Time To Cut the Ethernet Cable? 496
coondoggie writes in with a Network World piece that begins "A range of companies with wireless LANs are discovering that 50% to 90% or more of Ethernet ports now go unused, because Wi-Fi has become so prevalent. They look at racks of unused switches, ports, Ethernet wall jacks, the cabling that connects them all, the yearly maintenance charges for unused switches, electrical charges, and cooling costs. So why not formally drop what many end users have already discarded — the Ethernet cable? 'There's definitely a right-sizing going on,' says Michael King, research director, mobile and wireless, for Gartner. 'By 2011, 70% of all net new ports will be wireless. People are saying, "we don't need to be spending so much on a wired infrastructure if no one is using it."' ... There is debate over whether WLANs, including the high-throughput 802.11n networks, will be able to deliver enough bandwidth." Cisco, which makes both wireless and wired gear, has a spokesman quoted calling this idea of right-sizing a "shortsighted message from a wireless-only provider. It's penny-wise and pound-foolish."
WTF is right-sizing? (Score:5, Funny)
'There's definitely a right-sizing going on,' says Michael King, research director, mobile and wireless, for Gartner.
Unfortunately, his idiotic terminology renders his words inaudible to me. :-/
What a great idea! (Score:4, Funny)
Re:I can think of a few (Score:5, Funny)
security
But if I'm on wireless, I can just turn my screen closer to me so those evil hackers can't see my credit card password! If I have a cable, I can't move! Therefore, wireless is far more secure.
bandwidth
What are you geeks talking about? I can get my emails and download the internets perfectly fine while I watch the teevee!
interference/reliability
Oh yeah? What about cats? If my cat chews through the cable, then I'm out for a week while I wait for the cable guy to come fix it! That doesn't sound very reliable to me! Cats can't chew through the wireless!
And I thought you nerds were supposed to be smart!
Re:I can think of a few (Score:5, Funny)
You've just made a serious breech of Slashdot protocol. You shouldn't post AC, when your comment would be modded funny..
As I'm sitting here, I'm getting comments from the peanut gallery.
On the wireless Internets, there are no tubes, so there are no tubes to get clogged. Therefore wireless is muchly superior.
Ahh, how I still love Senator Stevens and his amazing insight into the functionality of that there interwebtubenets.
Re:I can think of a few (Score:4, Funny)
Holy crap dude!
Somehow, in your case, "don't feed the trolls" just doesn't say it...
Re:I can think of a few (Score:5, Funny)
Why would you to post your IP addresses on Slashdot?!?! Everyone is going to hack into your network now!
Re:I can think of a few (Score:2, Funny)
Whew managed to do that without mentioning OSI once
Well, almost...
A "range of companies?" (Score:4, Funny)
A range of companies with wireless LANs are discovering that 50% to 90% or more of Ethernet ports now go unused, because Wi-Fi has become so prevalent.
At this moment, the only wireless device on the WAP at my end of the building is my iPod. There are a whole slew of wired devices, though, from servers to desktops to printers.
They look at racks of unused switches, ports, Ethernet wall jacks, the cabling that connects them all, the yearly maintenance charges for unused switches, electrical charges, and cooling costs.
Uh-huh, because WAPs run on fairy dust and ponies' daydreams.
Electrical Outlets (Score:5, Funny)
Re:WTF is right-sizing? (Score:5, Funny)
As he works for Gartner, I would wonder if I had been transported to an alternate universe if he were spewing anything BESIDES idiotic terminology.
Re:I can think of a few (Score:3, Funny)
Whoosh!
Re:I can think of a few (Score:3, Funny)
Whew managed to do that without mentioning OSI once
But...but you did.
Re:I can think of a few (Score:3, Funny)
*NO CARRIER*
Re:I can think of a few (Score:3, Funny)
Sure, if you know nothing about security. Why does everyone think wired is so secure?
I don't know about everyone, but to get to my wired network, you'll have to come through a door, a window or a skylight.
If you feel lucky, punk, our security is provided by Smith & Wesson, so go ahead - make my day.......
Re:I can think of a few (Score:4, Funny)
Re:I can think of a few (Score:5, Funny)
Re:I can think of a few (Score:5, Funny)
I use them as pickups lines at bars. So far, hasn't worked very well though.
Re:I can think of a few (Score:5, Funny)
An Internet walks into a bar and yells "SYN!"
Moments later, someone replies "ACK!" followed shortly by "You've got male!"
You may or may not see what I did there.
Re:I can think of a few (Score:2, Funny)
Yeah, those red access points really do stand out quite a bit. Although, could you imagine the trouble you'd have if they painted them beige or something like that?
Re:I can think of a few (Score:5, Funny)
We don't need wires for privacy. We have WEP, which provides equivalent security, wirelessly. Stop living in the past.
Re:I can think of a few (Score:5, Funny)
Hell, most laptops ship with gigabit ethernet cards any more.
What do you call that, a half-negative...?
Re:I can think of a few (Score:3, Funny)
You're in Antarctica? You must really love Linux. :P
Some people just put a penguin sticker on their computer or buy a tshirt.
Re:I can think of a few (Score:3, Funny)
Re:I can think of a few (Score:1, Funny)
That's just careless. What if some passer-by wanders by and hops on your wireless connection?