News.com is running a weeklong series on Wi-Fi networking, with today’s first article on how cities are implementing wi-fi networks to entice people to be and work in their downtowns.
I’ve got wireless at home, and love it. I use a first generation Apple Airport that I bought used and I get good reception throughout my 1700 sq. ft. ranch home. As far as I know none of my neighbors have glommed on to my network, though, in general, I wouldn’t mind.
We’ve also got wireless at the Urbana IMC, which makes everyone’s life easier. The IMC is an Internet connection point for the growing local grassroots wireless network that not only connects people to the ‘net but also aims to create a city-wide wireless intranet interconnecting anyone on a node, perhaps allowing there to be rich streaming media utilizing several Mbps of bandwidth without expensive Internet bandwidth.
I haven’t yet installed net stumbler or gone war-driving to see what other access points might be around the Champaign-Urbana area, but I just might have to when the weather gets nicer.
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