So apparently 4G is the new “G” these days. I was reading some news the other day and apparently the US have been trying to mainstream the next generation of 3G and 2G used widely in the cellular world. The biggest changes that I noticed was the faster speed (we’re talking up to 100Mbit here if you’re moving, and faster if you’re stationed), support of IPv6 (/yawn, maybe its about time), and a very spectral efficient network.

It’s been utilized in the form of mobile internet, quite a hype lately here in Canada. These are those thumbdrive-size gadget you plugged in your laptop, and voila! You have Internet anywhere (within a service area – which are usually the same as the provider’s cellular area). The technology is based on the existing high-speed cellular data network, but I’ve always assumed they’re on the 3G network. Apparently, newer ones (Verizon, to start with in the US) is already on 4G. Now the trick is to put a powerful enough processor on the phones itself to process the gushing, streaming, data…  More 4G tech specs: Wikipedia

Moving on, is the new MiFi. No, you read that right, it’s not WiFi… it’s MiFi. Go ahead, Google it…

The basic idea is a device that convert an existing cellular network, and turn it to a good-ole’ Wifi available to anybody within the vicinity. The device is currently make use 3G network, but considering “mobile internet devices” are starting to migrate to 4G, I suspect the same with Mifi. The one advantage over mobile-net is it is share-able, due to its WiFi traits. In an essence, it’s basically a wireless router that uses the cellular network as its WAN. New devices are popping out, like this Verizon MiFi 2000, and they’re about $300 a pop. Unfortunately, just like mobile internet services, they require a monthly plan. Ugh…

Last but not least, if you’re not confused enough with all these new term…. Zyxel (a personal favourite company of mine since it also provide an extremely robust corporate-level Firewall Router series, named Zywall) introduced a Mobile Wireless Router. Read about it here: Zyxel MWR222

Wait, would that make it the same thing as MiFi? Well, not quite. This device is capable to work as a mobile internet device I mentioned earlier in this post AND MiFi AND regular wireless router! So basically what it does is it’s able to work as a wired router (plug a modem to the wired WAN port), a wireless router (beam that WAN connection wirelessly through b/g/n), a mobile internet device (absorb the 3G and 4G – when it becomes available – network and transform it into a regular Internet connection), and MiFi (turn that 3G/4G network into Wireless b/g/n). Phew!

In an essence, this is pretty much a wireless router that will work ANYWHERE. Now how’s that for change?