Intel extends Wi-Fi range

Intel has developed Wi-Fi technology which can transmit signals over 60 miles, rather than the few hundred feet that current Wi-Fi signals travel. The system uses regular Wi-Fi hardware combined with modified software.

The technology has been developed by researchers from Intel Research Berkeley, an Intel lab which cooperates on research projects with the University of California at Berkeley.

The company designed the system for use in emerging markets where the communications infrastructure is limited and mainly concentrated in cities.

Although a large percentage of the population live in villages, these are often cut off from the outside world except by car, bus or footpath.

The new Wi-Fi antennas could provide a chain of links. Villagers would connect to a Wi-Fi antenna in their town or region. This would then relay the signals through several other towers until it reached a fibre link which connected the villager to the Internet.

The Wi-Fi antennas would effectively perform the same function as WiMax, a long-range wireless technology, but while a WiMax tower costs between $15,000 and $20,000, the long range Wi-Fi towers might only cost $700 to $800.

An additional advantage is that Wi-Fi operates in the unlicensed portion of the spectrum, while WiMax services may require governmental permission.

However, the big disadvantage is the security risk of third-parties tapping into Wi-fi networking in this manner.

We’ve already seen how Wi-fi networks can present a security risk to users, especially where the network has not been reasonably secured.

While long-range Wi-fi offers welcome benefits, providers are going to have to re-assure consumers that the networks are indeed safe and secure for private data use.