WLAN Stress Tests: What’s the Use?
February 26, 2013 16:29 PM
Wireless hardware testing can shed much-needed light on Wi-Fi products when every vendor claims to have the best stuff. But you have to pay attention to the testing details.
Road-Testing Republic Wireless and Its $19 Mobile Plan
February 22, 2013 09:12 AM
Republic Wireless offers unlimited mobile voice and data for $19 a month. While the data is unlimited, the carrier’s reliance on Wi-Fi means poor call quality and no ability to hand off calls between wireless and cellular connections.
3 Lessons Learned from Wireless Field Day
February 19, 2013 12:06 PM
WLAN location-based services are hot, wireless technology is getting more complex, and WLAN interoperability just isn’t going to happen. These are the three big ideas I took away from Wireless Field Day.
Digital Pen Improves the Tablet Experience
February 11, 2013 12:31 PM
The DuoSense digital pen from N-Trig captures the experience of pen on paper for tablet users. But OS and device support are limited, and more apps are needed before this technology can go mainstream.
Cisco Launches Combo Switch/WLAN Controller
January 29, 2013 16:58 PM
Cisco has announced new hardware and software to integrate wired and wireless networks under its Unified Access initiative, including the Catalyst 3850 switch that includes a built-in WLAN controller. New versions of ISE and Prime Infrastructure are also available.
Wi-Fi Turns Into Retail Spy
January 23, 2013 16:16 PM
A new partnership between WLAN vendor Aerohive and retail analytics company Euclid turns in-store access points into customer tracking systems.
11ac Does Not Equal 5G
January 17, 2013 17:10 PM
A major wireless vendor wants to tag the forthcoming 802.11ac Wi-Fi standard as 5G, even though the G designation is traditionally associated with cellular networks. What gives?
5 WLAN Resolutions for 2013
January 07, 2013 19:59 PM
It’s time to make resolutions for the new year. Here are five suggestions for WLAN pros that can make 2013 more productive.
802.11ac: Cisco, Aerohive Offer Forecasts
December 27, 2012 11:00 AM
802.11ac promises significant improvements for WLANs. I interviewed representatives from Cisco Systems and Aerohive Networks to get their input on 11ac, how it will affect corporate networks, and if and when IT should upgrade.
WLAN Survey Says Give Us Better Management
December 20, 2012 12:28 PM
I surveyed 181 WLAN operators in higher education to get their input on WLAN management platforms and other issues. The results show respondents feel locked in to vendor systems that leave them wanting more.
A Ruckus Over WLAN Testing
November 30, 2012 15:37 PM
A competitive review of WLAN products at Syracuse University stirred up controversy because of a vendor’s involvement in the tests. But the real question is, are they testing the right things?
802.11ac: 5 Steps to Prepare for Next-Gen WLANs
November 26, 2012 11:56 AM
The 802.11ac wireless standard will be ratified in 2013, and pre-standard consumer hardware is on the market. Follow these five steps to prepare now for the day when 802.11ac comes knocking.
Dear Cisco, Please Don't Screw Up Meraki
November 19, 2012 13:09 PM
Cisco’s $1.2 billion acquisition of competing WLAN vendor Meraki has me worried that Meraki’s top-notch tech support and customer responsiveness will get lost inside Cisco’s big-network culture.
Xirrus Adds Application Control To WLAN Arrays
November 14, 2012 11:17 AM
Xirrus will add deep packet inspection to its wireless arrays to let administrators prioritize, block or limit bandwidth based on specific applications. Xirrus’ claim to be the first WLAN vendor to do so don’t ring true, but it’s still a good idea.
Pervasive Wireless Means Persistent Frustrations
November 13, 2012 20:28 PM
Despite impressive advances in WLAN technology, a small number of wireless devices drag down performance rates and irritate network engineers.
MIT Researchers Turn Heads With WLAN Tech: Coded TCP
October 29, 2012 10:58 AM
Today's WLANs are jam-packed with engineering whiz-bang, from antenna technology to proprietary tweaks under the hood. Now a new approach, called Coded TCP, may yield even more amazing results.
Motorola's New Computing Headset Pushes Mobile Boundaries
October 22, 2012 16:21 PM
Motorola has released a computing platform that straddles the juncture of science-fiction and real-world technology.
Xirrus Primes the 802.11ac Pump
October 11, 2012 20:00 PM
Can't wait until next year to buy 802.11ac products? Xirrus hopes to snag eager customers with a preorder program.
3 Tips to Keep BYOD from Killing Your Network
October 01, 2012 09:54 AM
BYOD isn't just about security and policy enforcement. Smartphones and tablets affect network resources, too. Here are some tips on IP management, subnet sizing and WLAN design.
Aerohive does an End-Run Around Apple's Bonjour Protocol Issues
September 17, 2012 10:34 AM
Users want their iPhones and iPads on the network. That means dealing with Apple's Bonjour protocol. Aerohive's Bonjour Gateway is a scalable workaround--and now it's free.
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: OpenFlow is poised to reach over-hyped status, yet there are practical, useful reasons for keeping an eye on Openflow. The biggest cloud players are involved and driving the feature creation.
Practical Introduction to Applied OpenFlow
Get a primer on the Openflow protocol and what it can do for networking.
On Resilience of Spit-Architecture Networks
This research papers investigates the practical issues in split-architecture networks and the placement of the controllers, such as Openflow controllers, in the network.
