What Is WiLDNet?

Wireless networking has become common in many parts of the globe thanks to Wi-Fi technology. Too bad that Wi-Fi only works over distances of a few hundred feet or meters. Or does it?

Researchers at the University of California have developed a different wireless system capable of spanning many miles or kilometers. Called WiLDNet (Wireless Long Distance Network), the project offers free software that works with standard Wi-Fi hardware. It has the admirable goal to bring wireless to rural and less-developed areas of the world that Wi-Fi cannot reach. So far, WiLDNet has had some success in initial pilots.

→ See also - TIER Wireless Research at UC Berkeley