Wireless Networking (WiFi)
Wireless networking is the latest popular craze in computing. Essentially, it allows people to replace their runs of Ethernet cable with radio waves. In the context of
SlimCar,
WiFi is thought of as a way to control
SqueezeCenter via it's web interface (using a laptop, PDA or mobile phone). This can be regarded as an "addon" feature to
SlimCar, as it is not required for normal operation.
There are various standards and speeds for
WiFi, and the issue is complicated because not all equipment is compatible, at least not as you would expect. The big problem is generally that it's just not as fast as wired Ethernet, and it gets dramatically slower as more clients try to use the same network segment. The other major issue affecting
WiFi is security. Although reasonable security is now available (in the form of WPA-PSK, for instance), the original WEP standard was sorely lacking and it's possible to crack WEP-secured traffic within a matter of minutes on commodity hardware.
However, it's beyond the scope of this Wiki to cover
WiFi in any great detail. If you want more information, please visit your favourite computing site.
Periodically, someone asks why
SlimCar's kernel (and the OS in general) does not include
WiFi support. The main reasons for this choice are as follows:
- WiFi support would require the addition of significantly more software to SlimCar.
- Configuration of WiFi connections in Linux can be complex. It would be challenging (to say the least!) to include a robust configuration/testing phase in the Installer and very hard to debug because SlimCar, when in a car, does not require a display or any input devices. This makes it tricky to diagnose the fault if your WiFi link fails.
- Security. By not including WiFi as standard, the chance of someone being able to connect to your SlimCar system is dramatically reduced.
Of course, you could still install an external access point or bridge in your car if you really wanted
WiFi support, but
there are no plans to add this support to SlimCar itself.
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