12 replies to this topic

[Metal Gear (sting)RAY]

http://www.computerw...ng_out_of_room_

Apparently this data crunch is a problem the FCC, broadcasters and ISPs are concerned about and trying to work on, but it's only come to my attention recently. See, radiowave frequencies, which are used for everything from TV and radio broadcasts to internet to submarine communication, are apparently a finite resource; when a signal travels across the globe, it has a frequency in the spectrum between 300 GHz to a 3 kHz. There's a lot of space in there, make no mistake; those are wavelengths anywhere between a millimeter and a hundred kilometers. But these days, we need to send a LOT of information everywhere and the space between different channels isn't infinitely deconstructable, meaning you can't send a signal at a 100 kHz and a different one at 100.0000000000001 kHz, for quantum-y reasons I can't really explain. But within the next few years, there won't really be any space left on the spectrum to create new information channels. This is why data plans have been getting more expensive.

BUT there is hope. There is a system proposed called "Distributed Input Distributed Output" or DIDO that looks like it will not only solve (or at least greatly postpone) this problem, but revolutionize wireless communication in general. Think of it as Super Wi-Fi. It can create more bandwidth space by cutting out the fat, so to speak. According to Shannon's Law, there is a maximum of accesses that can be made to the same signal simultaneously. The more people access a channel, the more interference it creates, meaning more bandwidth space has to be allocated for large groups of people to access the same information, which is why webpage load times, downloads, ping and Youtube videos are slower when more people are accessing them. DIDO's aim is to tinker with the system in place and push up the limit defined by Shannon's Law at least a thousand fold.

So with the bad news comes the good. We may be facing a bandwidth squeeze pretty soon, but it's not unavoidable, and if we can conquer it we may see an internet at least a hundred times as efficient as it ever was.

[Gammy-kins]

What?

[King Sombrero]

Running out of internet? I wonder how much of that is nothing but porn

[Gammy-kins]

Running out of internet? I wonder how much of that is nothing but porn

A lot possibly

[Cyalume]

If we're talking bandwidth and data caps, it doesn't matter what sort of fancy, newfangled technology comes along to solve our alleged problems. As one CEO had put it;

"Data caps are a way to monetize bandwidth."

They're making untold amounts of money from this "issue" (See: scam/stretching the truth). There's no reason for them to back down; Especially when it safegaurds other lucrative industries such as cable television in the process.

Edited by Cyalume, 31 May 2012 - 05:47 AM.

[Noir]

I kind of feel like I should think that this won't be much of a problem because if we created the internet, I suppose we should have no trouble fixing it. Though I admittedly don't know a thing about how the internet works so that could be naive and retarded. It's an interesting situation either way. I do kind of wonder if this isn't that big of an issue in the first place and more of an excuse to jack up data plan fees. God knows it's not beyond any company.

[Diz]

As Wolfy stated in another topic today, please make some effort when making replies. One or two sentences are the bare minimum, and you should have at least a little something to contribute. This is not a chat room.

When I read this topic, I thought the subject would be IPv4 exhaustion, which is the current most popular type of IP (digital) addresses required in order to surf the big ol' Web. I never thought about it this way, the GHz and all that fancy stuff, never understood any of that. Hopefully we will be able to work something out. We do live in the technological world of 2012, after all. At this point, the Internet is way too important to not work properly for long. ^^

[/_JXJ_\]

When are we supposed to be making the jump to IPv6/Nex Gen? I'm taking an Internet and Networking class so I've heard about it but are we ever really gonna make the leap soon?

[Gammy-kins]

So now we won't have anymore internet? What about WiFi? Is WiFi going to end up dying too? Then we'll have to go through life without computers. Chop down more trees for paper. Oh me oh my!

[Diz]

IPv6 is already in use. It's just not the primary protocol just yet, which as far as I know is partially due to routers on the Internet not supporting it and have to be switched out. IPv6 will slowly grow and become more popular, but IPv4 will stick around for a long while to come. Right now, they are sorta co-existing. ;3

Microsoft is taking a step toward the IPv6 direction. On a default home network, Windows 7 and Windows Vista computers will prioritize IPv6 when/if communicating directly with each other.

[Phos]

But these days, we need to send a LOT of information everywhere and the space between different channels isn't infinitely deconstructable, meaning you can't send a signal at a 100 kHz and a different one at 100.0000000000001 kHz, for quantum-y reasons I can't really explain.

It's simpler than that. Most wireless communications are FM, which means "Frequency Modulation", the signal works by changing the frequency within a given channel, so a 300Hz signal might occupy 295Hz to 305Hz.

So that DIDO sounds interesting. Sounds like the idea is that the various signals cancel out all the ones you don't need. At least that sounds like the idea.

[Kaze_Senshi]

Running out of internet? I wonder how much of that is nothing but porn

The porn does not ruin the net, everyone knows that the computer network tecnology keeps evolving just to allow better porn distribuition

[MarcelloF]

I had no idea the internet could run out of space. I just thought it was infinite. I don't really get this DIDO thing, either. Or this IPv6 and IPv4 stuff. But as long everything works, I'm fine.




We can stall this a few years if we remove Tristan's ego from the internet.

Edited by MarcelloF, 31 May 2012 - 04:40 PM.