Wireless

Firms are neglecting wireless local area network (WLAN) security because they do not realise how vulnerable they are, according to an expert. Companies also believe that protection for their systems will be expensive and are reluctant to devote part of their shrinking budgets to security, the guru explains.

Amit Sinha, fellow and chief technologist of Motorola Enterprise Wireless LAN, says: "They do not realise that there are misconfigurations in their WLAN, rogue WLAN devices, and poor policy enforcement."

It is important to remember that public Wi-fi is just that — public. Using public networks can be convenient, but without proper security, logging on to websites that feature personal information, such as a banking web site, can be similar to leaving your wallet sitting on a park bench. In 2007, the Federal Trade Commission received more than 800,000 consumer fraud and identity theft complaints and losses cost victims more than $1.2 billion.

In an effort to keep/acquire new broadband customers, Comcast is testing Wi-Fi service at about 120 New Jersey Transit rail stations, according to DSLReports. The trial is for existing customers only and is designed to gauge user interest, spokeswoman Mary Nell Westbrook said, adding that no formal announcement of the service has been made.

The Hong Kong Wireless Technology Industry Association (WTIA) and Professional Information Security Association (PISA) have released the latest results of their annual Wi-Fi war-driving security survey.

The good news: 78% of the 30,000+ Wi-Fi access points detected in Hong Kong are encrypted. The bad news: most of them are still vulnerable to attack.

Ultra-mobile PC (UMPC) manufacturers need to add support for wide-area wireless networks in order for the devices to fulfill their full market potential, according to In-Stat market tracking firm.

“The challenge is which of the broadband options: WiMAX, EV-DO, HSPA, or LTE, will be most successful in a UMPC,” says Frank Dickson, Vice President, Mobile Internet group. “Each has pros and cons. There is no ‘best’ wide-area wireless technology.” said Frank Dickson, vice president, mobile internet group.

Nortel this week announced that it has decided to discontinue its mobile WiMAX business and end its joint agreement with Alvarion.

Nortel and Alvarion entered into their arrangement in June when Nortel decided to end mobile WiMAX product development in favor of LTE. Nortel will now exit mobile WiMAX entirely. The move comes as Nortel attempts to restructure after filing for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection from creditors.

Most airports offer wireless Internet access these days, but don't be lulled into a sense that you're somehow secure. A new study that shows just how vulnerable you can be if you don't take the right precautions.

AirTight Networks, a wireless security firm, recently sent hackers to 20 U.S. airports, Sea-Tac among them. They found almost all the people who use them could be hacked. "We found people checking the stock market, you know, buying stocks," AirTight's Rick Farina said. "We saw people selling stuff; we saw bank accounts. We saw personal e-mail information."

SWEDISH OPERATOR TeliaSonera is heading up the race to become the first to launch a 4G service becoming the first in the world to launch next generation mobile broadband.

TeliaSonera has chosen Ericsson for the initial rollout of a 4G city network in Stockholm and Huawei for the one set for Oslo. These networks are set for commercial launch in 2010. The new 4G service will offer customers a whole new broadband experience, with mobile, media and interactive services running at a much faster pace.

After selling them for just a few months, Nokia has decided to stop making its N810 WiMax Edition handheld computer.

Nokia unveiled the device, the only one from the phone giant that uses WiMax, in April last year. The WiMax Edition uses the same hardware and software as the previously introduced N810, which employs Wi-Fi to connect to the Internet. The devices are larger than typical cell phones but smaller than laptops and run the maemo Linux-based OS2008 operating system.

For the last couple years, depending on who you asked, WiMax was either bound for spectacular success or it was dead on arrival.

Well, the wireless technology that promises faster Internet speeds has finally arrived. The city of Baltimore now has WiMax coverage and Portland, Ore. will get it in early January. More cities are expected to follow.