Hollywood lifestyle,” said Hubert Frach, Emirates’ Divisional Senior Vice President, Commercial Operations West.

The Emirates’ A380 is like no other. Its generously proportioned Economy Class, exclusive mini-pods in Business Class and Private Suites in First Class are talked about the world over.

On the top deck of the aircraft, First Class passengers can freshen up in one of two Onboard Shower Spas, whilst First and Business Class travellers can mix and mingle in the popular Onboard Lounge – enjoying a drink and exchanging tales at 40,000 feet.

Passengers in all cabins have access to WiFi, 1,500 channels of in-flight entertainment and gourmet-chef prepared meals, served by highly trained multi-lingual cabin crew.

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802.11ac – New Standard, New Methodologies for WLAN Analysis

The 802.11ac Wi-Fi standard has the ability to revolutionize how enterprises support the large quantity of devices connected to corporate networks. Yet, most organizations do not understand that monitoring and analyzing 802.11ac traffic requires significant changes in the way wireless data is captured.

As we get closer to 802.11ac ratification (still scheduled for Q1 2014) we’re seeing the same pattern we saw with 802.11n. Early equipment in the market, developed against an early draft standard, was targeted mainly at the home market. Head into any electronics store (brick and mortar or online) and you’ll already find a wide selection of 802.11ac APs for the home. But it was only a few months ago that we began seeing devices from the major enterprise AP players hitting the market that are truly enterprise-grade. And it’s these new enterprise-grade APs that are going to force a change in WLAN troubleshooting and analysis.

As a provider of WLAN analysis solutions, the most common question we are hearing today is “what 802.11ac USB devices can I use to monitor the network?” The question seems innocent enough, but the answer is far from simple.

In the “good old days of a/b/g” finding a USB device for monitoring and analyzing was pretty simple. The APs and the USB adapters pretty much had the same capabilities regarding encoding, data transmission, and data rates, and these are some of the key elements when looking for compatible WLAN adapters to use for wireless packet capture. And the list of optional features was very short. But with 802.11n, and even more so with 802.11ac, APs often have much greater capabilities than stations, and this is especially true when comparing APs with 802.11ac USB WLAN adapters.

Most of the 802.11ac APs hitting the market are capable of at least 3-stream operation, and 4-stream APs will not be far behind. Most 802.11ac USB WLAN adapters are 1-stream, with a small selection at 2-stream. There are no 3-stream or 4-stream 802.11ac USB WLAN adapters, and it’s quite likely there won’t be any. The market for USB WLAN adapters is shrinking, as most devices have 802.11 built in, including products ranging from TVs and DVRs to washing machines and refrigerators.

So, if you have an 802.11ac network based on 4-stream APs, how can you ensure that you capture ALL of the traffic from these APs if the best USB-based capture device you can find is only 1- or 2-stream?

Well, I know everyone wants a different answer, but the answer is you can’t, at least not with a 1- or 2-stream USB WLAN adapter. If you have a 4-stream AP, and at least one 4-stream client (let’s say a dedicated video conferencing device that needs the maximum bandwidth it can achieve), you need a capture solution that is also 4-stream, and also supports any other optional features the AP/client combination may support.

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Referencing Wi-Fi Channel Numbers Correctly

Wide channel numbering changed with 802.11ac:

• 802.11n Channels (the "old" way)


• 
  
  
  
  • One 20 MHz primary channel, with a channel extension above or below
  
  
  • 40 MHz Example: Channel 36, +1
  
  
  • 40 MHz Example: Channel 40, -1
  
  
  • 40 MHz Example: Channel 36+40
  
  
  • This terminology should no longer be used
    
    
    
  
  
  
  


• 802.11ac Channels (the "new" way)


• 
  
  
  
  • Reference the center channel frequency for the entire 40/80/160 MHz wide channel
  
  
  • Designate one 20 MHz portion of the wide channel as the Primary 20 MHz
  
  
  • 40 MHz Example: Channel 38 with Primary 20 MHz channel 36
  
  
  • 80 MHz Example: Channel 155 with Primary 20 MHz channel 149
  
  
  • 160 MHz Example: Channel 50 with Primary 20 MHz channel 44
  
  
  
  

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Verizon Launches Managed Certificates for Internet of Things

Verizon Enterprise Solutions has launched Managed Certificate Services, a next-generation, cloud-based platform designed to authenticate objects and machines -- verifying object and machine “identities” -- and securing data transmitted between these connections.



Verizon said its new class of cloud-based certificates provides strong security while eliminating the need for expensive hardware and complex implementations that were once the hallmark of public key infrastructure (PKI)-based solutions. Verizon MCS offers a fully managed environment that allows clients to remain focused on their core business without the complexity and cost of managing and monitoring their certificate infrastructure.



“With the continued explosion of the Internet of Things and the expansion of connected objects and machines, businesses require a simple, scalable and effective way to manage identity and data integrity,” said Eddie Schwartz, vice president of global security solutions for Verizon Enterprise Solutions. “Verizon’s Managed Certificate Services build upon our solid digital certificate technology and managed security services expertise with a cloud-based platform to deliver an ideal offering for the age of connected solutions.”

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China Mobile Selects HP for Wireless City Search

China Mobile has selected HP Autonomy's Intelligent Data Operating Layer (IDOL) to power the search capability of its strategic Wireless City platform, which allows users to access information on thousands of public services directly from their mobile phones.HP IDOL uses advanced pattern-matching technology to understand key concepts in all forms of information, including free text, video, audio, image, social media and the web. Unlike traditional, keyword-dependent systems, HP IDOL retrieves all relevant information that is conceptually related to a query, going beyond search to help users discover information they may not know to look for.“Much of the success of Wireless City depends on the users’ ability to quickly find information and harness the full potential of the platform,” said Cao Yang, project manager, Wireless City, China Mobile. “HP Autonomy stood out by having a great support infrastructure. We believe that the unique conceptual search capabilities of HP IDOL can help us deliver an unmatched experience and a highly valuable service to our customers.”

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Tablet Owners Prefer WiFi to Data Plans, Due to Cost

The report found 45 percent of respondents with a 3G- or 4G-capable tablet did not use this capability, citing WiFi availability as the main reason.The unprecedented use of tablets at a mass-market level in Western countries has many implications for operators and device manufacturers, with 43 percent of respondents to an Analysys Mason survey saying they did not buy the tablet that they use.Instead, many tablets were given as gifts by friends and family (39 percent) or provided by an employer (4 percent), and also revealed that less than 10 percent of tablet respondents in the United Kingdom and the United States use cellular networks to connect their tablet.The report found 45 percent of respondents with a 3G- or 4G-capable tablet who did not use this capability said that WiFi availability was the main reason for not enabling a SIM in their device.

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Access all of Amsterdam's free wi-fi with one app!

Wi-fi users in Amsterdam will soon have access to an app which takes all the hassle out of connecting to wi-fi.A new wi-fi app called Instabridge is being launched in Amsterdam this month.Overhauling wi-fi usageThis free app lets users locate and automatically connect to free wi-fi networks in the city, without having to tap in passwords, or check "approval" boxes.Instabridge is currently set to make use of around 300 individual hotspots across Amsterdam. These include many free wi-fi services provided by bars, restaurants and concert halls.As well as saving users money on mobile data, this app also aims to help preserve phone battery for longer.It will be available to all phone users in the Randstad region.

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