undefined | Better HN

0 pointsvoltagex_10y ago0 comments

You get what you pay for - a public place using a consumer grade WAP is going to have a Bad Time.

0 comments

2 comments · 1 top-level

wslh10y ago· 1 in thread

But is that the only reason? I imagine there are issues related with configuration, sharing the same medium, distances, small interruptions when you move from one connection point to another.

voltagex_OP10y ago

I've been downvoted, probably for not giving enough information.

A lot of the time the WAPs only have 16-32mb of RAM and some kind of hardcoded limit to the number of DHCP leases they can give out (if they don't just exhaust the range instead)

Your local Starbucks probably has half decent Cisco gear, but the independent coffee shop around the corner bought the cheapest WAP in the last Black Friday sale. The firmware hasn't really been touched since 2008 and is running a buggy version of dnsmasq, miniupnpd and an out-of-tree Ralink driver on top of kernel 2.6.

If you think I'm lying, have a look at the firmware of any non-802.11AC DLink or Netgear router. Both companies are getting better but they're at the mercy of the SoC manufacturer (Broadcom, Ralink etc).

802.11AC routers seem to be getting better, mainly due to the bandwidth requirements finally getting beyond 200-400mHz MIPS chipsets. Although [1] might be taking it a little too far.

[1]: http://www.dlink.com.au/home-solutions/taipan-ac3200-ultra-w...

j / k navigate · click thread line to collapse