This article was published on: 04/01/2003
TECH WATCH
Get wireless
Plug Into Wi-Fi
More connection points make mobile Web access more viable.
REPORTED BY MICHAEL ANTONIAK
If you’re a mobile real estate practitioner who regularly logs onto the Web outside the office, it’s time to investigate the practical value of equipping your notebook or PDA to plug into a Wi-Fi wireless network.
Wi-Fi, also known as the wireless networking standard 80211.b, initially garnered interest as an easy answer for creating home or office computer networks. Eliminating the challenge of running cable through walls and ceilings to establish network connections, Wi-Fi made it easier to build a network, and let workers go online and connect to the company’s central servers while way from their desks.
In the three years since its launch, however, Wi-Fi has also gained a presence in more public settings. Many airports, hotels, libraries, universities, and even restaurants and coffee shops now offer Wi-Fi wireless network support as an enticement to business customers. Wi-Fi is proving such a practical solution for wireless Internet access in public places, it seems destined to appear wherever business professionals gather.
For the real estate practitioner, logging on the Web in one of these Wi-Fi zones, or “hot spots,” could be a convenient way to access resources online, answer e-mail, or retrieve listing information when you’re in the field. In fact, even if your company has not yet installed its own wireless network, it could be time to equip your mobile gear for Wi-Fi.
Before you do, though, there are a few things to consider:
Where are your “hot spots”? Before you buy new equipment or upgrade, you’ll want to know if there are enough conveniently located Wi-Fi connection points in your area to make wireless practical for you. The Web sites of the Wi-Fi Alliance, a trade group, and AT&T Wireless’s GoPort services are good places to start looking for Wi-Fi information. These sites also feature links to databases that let you search by zip code and identify hot spot locations in your area. Another option is to network with other wireless users in your market to see where they go to connect.
What equipment do you need? The Wi-Fi Alliance Web site also contains a database of products it tests and certifies as compliant with its standards for Wi-Fi compatibility. With the appropriate Wi-Fi-compliant product, you should be able to equip your notebook or PDA to connect to any Wi-Fi network with relative ease.
Depending on your notebook or PDA's make, model, and design, you may be able to upgrade for Wi-Fi by installing an internal wireless network card or by inserting a Wi-Fi PC and CompactFlash card into your hardware’s compatible expansion slots.
If you’ve owned your hardware more than two years, you may find it a better option to step up to a new, Wi-Fi-compatible device. For example, some of the latest notebooks from Dell and IBM are based on Intel’s new Centrino mobile chip and are Wi-Fi complaint, out of the box.
What’s it going to cost? A hardware upgrade with a wireless network or PC cars will likely cost around $100, a new system could cost $1,500 or more. But as with any service-driven technology, the real cost depends on what you pay long term for Wi-Fi access. Several pricing models have emerged. At a publicly funded facility a like a library or local college, you may be able to access the Web through a Wi-Fi server for free. At a café, hotel or airport, you can expect to pay for Wi-Fi access by the minute, hour, or month. Depending on the service plan you purchase through a provider like AT&T Wireless or T-Mobile, you could pay a flat fee of approximately $40 a month or pay only for the time you use, at a rate of around 10 cents a minute.
There will come a time when Wi-Fi is such a universally available convenience you can’t do without it. We’re still in their early stages of the roll-out, though, so each individual real estate practitioner must decide if it’s worth equipping yourself for Wi-Fi now. There are other approaches to access the Internet in the field. With a modem or modem card, you can connect to the Web via your PDA or notebook computer anywhere you can make a telephone connection.
Or if you’re a satisfied user of a Blackberry, Palm or Pocket PC device with wireless capabilities, you may find Wi-Fi redundant. If your principal needs in the field are wireless Web access and the ability to e-mail relatively short messages, explore these options first. Upgrading for mobile Wi-Fi makes sense if you know it’s available where you need it and you can regularly log onto at least one of these locations without disrupting your day. It’s certain convenient—and cool—to just turn the computer on and start e-mailing. But remember, wireless should be a business decision first. Ask yourself if you will gain real benefits from wireless connectivity. If the answer is “yes,” it’s time to cut the wire.
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More Resources:
For more tips on choosing and using wireless connectivity, click here.
E-mail, Anytime, Anywhere, Michael Antoniak, September 2002.
Testing the Waters for Wireless, Michael Antoniak, June 2002
When You’re Ready for Convergence, Michael Antoniak, September 2002
Previously by Antoniak:
Listing Data Entry Goes Wireless
Tech Products for Special Needs
Color Printing Made Easy
GMAC Embraces Blackberry
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Do you have technology you’d like to learn more about or a new user twist that you’d like to share with your peers? Let me know about it by e-mailing antoniak@dtccom.net, and I’ll do my best to give it the coverage it deserves.
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