Jan 13, 2008, 13:34 GMT
Hanover - Computer networks often slow down in the evening. That's because the working world returns home and switches on their private computers to do a little web surfing. And they are increasingly doing it using WLAN, a wireless connection that lets you surf just as easily from the couch as from a work desk.
WLAN is popular: there are more than 9 million private WLAN networks alone, reports the industry association BITKOM. Most send and receive at a frequency of 2.4 Gigahertz (GHz). That can lead to data jams, not unlike a major highway during rush hour. The alternative: 5 Gigahertz WLAN.
Instead of sending the data zooming along the same 2.4 gigahertz street as everyone else, the user moves up to a 5 GHz boulevard. This helps prevent the user's data from getting corrupted by all the signals beaming around at 2.4 GHz, reports Hanover-based computer magazine c't. Mutilated data packets must be resent, which increasing data transfer times.
One potential solution is 5 GHz WLAN, vastly underutilized to this point. This is not the equivalent of a detour onto bumpy local streets to avoid traffic. This is more like riding in a flying car capable of soaring about the congestion. The IEEE 802.11a standard, which covers 5 GHz WLAN, stipulates that data be transferred at up to 54 Megabits per second- although as with all WLAN solutions that number represents a theoretical value never realized in practice.
To implement IEEE 802.11a, users will need a corresponding WLAN card or adapter for the computer and a base station that supports the standard. So far, laptops supported both frequencies, c't reports. The technology can usually be retrofitted onto existing equipment, however. A USB WLAN adapter for this format costs around 70 dollars, while a base station can be had for around 90 dollars.
One device capable of sending at both the 2.4 and 5 GHz bands is Netgear's WAG102: ProSafe DualBand Wireless Access Point for 190 dollars. The hardware maker is also marketing the WAG 511: Dual Band Wireless PC Card for 69 dollars to bring laptops up to speed. D-Link, another major hardware maker, is also offering 802.11a-ready components in its portfolio. That includes the DWL-AG132 USB adapter for 69 dollars and the DWL-AG530 PCI card for 109 dollars, to be installed into the PC.
The 802.11a differs from other types of WLAN not just in its frequency but also in the signal strength. The 2.4 GHz standard may work at up to 100 milliwatts. The frequency range between 5150 and 5350 megahertz can climb up to 200 milliwatts, however, and between 5470 and 5725 MHz it can even total up to 1 watt. For those who wonder about such things: these values are still well below the threshold levels for health guidelines related to electrical signal transmissions.
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techJan 13th, 2008 - 18:54:28
Gaiacomm International has 5 terahertz bands wlans and no traffic jams!
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