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Whidbey Telecom Internet & Broadband
Wi-Fi Links
How-To and Troubleshooting
Windows XP and Wi-Fi
Windows2000/ME/98SE and Wi-Fi
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Whidbey Telecom Internet & Broadband Wi-Fi - Frequently Asked QuestionsCost and Availability QuestionsHow are you going to charge for this service? Whidbey Telecom Internet & Broadband is currently in the process of evaluating Wi-Fi service. After our tests of Wi-Fi, and with input from our customers, we'll decide whether we're going to offer Wi-Fi service, and if so, where we'll provide it and at what cost. When will you have Wi-Fi service? We hope to have service available in a number of locations by mid 2004. Where will you have Wi-Fi service? We are getting input from customers about where they would like to have Wi-Fi service, and are researching possible locations based on our customers' feedback. Typically, a public Wi-Fi hot spot is a location that is convenient and/or appealing to many people who'd like high-speed wireless internet access. Will you have Wi-Fi service on the ferries? We have heard from our customers that they would like coverage in the Clinton ferry line. That coverage is one of the elements of our Wi-Fi test. To a lesser extent, customers have said that they'd like Wi-Fi service on the ferries themselves. That would obviously be a much more complicated undertaking and is not currently part of our project. Equipment, Access Speed, Distance and General Use QuestionsIs Wi-Fi service only for laptops? Wi-Fi access is not limited to laptop computers. WLANs (wireless local area networks) can generally be used by any wirelessly enabled computer or hand-held internet access device. Some (typically new or newer) notebook and handheld devices are available with integrated (built-in) wireless access. Other computers - both desktop and laptop - and handhelds require an accessory wireless card. Wireless cards from many manufacturers are widely available. You should check manufacturer information for your computer or handheld device and your operating system for specific guidelines on wireless card compatibility. Devices that are compatible with 802.11b wireless networking should be able to connect through our Wi-Fi system, which is based on 802.11b. If your computer or handheld does not have integrated wireless capability, you will need a compatible 802.11b wireless card. While low power cards (< 100 mW) are generally acceptable for very short-range use indoor use, extended range cards (100 to 200 mW) work well in short-range situations and can provide improved performance for longer range and for outdoor Wi-Fi locations. An accessory antenna used in conjunction with an extended range wireless card typically yields the best Wi-Fi connection results in long-range and/or outdoor Wi-Fi applications. Extended range wireless cards which accommodate accessory antennas are offered by many companies, including Cisco, EnGenious, SMC, NetGate and Demarc. (Note: While some manufacturers offer 200mW wireless LAN PC cards specifically for use in laptop computers, other manufacturers don't recommend their 200 mW cards for laptop use. Check before you buy!) It's important to note that extended range wireless cards are often somewhat more expensive than low power wireless cards and that they can use more of your laptop's battery resources. You should evaluate the trade-offs of range and performance relative to cost and battery use based on where and how you would like to use Wi-Fi service. You should also make sure that you follow the manufacturers' guidelines for the safe use of any wireless card and/or accessory antenna, and maintain the recommended user/equipment separation distance. Can I use a notebook with built-in wireless access, like a Dell, to access your Wi-Fi? Yes; however, if your computer or handheld has integrated wireless capability, you may find that an extended range accessory card with antenna gives you improved performance for indoor Wi-Fi connectivity. An extended range accessory card with antenna may be required for extended range and/or outdoor Wi-Fi applications. Will this work with the Mac AirPort Extreme? Apple's AirPort Extreme devices use 802.11g wireless networking, and according to the Apple website, "the AirPort Extreme Card works with 802.11b-based public hot spots". How fast will this connection be? An 802.11b Wi-Fi connection can operate at speeds up to 11Mbps. Naturally, the speed of any Wi-Fi connection will depend on several variables, including: the number of concurrent users; the distance from the Wi-Fi access point; the type of wireless networking card; whether the signal is being attenuated by walls, vehicles or other obstacles, etc. Also, it's important to note that the wireless link is only one element of the total connection, so the speed a user ultimately enjoys will not be higher than the slowest element of the overall connection. How much area is covered by a hot spot? The area that can be covered by a single Wi-Fi access point (in other words, the size or 'reach' of a hot spot) will vary, depending upon things such as:
The range most often cited is between 100' and 300', but it's quite possible for coverage to be less or much more, depending upon conditions such as those noted above. Also, since Wi-Fi access points operate at much lower power than cellular sites, and since they are not typically installed in cellular tower type construction, the Wi-Fi radio signal can be weakened or blocked by obstacles. If we have two computers, can we use them both at once at a hot spot? Public Wi-Fi hot spots are typically configured to permit use of one computer per user password per Wi-Fi session. If, for example, you have two laptop computers, or a laptop and a handheld, you can use either device - assuming that they are both wirelessly enabled - at a hot spot, but you can't use them simultaneously unless you have two login IDs and two passwords. Will Bluetooth and Wireless LAN (WLAN) interfere with each other? Bluetooth and WLAN can co-exist. Bluetooth devices use Frequency Hopping and most WLANs use Direct Sequence Spreading techniques, so they each appear as background noise to the other and should not cause any perceivable performance issues. Health, Safety and Environmental QuestionsWhy don't Wi-Fi systems require licensing? Wi-Fi operates at 2.4GHz, the same radio frequency used in widely available cordless phones. This frequency range was set aside by the FCC, and was generally referred to as the ISM (Industrial, Scientific and Medical) band. A few years ago Apple and several other large corporations requested that the FCC allow the development of wireless networks within this frequency range. What we have today is a protocol and system that allows for unlicensed use of radios within a prescribed power level. The ISM band is populated by Industrial, Scientific and Medical devices that are all low power devices. Although the radio spectrum that Wi-Fi operates within is not licensed, Wi-Fi service providers must follow stringent FCC limitations on maximum permissible power for Wi-Fi equipment. Are there any adverse heath effects from Wi-Fi? To our knowledge, no adverse health effects have ever been attributed to wireless LANs. Whidbey Telecom Internet & Broadband scrupulously adheres to FCC power limitations for our Wi-Fi equipment. We encourage customers to carefully read the instructions for use of their specific Wi-Fi equipment, and to follow the manufacturers' guidelines relative to safety. The wireless networking cards used in both wirelessly enabled devices (computers and handhelds) and in typical indoor Wi-Fi access point equipment operate at low power - similar to or less than that of hand-held cellular phones. (The previously mentioned Wi-Fi equipment typically operates at between 35mW and 200 mW; cellular phones typically operate at between 125mW and 600mW.) Does Wi-Fi use large antenna structures like cellular towers? Wi-Fi access points for indoor applications are small enough to be easily located in a variety of areas (about the size of a hard-cover book). Wi-Fi access points in outdoor installations are quite unobtrusive. The access point itself can be contained within a special housing that measures approximately 15"x21"x4.5", and the antennas are more similar to a automobile radio antennas than to cellular towers. Wi-Fi gear does not generally intrude on the visual landscape and is often not even noticeable. Security QuestionsHow secure are Wi-Fi connections? Please refer to our security statement and security-related FAQs |