Wireless Home Networking - Index of

Chapter 14: Other Cool Things You Can Network
The Linksys entry is an 802.11g-based WRT54G3G model (www.linksys.com,
$220). Most Wi-Fi router makers will have at least one wireless cellular router
in their product line.
Be sure to check the card compatibility chart online for any wireless cellular
router you purchase. It likely will not work with any card not explicitly on the
list, and similar model numbers also likely will not work. Wireless cellular
routers lag in support for the most recent cards, so if you buy a new card
from your carrier, it might not be supported for several months.
You might want Wi-Fi in your car without all the complications of router and
EV-DO service configuration. AutoNet Mobile (www.autonetmobile.com) will
soon be offering a consumer-friendly EV-DO Wi-Fi service as a complete
turnkey package (including the monthly EV-DO service). This self-contained
unit is plug and play — AutoNet Mobile acts as your service provider and
preconfigures everything so all you have to do is plug it into a DC power
supply (in other words, a cigarette lighter) in your car (and pay a monthly
fee) and you’re online with Wi-Fi.
AutoNet Mobile expects to launch their product/service combo to consumers
some time in soon. Initially, they are selling their product only to the Avis
rental car company for you to rent when you want Wi-Fi in your rental car as
well as in your hotel room.
What can you do with a portable wireless router? Just about anything you
want. Stick it in your car and you can have Wi-Fi access for anyone in your
car — and those around you. You can even have a virtual party with the cars
in front of and behind you, linked via Wi-Fi.
An enterprising guy named Mike Outmesguine decided to put one in his
backpack so he could always have a hot spot wherever he went. He and his
friends can play multiplayer games while sitting in the middle of a nice park,
courtesy of this solar-powered portable contraption. (How’s that for trying
to be the center of attention wherever you go!)
To build a Wi-Fi hot spot knapsack yourself, you need three major components:
a wireless WAN router, such as the KR2 device; a cellular data
PC Card, such as the Sprint EV-DO PCMCIA Card; and a Voltaic Systems
solar-charging backpack or case (www.voltaicsystems.com, $200). That and
about $35 of additional items from Radio Shack, and you’re ready to hit the
trail wirelessly (see Figure 14-3). Check out Mike’s step-by-step Popular
Science magazine article:
www.popsci.com/popsci/how20/6a278ca927d05010vgnvcm1000004e
ecbccdrcrd.html
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