California lawmakers have passed a bill that encourages consumers and businesses to protect their "Wi-Fi" wireless network connections by using encryption, and other means, and requires warning labels be affixed to Wi-Fi networking equipment sold in the state after October 2007.

The bill, AB 2414, proposed by California legislator and Speaker Of The Assembly Fabian Núñez (D-Los Angeles), now awaits the signature of Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger. According to the bill, the "[law] would require a device that includes an integrated and enabled wireless access point, if the device is manufactured on or after October 1, 2007, for use in a small office, home office, or residential setting, and that is used in a federally unlicensed spectrum, to either include a warning advising the consumer how to protect his or her wireless network connection, a warning sticker, or provide other protection that, among other things, requires affirmative action by the consumer prior to use of the device.

Speaker Núñez has said, “Wi-Fi technology has been a boon for small office, home office and residential users, allowing easy internet and network connections. However, most consumers are unaware of the potential risk of using Wi-Fi technology without password or other security protections. This measure would arm them with the information needed to protect their private information.”

Technorati Tags: California, networking, law, security, wifi

Wired magazine is reporting on a deal to put satellite connected, secure Wi-Fi internet connections on certain Boeing planes.  The service is to be offered by a Redwood Shores, CA-based company called iPass.  According to the article, seven airlines have already lined up service; pricing has not been finalized.  (Ed note: Hurry, please...)

The BBC has a report on a Sonoma county vineyard that is using Wi-Fi technology to transmit data such as soil temperature and moisture content, allowing viticulturists to closely monitor conditions in their vineyard.  From the article,  "Bill Westerman, an associate partner at hi-tech consultancy Accenture working on the project, said wireless was a natural choice for the grape growers. Each of the sensors placed around the Pickberry vineyard has onboard monitors for several conditions known to be key influences on grapevine health."

The Washington Post (free online subscription required) today has a fascinating article on what can happen when there are too many wireless networks within a concentrated area. One word summary: congestion.

Another sign that the popularity of LAN parties isn't waning; Tom's Hardware Guide today has a story from Lanaholics, "one of the longest running LAN parties in Illinois"...

D-Link today announced a firmware update for the D-Link AirPlus Xtreme G Wireless device that brings it into strict complience with 802.11g standards. The update allows for true 802.11g speeds of up to 54MBbps.

Researchers at France's Centre Nationale de la Recherche Scientifique have recently made light of an inheirent issue with wireless LANs: in certain circumstances, when one user connects to the node at a slower rate, this can causes others connected to the node to slow to that same rate.

Ever feel the need to network with your neighbor down the street? How about splitting the cost of a DSL connection with your blockmate? Better than a Pringles can, you'll find some use for a Cantenna in the scheme of things.