This may seem like a backwards question, but I have a US Robotics 802.11 card for my notebook and am looking for some uses for it. I originally bought it so I could share the internet connection from my DirecPC from my PC to my notebook anywhere in the house. It came with two notebook sized cards and one adapter for a PC... My DirecPC isn't hooked up yet, so I've only used it for transfering files between my notebook and PC (works great).

I've heard that some hotels have support for 802.11 or airports.... anyone know of any other uses for this thing?

anyone know of any other uses for this thing?

Selling bandwidth to your neighbors.

Yes there is support in some hotels, airports, starbucks, and universities. Not sure what else you could do with it!

If I go to Starbucks (one that supports it) what is a typical charge? (I assume that is determined by the market.)

The reason that I brought up the question is because I saw an interview with a man on TechTV who had taken a trip across the USA and never needed a dial up or physical connection. I never assumed that I could just take this card with me and use it on exsisting networks.... maybe that is due to my lack of experience with DHCP.

Not sure what the rates are off the top of my head, but i'm sure its in here somewhere:
http://www.mobilestar.com/

Edit: Looks like no service in detroit yet :-(
Sean

My university has wireless access points all over the school. In classrooms, at the fountain, in the library, convention center, walkways, etc.

It's too easy to plop down on a bench and check your email/empeg site these days ... As I'm doing this moment.

It's also great for playing games while waiting for a late class to start.

I keep my empeg backed up on my linux server at home, so I set up a streaming web server there ... now i've got 40 gigs of music anywhere I go at school without taking up 1 meg of drive space on the laptop.

This prompted me to put in an access point at home so now I rarely even go into the study to work ... If I open the window I can even sit by the complex's pool and check email, though not advisable in December.

Greg

There's an idea. Think of the possibilities!
g

UT Dallas has a similar arrangement. They even installed ap's to cover most of the newer apartments. I sit in class surfing the internet instead of paying attention. I wonder how much its going to slow down when lots of people actually start using it. Where did you install the AP, what brand/type, and how good is the range?

Sean

This is too funny ... I'm at UT-Dallas too. Supposedly next year they're upgrading everything to 802.11A for 100M/bit access.

I bought the Linksys Wireless A/P with built in DSL router ... I've got my intranet at home on this device, four devices (including the empeg on occassion), then from the linksys it goes up to a switch which has my externally available servers and the DSL line. The range is surprising. Lately I've put everything in the study closet to clean up the apartment ... the Linksys sits inside and reaches every portion of my apartment (~1200 sq. foot) If I open the door to the closet and open the porch sliding glass door the range outside is an additional 20-30 ft.

It's got detachable antennae ... I'm thinking I'll see if I can find a extension cable ... run one antennae out of the study window and the other more towards the center of the apartment to increase range in the parking garage (for the empeg, when I get a wireless adapter for the car) and for more solid links outside.

BTW, what's your major at UTD? (Gov't and Politics here, got tired of getting laid off in high-tech).

g

They want to upgrade? They just got those set up last year. There's no access in the trailer buildings, which I have 2 classes in. They are always complaing about the lack of cash, we have a 3 hr wait for printouts in the computer lab, and they want to upgrade all the lucent wireless APs. (Which very few people use or know about) Figures.

Im a business administration major with a concentration in MIS. I wish I would have graduated 2 years ago instead of this semester, the job market would have been much nicer then :-)