Daily Bits

Wi-Fi

Wi-Fi Names: The Passive-Agressive, the Funny, and the Fail

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Funny and unique Wi-Fi names. Been there, done that, you may be thinking. And I totally get it. After all, we’ve been reading all sorts of Wi-Fi names over the years. Some of them truly creative. Many of them bordering on fail levels – if not that.

Recently, though a BBC entry caught my eye. With the use of the label “passive-aggressive”, how can you ignore the entry? It basically takes a look at the “rise” of the passive-aggressive Wi-Fi names. I am not too sure about the use of the word “rise”, as I think the trend has been going on for quite some time, now, but it sure inspired me to take a look at the Wi-Fi names that have been shared online.

I give you your Friday time waster – Wi-Fi names that are passive-aggressive, funny, and fail. [Read more…] about Wi-Fi Names: The Passive-Agressive, the Funny, and the Fail

DIY Coffee Can Wi-Fi Antenna

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Illy Coffee
Illy Cans

What’s your favorite coffee?

I can’t give a single label as the answer, but there is no doubt that Illy is somewhere at the top of my list. While you can find so many other brands that are easier on the wallet, a good cup of Illy coffee does the trick for me.

Now what if you can have a DIY coffee can Wi-Fi antenna using your empty Illy tin? That ought to make the purchase of the can even more justified! [Read more…] about DIY Coffee Can Wi-Fi Antenna

Wi-Fi Blocking Wallpaper to Keep Signal Thieves Away

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Wallpaper blocks Wi-Fi
Wi-Fi Wallpaper
How many stories can you tell about your neighbors stealing your Wi-Fi signal? Or maybe it is the other way around? If you live in a building, then the chances are that you will have quite some stories to tell.

If you are tired of having people leeching off you, you will love what a team of researchers from Grenoble Institut Polytechnique and the Centre Technique du Papier (France) have developed: Wi-Fi blocking wallpaper.

The researchers may or may not have had their own experiences with Wi-Fi thieves, but they seem to be passionate about keeping homes more secure. Sure, the first step is to make sure that you have a strong password, but just in case that is not enough for you, you just might be able to purchase this Wi-Fi blocking wallpaper some time next year. [Read more…] about Wi-Fi Blocking Wallpaper to Keep Signal Thieves Away

Geeks Without Frontiers Aims to Spread Low Cost Wi-Fi

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GEEKS
GEEKS
Most – if not all – of us have decent Internet connection at home. Sometimes, it is easy to take this for granted. This is especially true if you live in an advanced area, where Wi-Fi is available practically everywhere. In many parts of the world, however, having your own broadband connection is not as easy as 1, 2, 3. In fact, there are still countless areas where connecting to the Internet is a luxury. [Read more…] about Geeks Without Frontiers Aims to Spread Low Cost Wi-Fi

Wi-Fi Speeds to Possibly Double

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free_wifi_spot
Can you imagine life without Wi-Fi? I am pretty sure that for many of us, life was just fine without wireless connection as recent as five years ago. With the sudden deluge of Wi-Fi compatible devices, though, life without Wi-Fi (the Internet) could very well be unimaginable for a lot of people today.

Think about it – when you go to a restaurant or a coffee shop, what is one of the first things you consider? When you book a hotel for a vacation, what is on the top of your list? I am willing to bet that Wi-Fi somewhere in there.

So technology has given us so much convenience, but we could all use faster Wi-Fi, right? If the guys at Stanford are successful, we just might enjoy Wi-Fi at double the speed. They have developed a technology that will allow the use of a single Wi-Fi channel to receive and transmit signals simultaneously. The technology is called antenna cancellation, and basically, it deals with the self-interference that occurs when transmitting and receiving on a single channel. The result? Possibly full duplex communication.

The implications of this technology are huge, especially for wireless providers. Even better, the technology is not limited to Wi-Fi – all radio communications can benefit from it.

At the moment, the technology still needs some work, especially with regard to making it commercially viable. The researchers mention the need for antenna separation, but also say that there is no theoretical limit as to the applications of the technology.

As for us consumers, we just need to wait till they get it out in the market, and we just might enjoy much faster wireless connections in the near future.

Via NewsFactor

TRENDnet Launches GREENwifi Technology

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trendnetThe Consumer Electronics Show always grabs the attention of tech enthusiasts the world over, and this year is no different.  While not everything that is showcased is worth noticing, one can’t deny that some of the most interesting things can be found at the CES.  Take TRENDnet’s newest technology dubbed GREENwifiTM for example.  It holds the distinction of being the first embedded green wireless technology.

GREENwifiTM is part of TRENDnet’s already existing environment-friendly solutions, GREENnetTM. This networking technology is a wired switch-based solution that saves considerably on energy consumption by determining and providing the right amount of power to each connected device. When calculating the amount of electrical power to supply, the technology takes into consideration things such as the length of the Ethernet cable.

The new wireless technology is based on the same principles being used in the wired set up, with a few specific differences. The allocated power is significantly reduced in the following cases.

  • When the wireless device is not connected to another device (such as a wireless router not being connected to a laptop)
  • When the wireless device is connected but idle

Another consideration is the wireless signal strength.  For example, if a laptop is very near the router and is receiving a strong signal, the router will reduce its power consumption.

Based on tests that TRENDnet has conducted, the whole system can offer up to 50% on savings.  This is quite a feat, especially considering the amount of time that the average person spends on the Internet these days.