RV Internet - Providing current information about ISPs, Cellular, Wi-Fi and Satellite of special interest to RVers and the RVing lifestyle.
Tuesday, August 31, 2004Intel makes tri-mode Wi-Fi for Centrino
Intel delivered on its promise to update its Centrino processor platform last week with the launch of a tri-mode Wi-Fi adapter for notebook PCs. The new PRO/Wireless 2915ABG Network Connection module supports the three Wi-Fi standards: 802.11a, b and g.
Intel's Centrino is a combination of three technologies bundled into laptops: Intel's low-power Pentium-M processor, its 855 chipset and the PRO/Wireless Wi-Fi components. Full Story... Friday, August 27, 2004Roaming Agreements Put Wi-Fi on the Map
The drive to sign roaming agreements that allow users to move seamlessly from Wi-Fi network to Wi-Fi network has gained momentum since the first of the year. Before the year ends, we're likely to see more truth than slogan in the adage "Wi-Fi is everywhere." Full Story...
Sprint, SBC In Hotspot Roaming Deal
Sprint and SBC Communications Friday announced a two-way roaming deal that will enable the customers of each vendor to access the hotspots run by the other.
Of the two vendors, SBC is by far the largest hotspot provider with 2,300 hotspots installed under its FreedomLink brand. Its largest installation is in locations of The UPS Store and MailBoxes Etc. Sprint has a relative handful of Wi-Fi locations in airports and other public places. Full Story... Tuesday, August 24, 2004Where to Find FREE Public Hotspots
Nothing's more affordable than free, and free Wi-Fi service exists. But you might have to do some snooping to find it. Full Story...
Monday, August 23, 2004RED Roof Inns to get Wi-Fi hotspots
T-Mobile USA Inc. will install wireless Internet access throughout all Red Roof Inns over the next year. The Wi-Fi hotspots will work in guest rooms and common areas, such as lobbies and conference rooms, the companies planned to announce Tuesday.
Customers who don't subscribe to wireless-fidelity service from T-Mobile or one of its partners will be charged $6 for the first hour or $9.99 a day. Pete Thompson, a marketing director for T-Mobile, said the company would give a free day pass to first-time users staying at a Red Roof Inn. Full Story... Sacramento, CA get Free Wi-Fi Downtown
Anyone meandering down Capitol Mall in Sacramento CA in the next few weeks might see an increasing number of folks sitting outside, cruising the Web or checking their e-mail.
Three local businesses have quietly combined to make a mile-long stretch of road from Raley Field, across Tower Bridge and to the steps of the Capitol a wireless hotspot, giving up to 250 users at one time free access to the Internet. Full Story... Thursday, August 19, 2004Wi-Fi emerges as emergency communications in Florida
Public access Wi-Fi hot spots have become a key communications alternative in Florida in the wake of Hurricane Charley, with the local franchisee of Panera Bread Co. reporting a 50% increase in traffic for the free Wi-Fi service it offers in 34 outlets in the state.
A spokesman said he believes that roughly 70% of the Wi-Fi users at Panera Bread outlets in Florida are using the free Internet connections to do business. "We have people holding business meetings in our stores." Full Story... Free Wi-Fi and Cellular for Charlie Victims
DayStar Communications is providing free phone calls within the U.S. and Internet access for wireless computers and PDA's through wireless fidelity (wi-fi) service at two locations in Charlotte County to victims of Hurricane Charle. Full Story...
Wednesday, August 18, 2004Nomadic WiFi Hotspot Franchise for RV and Coach Owners!
NomadISP, a provider of WiFI services to the recreational industry, announced today the availability of the Nomadic WiFi Hotspot Franchise to RV owners. The announcement facilitates RVers to own a NomadISP franchise allowing them sell and deploy WiFi services at any location within North America that they visit. The franchise includes all equipment, training, and support for an owner to have a profitable business aboard their vehicle, selling WiFi service to adjoining campers, guests or anyone else, wherever they go. Full Story...
Public HotZone in Culver City, California
"As a hub of the entertainment industry and home to many creative personnel, we want to offer downtown guests wireless access to the Internet for free while enjoying our retail stores, restaurants and outdoor areas," said John Richo, Culver City's Director of Information Technology. Full Story...
Sacramento, CA Building Offers Free Wi-Fi
Plaza Five Fifty Five in Sacramento is offering free Wi-Fi in public spaces, including the lobby, the area outside the building, the attached five-story parking garage, and public spaces on all 15 floors. Full Story...
Tuesday, August 17, 2004Netscape 7.2 is available for Windows, Mac OS X, and Linux
Netscape Communications Corp. released Netscape 7.2, the successor to the aging version 7.1 released in mid-2003. The new release, which had been expected since earlier this year, is based on version 1.7 of Mozilla, the most recent version of the Mozilla Internet application suite.
Improvements in the new Netscape Web browser over the earlier version include tabbed Web browsing, improved print preview and integrated AOL Instant Messenger and ICQ, according to the Netscape Web site. Full Story... Saturday, August 14, 2004Free Wi-Fi for Florida Hurricane Victims
According to a report on Wi-Fi Networking News T-Mobile is quietly spreading the word about free Wi-Fi in Florida: With people losing homes or stuck far away from home, T-Mobile has opened its hotspot service for free in Florida through the end of the day on Monday.
Digital Nomads
Is it possible to live on the road for weeks at a time in an RV when your livelihood depends on high-speed Internet access?
One couple shares their success at keeping an Internet business and family life running as they travel the country in their RV. Full Story... Friday, August 13, 2004Burgers and Free Wi-Fi
It seems the for-fee model pioneered by T-Mobile, Wayport and others may be giving way to free services operated by venue owners.
The Krystal Company, which operates a chain of 246 company owned and 190 franchise fast food restaurants across the southeast United States, is a good example. Krystal launched its first Wi-Fi hotspot at a restaurant near the campus of the University of Tennessee in Knoxville 18 months ago and recently announced it had expanded its footprint to 52 locations. Krystal chief information officer David Reid says, "We see the whole business of charging and figuring out how much to charge as such an obstacle. We really wanted to make this free and easy." Full Story... Vancouver B.C., will soon have free Wi-Fi in Esther Short Park
Visitors to Esther Short Park will soon be able to connect to the Web via two wireless “hotspot” antennae mounted to park buildings. Users with a wireless-enabled laptop computers or personal digital assistants, will have access via a dedicated three-megabit connection built into the city’s current network.
“This is just the beginning,” said Richard Keller, a member of the Downtown Redevelopment Authority Board and a driving force behind the project. “Ultimately, our goal is to provide Wi-Fi throughout downtown and the (Vancouver National Historic) Reserve and go on from there. Full Story... Thursday, August 12, 2004AOL to sell $300 PCs
Starting Sunday America Online will be selling discounted personal computers to consumers who agree to buy AOL dial-up Internet service for a year, its latest move to stem customer defections.
Full Story... Wi-Fi isn't the only way to connect to the Web on the road
Today, we'll look at three alternatives offered by cell phone providers.
Two are standalone devices: the $449 Treo 600 smartphone, offered locally by Sprint and Verizon, and the $499 BlackBerry combination phone and e-mail device, offered by many carriers. The third is a card that plugs into your computer and, using cell phone frequencies, makes a digital connection to the Net. Sprint, AT&T and Verizon all offer their own varieties of this approach. They cost around $300. Full Story... HOW to Find Hotspots
Check out a Wi-Fi directory on the Web before you head out with your wireless notebook or PDA. The Web has plenty of searchable sites that can help you locate a hotspot near your destination.
This article lists some of the better Wi-Fi directories that cover U.S. providing information on free and/or commercial wireless hotspots. Full Story... Wednesday, August 11, 2004Protecting Yourself from Wi-Fi Hackers
"We're here in an Internet cafe, we're connected to their network, their public hotspot, and I could go out through the Microsoft operating system, look at the Network Neighborhood and see who else is on the neighborhood, and if you haven't taken those steps to protect your computer I could look at your files, I could send you a virus or other malicious information using nothing more than a standard computer with the preloaded software," Tom Tobul of IBM said. Full Story...
Monday, August 09, 2004Hermosa Beach, Calif., plans to turn on the first phase of its free, citywide Wi-Fi network on Wednesday
The kick-off celebration for the citywide Wi-Fi will take place on August 11th, from 4:00 p.m. – 6:00 p.m at the Hermosa Beach Community Center, located at 710 Pier Avenue, with a reception following at Sangria Restaurant, located at 68 Pier Avenue. Press Release (PDF)
Saturday, August 07, 2004Technology keeps RVer online
“Advances in technology mean I can live in an RV full time, and yet still earn a full-time salary,” Laurie Lee Dovey said. “In fact, since I started this, my income has gone way up, not down.”
Dovey turned two unlikely hobbies, golf and hunting, into a high-paying gig in which she writes on-the-spot freelance stories about golf courses, golf pros, hunting areas and guides while she roams across the country in her RV. “I have a satellite Internet connection for my computer and wireless phone, so I can be anywhere and get my work done, including in my RV, while we're driving down the road,” Dovey said. Full Story... Friday, August 06, 2004Wi-Fi outdoors in downtown Tempe, AZ
Tempe businessman Mike Nasco of WAZ-Tempe is working to set up a broadband wireless communications network, or Wi-Fi, that would cover the outdoor areas in downtown Tempe. On Thursday, he spoke to the Tempe City Council about his plans.
It would be the first such network in Arizona. Others cities that have created such networks in outdoor areas include Spokane, Wash.; Portland, Ore.; and San Mateo, Calif. Full Story... Thursday, August 05, 2004AOL Buys Mailblocks anti-spam software
America Online announced the acquisition of Mailblocks, a personal, Web-based e-mail service known for using state-of-the-art technology to block spam and provide a streamlined, efficient e-mail user interface.
Roy Ben-Yoseph, director of e-mail products at AOL, said the newly acquired technology will allow the internet service provider "to offer AOL members the ability to further reduce spam in their e-mail inbox, building on the improvements we've already delivered to members this year. Full Story... Is Sharing Wi-Fi Illegal?
Borrowing a neighbor's unsecured Wi-Fi signal could be against the law. Or it might be legal. The law is unclear, said cyberlawyer Mark Rasch.
"We have new technology and an old law. The law neither expressly prohibits it, nor expressly permits it," Rasch said.Full Story... Cell phone makers plan to release so-called Wi-Fi phones ahead of schedule
The highly anticipated hybrid phones let people make connections using a local wireless Internet access point and seamlessly switch over to a cell phone network whenever necessary. The net result is greater flexibility in mobile communications as well as potential cost savings gained by shifting call minutes that would otherwise count against a cell phone plan onto the Internet. Full Story...
Sarasota, FL to install Wi-Fi at Selby Public Library
Sarasota, FL is trying a Wi-Fi network at Selby Public Library, adjacent to the park, that will enable anyone with a laptop or handheld wireless computer to access the Internet for free.
The new system already works inside and right outside the library, but Chris Burrus, the engineer in charge, has temporarily restricted its public use to three government sites. Full Story... Wednesday, August 04, 2004Encinitas CA, Catches the Wi-Fi Wave
The coastal town of Encinitas, California, will soon offer scalable, metro Wi-Fi access in its downtown. The solution, built on BelAir Networks' scalable wide area Wi-Fi system, will be deployed and managed by Cheetah Wireless Technologies, Inc. (CWTI) and used by municipal, business and residential users in Encinitas' historic downtown.
Users will be able to connect to the Internet wirelessly from inside buildings, outside cafes, backyard patios, front lobbies, porches, and just about anywhere else - ideal for Encinitas' balmy year-round weather. The Downtown Encinitas MainStreet Association, a non-profit corporation working to revitalize Historic Downtown Encinitas, will promote and advertise the service to local businesses, residents and visitors. Full Story... Toshiba MyConnect™ Internet Access Service
As remote Internet accessibility has evolved from dial-up only to multiple methods, This has become increasingly true as new access methods such as wired Ethernet, DSL, cable, and Wi-Fi make their way to the forefront.
Mobile internet users trying to obtain comprehensive remote access usually have to deal with an assortment of providers using multiple usernames, accounts, sign-on methods, confusing software, and separate billing Toshiba's MyConnect Internet Access Service offers an all in one service. Full Story... Tuesday, August 03, 2004Summertime and phishing is easy
Most regular Internet users have by now learned how to avoid online fraudsters.
However, as consumers have grown more sophisticated, so have fraudsters. In a relatively new scam, individuals will pose as a company with which a consumer has a pre-existing relationship — like a bank, online auction site or Internet Service Provider — and send an e-mail requesting billing or financial information to avoid "termination" of the user's account. The e-mail will often direct the recipient to a Web site that looks nearly identical to the actual company's Web site, where the victim will be asked to enter Social Security numbers, financial information or passwords. Full Story... PANERA Bread Operating Largest Free Hotspot Network in US
Panera Bread Company, a retailer of artisan bread and quick casual/specialty foods, announced it has equipped 325 locations in 27 states with free high-speed broadband wireless Internet access (Wi-Fi).
"Panera Bread is now the largest provider of free Wi-Fi Internet access in the United States," said Ron Shaich, Panera Bread chairman and chief executive officer. "We are firmly committed to providing free broadband wireless Internet access as a convenient and reliable service to all customers in existing and emerging markets and remain on an aggressive build-out schedule of 375 locations by calendar year-end and 500 locations in the coming twelve months." As of April 17, 2004, Panera Bread operated 637 bakery-cafes. The company continues to grow expecting to open a total of 140 to 150 locations this year and incorporating free Wi-Fi in those expansion plans. Full Story... Monday, August 02, 2004Verizon Wireless will Roll Out 3G Network in Las Vegas
Fulfilling its promise to begin a national 3G network rollout this summer, Verizon Wireless today announces the launch of its BroadbandAccess service in Las Vegas on July 28.
Powered by an Evolution-Data Optimized (EV-DO) third generation (3G) wide-area network, BroadbandAccess commercial service is one of the fastest wide-area wireless Internet access services available in the nation, with average user speeds of 300-500 kilobits per second (kbps). Full Story... Sunday, August 01, 2004Cafes, bookstores help computer users cut the tether.
It's a fantasy-turned-reality in Eugene Oregon. Individuals and businesses are installing wireless equipment that allows a user to roam about a home, office or even a coffee house, with nothing but a cordless laptop computer under the arm. Full Story...
Wi-Fi lets travelers log onto Internet without phone lines.
When Len Houslet made reservations for a summer slot to park his RV, he made sure the park he picked was a "hot spot."
Bob Dick, owner of Dick's RV Park, invested about $6,000 to have SoFast Communications install equipment to turn his entire park into a hot spot. The system includes equipment for the wireless connections, equipment to bill users' credit cards and installation. "This is the wave of the future for the RV industry," he said. Full Story... |
Site ResourcesOther ResourcesNews Archives
|
|
|
|
