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Viewing Internet Access While You Travel: the iBridge ConnectionInternet Access While You Travel: the iBridge Connection
By Kathy Steinemann
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Anyone who travels regularly with a laptop computer will be familiar with the various internet connection choices available. However, the occasional traveler may be stymied by a somewhat new term: 'iBridge'. Just What is 'iBridge'? Anyone who travels regularly with a laptop computer will be familiar with the various internet connection choices available: analog (dial-up), ISDN, DSL, cable, wireless, etc. However, the occasional traveler may be stymied by a somewhat new term: 'iBridge'. Simply put, iBridge uses a hotel's electrical system to provide internet access. Any guestroom with electricity can be set up in seconds for quick and easy connection to the net. All it takes is a special adapter that plugs into any electrical outlet. Your computer's network card can then be 'bridged' to the World Wide Web via regular Cat 5 cable. The iBridge connection has robust built-in security protocols, and is very reliable. Where is iBridge Used? Hotel chains love iBridge. They can quickly and easily bring an older historic property into the 21st-Century without having to pay for expensive cabling renovations. The system, devised by Telkonet in Maryland, is used by well-known hotels such as America's Best Value Inn, Best Western, Choice Hotels International, Hilton, Holiday Inn, Ramada, Sandman Hotels, and Sheraton. The people who man their reservations desks might not be able to explain iBridge to you, but they know they have the technology - and they know it works. iBridge has been deployed in a few communities, at rates cheaper than typical broadband internet services, and offering speeds comparable to ADSL and cable modem. Apartment and condominium complexes are ideal locations for iBridge installations. The US military and NASA are also using the technology in limited applications. There are even unsubstantiated rumors that iBridge is being utilized in arenas such as Iraq. How does iBridge Work? Internet signals arrive at a 10/100 Ethernet port on a Telkonet gateway. The gateway router converts signals to a protocol which is compatible with power lines (PLC). Channel-switching technology monitors power spikes and interference to produce clean signals. At the computer end, an iBridge unit converts the data stream back to Ethernet protocol. If the hotel reservations desk tells you that they offer iBridge internet access when you book a room, you can rest assured that it will perform as well as conventional Cat 5 installations. You won't have to worry about dialup slowness - just plug in and go! Imagine how convenient this would be in a home environment! You could have instant internet access at any electrical outlet. The Future Who knows what the future will hold? Telkonet's iBridge technology is beginning to catch on. However, the average bed and breakfast will not offer iBridge internet access unless it is located in an iBridge-enabled community. Perhaps one day, no matter where in the world you travel, you will be able to connect to the net via any electrical outlet. Another standard, HomePlug, is also being designed - a similar concept with the added capability of networking electrical devices and computers from all over the world using one global communication standard. Hey, Bill Shatner, we love you. You may have changed the world - but you only chipped the tip off the iceberg! (c) Copyright Kathy Steinemann: This article is free to publish only if this copyright notice, the byline, and the author's note below (with active links) are included. About the Author: Searching for a bed and breakfast, hotel, or hostel? Visit 111 Travel Directory. Trying to find some great travel tips? Surf over to 1000 Tips 4 Trips. Seeking romantic getaway resources? Adult Escapes can help! Article source: 111 Travel Directory: Triple1.com (triple one dot com) More free articles: 1st Rate Articles - 1stRateArticles.com |
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