Living in the city, it’s not uncommon to see people huddled outside of a local coffee shop or restaurant with their laptops, trying to get some work done. They probably already paid for that latte and sandwich, so why not just sit down and enjoy it? These poor souls are trying to piggyback on the cafe’s wireless network, but they aren’t aware that there is a better way. The problem is that when people join a wireless network on their phone, they act as a “cell tower,” which can cause congestion on the network and slow down everyone else’s internet connection. There are ways around this issue that don’t involve staking out your favorite coffee shop like a vagrant.
when people join a wireless network on their phone, they act as a “cell tower,”
When you join a wireless network on your phone, you’re actually acting as a kind of “cell tower.” Your device stores information about the signal strength and sends it to other devices in the area. This helps them decide how to connect, because they need to know which signals are strongest.
If there’s one thing I’ve learned from my experience with this technology, it’s that when people join a wireless network on their phones, they act as a “cell tower.” When people join wireless networks on their phones (or laptops), they act as towers that send out signals for others to connect with and use for data consumption/transmission purposes.
A technology called femtocells is the next step up from piggybacking on your neighbor’s wireless signal.
Femtocells are great for people who live in places where carriers don’t install many cell towers—like rural areas or big apartment buildings—and can also help users get better reception when they’re traveling (because the signal is boosted by the home-based base station).
If you’ve ever had bad cell service at home or in the office, chances are that the problem is rooted in a lack of coverage. In many cases, this is because there aren’t enough cell towers to handle all of the people trying to use their phones. This can be especially true if you’re living in an area where there isn’t much commercial development—or if your carrier has less capacity than others.
That’s where femtocells come in: they’re small cellular base stations that work with your carrier’s existing infrastructure to extend coverage into areas otherwise devoid of it. They’re essentially mini-cell towers that fit on a table or window and give access to wireless internet via Wi-Fi; they also have integrated phone lines so you can make calls over VoIP (Voice over IP).
You can also think of femtocells as miniature cell towers. They’re small enough to fit on your table, or even in a drawer. When you place one of these devices near the wireless network, it will help you get better reception and boost the signal from your carrier’s actual cell tower.
This sounds great for people who live in areas where carriers haven’t installed many cell towers—you’ll be able to cover more ground with less hassle! However, these devices aren’t cheap: they can cost hundreds or thousands of dollars depending on how many people are using them at once and what kind of service they want (voice calls only? Text messages only?) In addition, they might not work unless everyone else has one too—so check with your provider first before deciding whether this is right for you!
If you’re wondering if a femtocell is right for you, it’s worth checking with your provider to see whether one is available. If it is, ask about cost and availability—if you can get one at no charge or for a reduced cost, it may be worth taking advantage of the service.
Femtocells are often small enough that they can be placed in any area where there’s an electrical outlet and still work effectively (although some providers require that they be connected directly to the router). As long as the coverage area around them has good reception and there aren’t any other sources of interference nearby, femtocells should provide sufficient coverage in most homes.
The other day, you might’ve seen the news about a community of people using their phones to access the wireless network at each other’s houses. They were getting free internet access by piggybacking on their neighbors’ wifi and it was causing a lot of congestion on the network.
This isn’t just annoying to the people who have to use it, but also dangerous because it makes criminals aware that they can use your wifi too. While some people have decided to start sharing their own personal wifi with others without giving them permission (probably because they don’t want anyone stealing from them), this isn’t always going to be a good idea either.
