Foo - Optical Wireless - Techie thread

Linky from techrepublic here (http://blogs.techrepublic.com.com/networking/?p=2949&tag=results;CR1)

Interesting. It seems radio doesn't actually involve photons and Thomas Young's famous dual slit experiment was a fluke, since apparently light waves don't experience interference. :rolleyes: Reporters... :rolleyes:

It could be made to work within single rooms, but there's an interesting and generally useful property of visible light that's going to limit it's utility compared to radio-frequency wi-fi: it doesn't go through much stuff. Very convenient when it comes to seeing things, but a complete non-starter if you want an access point downstairs and a computer upstairs.

It sounds like these guys have come up with a fairly useful way of solving simple line-of-sight challenges, but bouncing light off of walls will not get it through a door. If it's bright enough, you might get a usable signal around the edges, but that seems iffy.

So my thoughts: It sounds cool. It's fairly clever. It won't revolutionize wireless communication. Too much changes in 16 octaves.

However, I think there's a couple gaps in our use of the spectrum between 20 and 100 GHz that might be useful.

Back in the '80s, we had laptops and printers with infrared ports so they can talk without needing a cable.

Back in the '80s, we had laptops and printers with infrared ports so they can talk without needing a cable.

I remember those being utilized, didn't last (or work) that long if I remember correctly? I agree with AMiamlucky13, not that I'm anywhere near being as knowlegable as he is but I know enough to understand what he posted. :thumb:

I remember those being utilized, didn't last (or work) that long if I remember correctly?

I think they worked fine for the little while that they were popular, but since not all laptops and almost no desktops had them, they just faded out of use as high capacity flash drives and file sharing over networks became ubiquitous.

Don't take my prognostications as gospel. I just like to think I'm smart because I stayed at a Holiday Inn last night.

ilikebikes - I recognize your signature, but I can't place it. What's it from?

"Back in the '80s"

Here we go... ROFL

Here we go... ROFLHeh, heh.. yeah. I've seen things come full-circle numerous times. It's a management myth that improved technologies leads to increased productivity. For the majority of businesses out there that aren't in the business of selling tech, using the latest and best tech and high-end goodies simply does result in a fatter bottom line.

Back in the '80s, we had laptops and printers with infrared ports so they can talk without needing a cable.

"Heh heh heh, come on guys, do you need a refresher course? It's all ball bearings these days- Now go get me some 30 weight Penzoil motor oil... No, better make that Quaker State."

I think they worked fine for the little while that they were popular, but since not all laptops and almost no desktops had them, they just faded out of use as high capacity flash drives and file sharing over networks became ubiquitous.

Don't take my prognostications as gospel. I just like to think I'm smart because I stayed at a Holiday Inn last night.

ilikebikes - I recognize your signature, but I can't place it. What's it from?

The Joker, The Dark Knight. ;)

one way to work around the 'getting it around the house' would be to run a fiberoptic cable throughout the house and give it an output jack like cat5/6 cables are routed throughout buildings.
or, since cat5/6 can transmit electrical currents, use an adaptor jack to make all the cat5/6 jacks already around the house into OW.

but, what if you have the wifi router sitting under the desk with the flooring carpeted or have the ceiling decoratively plastered?