Telegraphs started to make their appearance in the 1940’s when networks were built in California and in the East Coast of the United States. This was shortly followed by the first transatlantic cable set up in 1858, the propagation of wireless technology by James Clerk Maxwell in 1864 and subsequently a radio-telegraph experiment conducted by Marconi and Popov. As you can see, the technology that we have today all has its basis in the inventions and creations of these scientists a decades ago.

Wireless networks were used to communicate and to disseminate information in those days, just like why we use them these days. In times when people were separated by war, wireless networks became the primary form of communication. It was also a method of receiving and sending out information. The Americans referred to the radio as well, a radio, but the British called it a wireless. Both meant the same thing and works by radiating electromagnetic waves from the transmitting station. One of the first few to use the term ‘wireless’ was the British Broadcasting Company as evident from their program guide called the “The Radio Times” in 1923.

Nowadays, mobile phones are probably the most common form of wireless networks. Everyone owns one these days, some are even children who haven’t even reached teenage age. Phones are used not only as a form of communication these days but also as a method of obtaining updates and information and as a tool of entertainment. Satellites are another form of wireless networks, enabling us to watch cable tv and to receive programmes that are being shown live on another part of the world. Emergency services also utilises wireless networks. Police and rescue departments use wireless networks to receive and send out information quickly. And of course there is the Internet. We are connected to a wide web where everything is made possible, be it shopping, entertaining or banking. Wireless networks have indeed made life a breeze, thanks to the forefathers of technology who have established such great inventions in the yesteryears.

Digi do have wireless broadband service year ago, the old digi broadband service with using EDGE technology (Enhance Data rate for GSM Evolution), this technology come before 3G service available at Malaysia. Since they are using EDGE technology for their 1st wireless digi broadband, the speed is slightly slower then 3G, and my boss are subscribe the service with a free laptop year ago, here my review on digi broadband on October 2007. The speed for the previous digi broadband using EDGE technology was just 224kbps only

I not really have the opportunities to tested on the performance for this new digi broadband plan, but pricing wise compare to Maxis broadband(RM68 per month) or Streamyx (RM60 per month) cheapest combo package that I current using, is much more cheaper. Also, previously I was maxis broadband narrowband user, and really fet up with their service.

What are the digi broadband plan available for us?

Digi do provide 3 broadband package for light user, intermediate customer and advance subscriber. The discover plan, priced at RM58 per month with a 3GB data usage (700kbps download speed and 200kbps upload speed) are suitable for light user, while intermediate customer can subscribe explorer plan which at RM108 per month for 10GB of data usage. (700kbps download speed and 200kbps upload speed)
For Advance user like me, who surf Internet more then 8 hours per days, 7 days a week shall subscribe extreme plan which priced at RM188 per month with 20GB data usage.(2Mbps download speed and 1Mbps upload speed)

How if additional use for the data usage?
Discover plan and explore plan subscriber who exceed their ­monthly limit will be charged 15sen for each 10Kb of data used, the maximum amount is capped at RM138 per month, but for extreme plan subscriber, there are no extra charge, but might get slower speed after that.
Advantage:
The best for this digi broadband plan is without need to paid any registration or upfront fees, unlike maxis, RM100 activation, Streamyx RM75 activation, and P1 RM160(RM100  registration, and RM60 Activation), any one who would like to have a trial, also won’t feel “heart pain” while switch to digi broadband, and may quit any time without loss the activation fees.

Disadvantage:
Modem fees require to bare your self, RM300 for discover plan and explore plan, while extreme plan is RM500, unlike Streamyx(RM60 include modem), maxis (RM68 include modem), and P1(RM49 include modem), modem are included in the monthly access fees, which are cheaper then digi broadband.(RM88 include modem)

Now, Digi give FREE Modems for explore and extreme plan, as well as a subsidized modem for discover plan (User only pays RM15 a month for 12 months). I believe much more promotion and offer will be giving out by Digi soon in the future.

Above are the digi broadband modem snap shoot grab from Goldfries.com which blog about digi blogger gathering at KL. I wonder when digi will organize blogger gathering at Penang. I will definitely join this gathering.

The wall mount rack and the cable has been install and lay correctly by the contractor, my job is to do the installation of switches, power adapter and also POE injector nicely and accordingly into the server rack.

During the installation, the whole bunch of cable at the rack did not label by the contractor, this is the reason delay our job, we require using cable tester to test one by one from the other end (above ceiling) , and label it our self.

The location for the rack without any air cond, kinda hot for me, and sweat a lot during the deployment of the power adapter and the POE injector on top of the cable tray.

After install all the power adapter and the POE injector nicely on top of the tray, I have to add in the patch cord and also the power cord.

To avoid the cable become messy, we have to use cable tie to tie up the cable nicely. Also easy for us to troubleshoot in the future.

2 tray have completely install and screw it into the rack, the patch cord and also the power cord also position in a proper manner. Switch located on the top, follow by 2 tray.

Power extension have place on the bottom of the rack.

This is the overview of the whole rack, which include swiches, cable tray with power adapter and POE Injector, and also power cord with extension. I have manage to build 2 rack, 1 at 4th floor support for 21′s Access point (21 power adapter and 21 POE Injector) and another rack at 2nd floor which support 15′s Access Point (15 power adapter and 15 POE Injector)

After finish the rack installation, we have to prepare the access point and the antenna and place it on top of ceiling.

On top of the ceiling, some are have access hole, and some don’t have, we require to put the access point in the speaker hole, and guess what? the speaker there are just for display, no wire and did not function one

On this wifi installation, it is a very good exposure for me, I experience on the beginning until the end of the whole process including wireless network design, preparation and installation, access point setting, with different channel. My skill have been upgrade from the previous experience wifi installation on my ex-company. My next target would be know how WiMAX works and it’s installation if possible.

Dell Server, Dlink Access Point, Antenna, Switches arrive

Dell Server was arrive month ago already, I was planning to install freebsd or SUSE 10, but due to my company lack of man power, I have to attend a lot non IT related job, and totally no time to test the server’s performance.

36 Dlink access point (AP), model 3200 have arrive my company last week, I manage to arrange 1 days to configure it, including the IP address, SSID, admin login password and label all the AP.

Also 72 Dlink 7dbi antenna, unlike the previous wifi installation on my Ex-company just use 6dbi antenna only, but the picture in my old post only 2dbi. Below are the outlook of 6dbi antenna and 7dbi antenna.

Coming up:
Soon when I manage to settle all my job, I plan to make a comparison on different antenna, jog down the performance between 2dbi, 6dbi and 7dbi. so stay tune!

First of all, I require to separate all the AP, label it, and wait for configure.

Separate the power cord, adapter, patch cord, poe injector and other accessories accordingly, this is to ensure we easily carry to client side with minimum packages.

We are using Power Over Ethernet for current wireless broadband installation, the above picture are the POE injector.

Coming up:
Regarding Power over Ethernet injector, do you know which pair on the UTP cable supplier power to the network device? I have gather some information on it, but require to make a life experience and make experiment on it, want to know more? stay tune!

Oh ya, regarding the server, this is not a normal bulky server, we call this as 1U server, it seen like very thin, for end user/newbie, some ask does the hard disk, ram, processor, fan able to fit in?

Coming up:
I am going to open the server, and show you guys how the arrangement of hard disk, ram, processor, fan and others… stay tune!

I have do some random wifi detect over my laptop, and guess what, I detect my ex-company wifi, the signal from so far still able to detect.

Still have 1 to 2 bar if signal, and manage to connected, and login with my own ID (My current company are the their Wifi Internet service provider)

I try to surf my own website, but the loading a bit slow, yet still faster then lousy maxis boardband 3G connection. (My experience with Maxis: Maxis lousy service, Maxis Suxxx Again, Maxis disapointed me again)

Ops, another 2 parcel receive at my table, according to sales department, one is linksys 4400N access point, and another is linksys switch, which need to configure and install at client house.

The switch is a manageable switch, but I’m not require to configure it, the customer just plug and play, which is home use only (Customer are rich to buy expensive switch for home use)

For this Linksys 4400N Access point, due to the customer house are very big, the wifi signal coverage require very huge, that why they require to use 802.11n Access Point.

For this N protocol, it is same as for previous version 802.11a, 802.11b and 802.11g, but it add another new function which is Multiple Input and Multiple Output (MIMO), and the coverage are double wider.

IT Engineer Experience:
I have personally tested and experience this Linksys 4400N access point. I place this access point at my house’s sitting room, and my house located at 5th floor.

There are no issue for me to access my house Wifi signal while I sitting at ground floor. It still have 1 to 2 bar signal, as my windows’s wifi status shows.

This Linksys 4400N access point capable for POE (Power over Ethernet), which mean the power are transmit over Ethernet/ UTP cable. In the box, it contain a UTP cable, power adapter and also a stand holder.

This Linksys 4400N access point contain 3 antenna. which the antenna able to point in different direct as show below.

The stand holder can be install at the access point, and able to make the access point standing with more stable position.

Ops… How was the pricing for this Linksys 4400N Access Point? This should be the interesting thing to know. The price range from RM600(Approximate $190) more or less, you might able to get a lesser if you able to buy from linksys’sdistributor.

More information you can search from Linksys Malaysia, Linksys is a division of Cisco System.

FYI, as you know Cisco is the top networking product company in the world, and

• Whoppix OS (One of the Linux’s OS)
• Kismet (Wireless Network Detector)
• Prism 2.5 chipset (Wireless Receiver)
• aerodump (Packet Analising software)

Brief Description on above tools:
Special tools and software require for this kind of WEP Cracking. In this situation, the software such as Kismet, and aerodump only run in Linux types of OS(Operation System).

In this case, OS using are Whoppix; to detect the wireless network and wifi channel around you, we need kismet, this software also may detect hidden wireless network.

Aerodump are use to capture the packet which flow between the Access Point and the user.(Recommended to do this in a peak time). The more packet capture, the easy to to obtain the password. In the video, they use about 10minute to capture 160MB packet flow between the user and the accesspoint

On hardware side, not all wireless receiver compatible with the software, In this video, they are using Prism Chipset’s Wifi receiver.

Last step, after collect enough packet, Aircrack is one of the most important tools, it use to recover the WEP password with the packet capture with Aerodump.

Well, if you have linux skill, may have a try on this…

The old unit has been change location to another conner in the Data Center

This time, on the new installation of 4 patch panel, 24 port each, took us about 1 days time to finish testing. (each port 1.5 minute)

For our previous testing, 10 patch panel, 24 port each, 240 point to test, about few days time to finish testing.

After finish testing and save the record, we need to submit this result to the particular brand for certification. Once the certification approve, they provide 15 to 20 year warranty for the cable.

Not long ago, I have build this Poor Man Wifi for the Wifi Treasure Hunt, but too bad, the research fail actually and there are some mistake and I need to correct it again.

Here is another type of poor man wifi which use some simple and cheap tools to enhance the wifi receiving function. Enhance to 16db, just from a normal low db wifi receiver.

I have already collect some of the tools and on my way to develope this device. Hopefully this experiment works and be better then my previous experiment (iCalvyn’s Cantena)For sure, if I successful tested this device, I will make some comparison base on with and without modification, other then hardware, software also play an important role, to judge the Wifi signal during the survey. Software that I use will be introduce in my next post. Probably next 2 days!
Stay Tune!

Last 2 week, on the Wifi Treasure Hunt, I borrow the senao engenious wireless adapter from my colleague, but end up no use with this lousy competition. Yesterday I have nothing do, and install the driver for this device and play it around.

Before I use Senao Engenius wireless receiver to search, I am using my Dlink Wifi receiver, the result as below, Only 3 signal I found.

This is the device I use, Senao EnGenious Long Range Wifi Adapter, and the result are awesome and great. Really a unbelievable Powerful Wifi Receiver I ever meet.

Inside this box, there are a USB cable, 1 Antenna, and the Senao EnGenius Wifi Adapter, of course driver CD also included.

The Senao EnGenius are totally can’t compare with our normal Wifi Receiver.

Here is the scan result, and some more not 1 page, there are 2 page of result.

4 time more signal then my normal wifi adapter detect

My 2 cent
Senao EnGenius consider a Powerful Wifi Receiver, it is a nice product for capture long distance signal, it better then the Poor Man Wifi, for sure, Poor Man Wifi is of Poor Man which without much budget, and this device consider RICH MAN WIFI, because the market is selling MYR300++($90) and the distributor price I get around is nearly RM300.

Tips and Trick
If you can detect some poor Wifi signal within your house area and without encryption key, you can consider to buy Senao EnGenius, you will save up your internet bills a lot with this Powerful Wifi Receiver.