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The Internet Wireless Networking

10 Internet Connections At Same Time 152

An anonymous reader writes "As a follow-up to the story about Verizon being forced to allow tethering, the engineers at Connectify climbed on the roof and made a video showing an 85Mbps download rate through a combination of a tethered Verizon mobile phone and all of the available open Wi-Fi networks. It's a darn shame that they cancelled the unlimited 3G on the Kindle; tether 20 of those bad boys and you could have had a real Internet connection."
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10 Internet Connections At Same Time

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  • by Anonymous Coward on Tuesday August 21, 2012 @01:27PM (#41071231)

    You need a node on the internet that can split a single connection and send the data down the separate links. Otherwise those are just 10 separate internet connections that can only be used for separate transfers.

    Besides, if you were to use 20 3G connections at a time, you'd see significant slowdown per connection as these are in competition for the shared medium.

    • Re: (Score:3, Informative)

      by Anonymous Coward
      It looks like they're using Free Download Manager on top of their connection software in the video (http://www.freedownloadmanager.org/) In that case, those separate Internet connections could speed up even a single download quite a bit. My impression of 3G is that the fairness is set up so that a lot of connections per tower can get the expected download rates at the same time, no?
    • And the latency does not get any better, which sucks on 3G and 4G.

    • by Lennie ( 16154 )

      There is a big chance that will change in the future though. What do you think of Multi Path TCP ?

      short demo:

      http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VWN0ctPi5cw [youtube.com]

      Longer presentation:

      http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=02nBaaIoFWU [youtube.com]

      IETF WorkGroup:

      http://datatracker.ietf.org/wg/mptcp/charter/ [ietf.org]

      Linux kernel implementation:

      http://mptcp.info.ucl.ac.be/ [ucl.ac.be]

      • What do I think of it?? I want it! More than once I've started a large file transfer on the LAN from my laptop only to remember that I am on the WiFi. Instead of plugging in the cable and restarting the transaction I would love it if I just had to plug in the higher bandwidth connection and the kernel would handle the transition between adapters.
        • It will, you just have to set up your DHCP server to assign the same IP address to both the MAC address of your wifi interface and wired interface.

          I do this on my Macbook Pro. At home I can move seamlessly between Wifi and wired without missing a beat, even mid-transfer.

          • Thats an interesting idea (and I'm sure that it does work for you) but having the same IP address resolve to two different MAC addresses on the network seems to be a Bad Idea. Ignoring the network itself though, if that works then the MacOS kernel must already have some support for this because (for example) if you opened a connection on the WiFi interface, some internal juggling has to happen if you say plug in your Ethernet jack and then turn off the WiFi, right? What prevents that socket connection fro
            • In OS X, socket connections are tied to the IP address, not the interface. They also don't automatically close when the interface goes down, like they do under Windows (which is annoying because all your SSH sessions die if there's so much as a burp in your Wifi connection)

              This is the way it should be. Shit happens to interfaces, but generally an IP will remain the same unless you physically move to another network.

    • by Gerzel ( 240421 )

      Eh separate transfers might be alright if you are accessing different things. I often listen to online radio while I play an online game and download something. Add in roommate's Netflix and you have four separate transfers going not counting any background system stuff that might happen at the same time.

  • I have an old (if anything this new can be called 'old') nook that came with 3G. It has battery issues (batteries are always the first thing to go - invent a new one and rule the world).

    But I still stick with it because I like the 3G. I would rather use my old one with the heavy case and light, then buy a new one without the 3G connection that weighs half as much and has the integral light/color.

    • Battery issues? The nook (1st gen at least) had user-replaceable batteries.

    • It has battery issues (batteries are always the first thing to go - invent a new one and rule the world).

      OK: Ultra Capacitors [wikipedia.org] exist. Very fast charge rate. For the ones made of ceramic and aluminium, using them prolongs their life... Get rid of the artificial scarcity syst --er, I mean patent system, and they might have a chance in the entrenched battery market.

  • by Anonymous Coward on Tuesday August 21, 2012 @01:27PM (#41071241)

    I'll tell you what I'd do, man: 10 internet connections at the same time, man.

    • I'd just have the local ISP supply me one of their 1Gb/s links.

    • by somarilnos ( 2532726 ) on Tuesday August 21, 2012 @01:45PM (#41071535)
      And I think if I was a millionaire I could hook that up, too, 'cause internet connections dig dudes with money.
    • I'll tell you what I'd do, man: 10 internet connections at the same time, man.

      'cause chicks dig dudes with 10 internet connections at the same time.

    • Am I the only one that pictured 10 monitors in a circle, each showing porn, and a swivel chair in the middle?

  • by Picass0 ( 147474 ) on Tuesday August 21, 2012 @01:32PM (#41071325) Homepage Journal

    The reason you need to jump through hoops like this video only underscores how crappy internet service is in the US.

    • by cpu6502 ( 1960974 ) on Tuesday August 21, 2012 @01:54PM (#41071677)

      >>>how crappy internet service is in the US.

      Oh look.
      A member of the Entitlement Generation complaining "oh the U.S. is so sucky" while the other 6 billion people live on less than 10 dollars a week. It's like listening to a member of the elite bitch-and-moan that he's only in the top 1% of the wealthiest instead of the 0.1% wealthiest.

      FACT: The average U.S. speed is EQUAL to the average EU speed. That's right: Our cousins in the European Union have it No better than we Americans. Sure they have some states that are better, but they also have some crappy states (like Greece, Spain) that are a mere 1-2 Mbit/s.

      The only continent-spanning union that is faster is the Russian Federation (+2 Mbit/s faster than EU or US). But the U.S. average is faster than Canada. Faster than Mexico. Faster than China. Faster than Brazil. Faster than Australia. Faster than India.

      • Considering the planet only has slightly over 6 billion inhabitants ....
        Averages are always meaningless numbers if the sample size is that high.
        Who cares what the average bandwith in the USA is, when 50% of the americans have less than 64 killo bandwith?

        • It's slightly over seven billion now, actually. 7.034 billion, to be precise.

        • Considering the planet only has slightly over 6 billion inhabitants ....

          Um... A billion people [worldometers.info] would like to have a word with you and your decades old statistics.

          • Dors not matter if I miscount by a billion. As the number of people having a faster internet connection than the average of the US population is far bigger than the total US population.
            Even in Bangladesh people have 4G mobile internet connections ...

      • Re: (Score:2, Interesting)

        by Anonymous Coward

        Oh look.
        A member of the Entitlement Generation complaining "oh the U.S. is so sucky" while the other 6 billion people live on less than 10 dollars a week.

        Oh look, a member of the "you have no right to complain about anything" generation. I'm guessing you're a Baby Boomer, that generation that had as children the best mix of right and left ideas, who when they grew up into the political thinkers of the 80's who decided the rest of us weren't entitled to that.

        Generational bigotry works both ways.

        • No 80s generation. "X". You should be damn lucky we don't have a worldwide government that is a reflection of our American or European governments. The U.S. and EU governments redistribute the wealth from their top 1% down to the bottom by funding 95% of their budgets off that top 1% of earners (and then providing roads, medicare, retirement, welfare, food stamps, airplines, etc).

          If a world government existed on this same model the U.S. and EU citizens would be the ones paying 95% of the tax burden, and

      • by Anonymous Coward

        LOL this moron again with his "FACT" statements and no backup. US internet blows chunks, I'll stick with my 10 euro per month, 30MB/s connection rather than move to your little backwater.

      • by pjt33 ( 739471 ) on Tuesday August 21, 2012 @02:25PM (#41072159)

        Sure they have some states that are better, but they also have some crappy states (like Greece, Spain) that are a mere 1-2 Mbit/s.

        Source? I'm in Spain and I could have 50Mbit/s if I switched to ONO. (I can't be bothered: 20Mb/s with Jazztel is good enough for me). Maybe it's 2Mb/s if you average over everyone, including those who choose to live so far out in the sticks that they don't have running water, but I'd like to see the figures.

        • by Shados ( 741919 )

          That's true in the us too which I think was the point. I'm in the US and can get 300mb. 75+ is fairly available. It's more expensive than in other countries but adjusted to cost of living only a few have it much cheaper
          It's still not as good as it could be but...

        • It always depends on where you live. The fastest speed I can get is 3 Mbit/s while the cheapest plan is for 6 Mbit. I'm too far away from the DSLAM for the telco to deliver the speed I pay for; while the town is too big to really cover with one DSLAM it's not big enough for the telcos to build more than one. (For the record, this is in Germany where internet is either DSL or mobile.)

          It's a rural area; I live about 40 km away from the next large city and 10 km from the next small one. That's far enough out
        • by Krneki ( 1192201 )
          And what is your upload speed?
          • by pjt33 ( 739471 )

            That's not so good - about 0.85Mb/s.

            • by Krneki ( 1192201 )
              Yap, so don't advertise it as a good connection. I have 20/20 and I use my upload way more then my download. 1:5 seed ratio so you fellows from spain can use your good download speeds. :)
        • My Source is speedtest.net which tests billions of connections around the globe. There are many areas of the EU, just like the US, that are stuck with slow dialup or ISDN connections. So while I and you mght be able to 50 Mbit/s lines, many people can not, and that drags down the union average.

          And yes the U.S. has states that are faster than EU states. If you live in California or Washington or Maryland your average net speed is faster than all 27 EU states except Sweden. So if you have crap internet

      • Re: (Score:2, Insightful)

        by Picass0 ( 147474 )

        I'm going to go out on a limb and guess than since I'm 44 years old there's a good chance older than you, so don't talk down to me like I'm your junior.

        I didn't burn a flag so stop implying things about my political leanings. I only said internet speeds in the US don't fare well against benchmarks from around the world and that's the truth. That will change if Google Fiber goes widespread.

        Stop injecting politics into crap that's not political. I'm not alone in being sick of people talk like they're on a c

        • >>>cpu6502 who called me an entitlement generation leftist

          No I didn't. The word "leftist" is nowhere in my post. Strawman argument.

      • by Anonymous Coward

        FACT: The average U.S. speed is EQUAL to the average EU speed.

        [citation needed]

      • by Zlib pt ( 820294 )
        States? is the EU a country now?
        • by Zlib pt ( 820294 )
          And a little more ontopic:

          My parents pay a little under 40€ for unlimited phone to 75 countries (landlines) 24/7, 110 channels and 100 Mb Eurodocsis 3 internet connection. Today I reached 80mb/s+ on a real world download - not some speedtest - at their house.

          And from what I understand in France the price and services are very similar
          • by Zlib pt ( 820294 )
            uuups. I'm from Portugal. Also the lowest connection speed i know that can be contracted here is 2 Mb unlimited for 16.99€, the rest is usually 10+. Some reach 200Mbps and there are some pilot programs @ 1Gb residencial. Also 3 or 4 providers offer (real) FTTH.
        • by Zordak ( 123132 )
          I give you: The Dictionary! [reference.com]
        • >>>States? is the EU a country now?

          On the official European Union website, it uses the word "states" to refer to its members. Not just one but repeatedly.

          BTW my Source is speedtest.net which tests billions of connections around the globe. There are many areas of the EU, just like the U.S., that are stuck with slow dialup or ISDN connections. So while I and you mght be able to 50 Mbit/s lines, many people can not, and that drags down the union average.

      • That's right: Our cousins in the European Union have it No better than we Americans. Sure they have some states that are better, but they also have some crappy states (like Greece, Spain) that are a mere 1-2 Mbit/s

        I am on ONO at Spain paying for the 50mb/5Mb plan, they offered me a month ago a upgrade to 75Mb/5Mb, the price was 1 year permanency more, same money. Just did that quick test for you http://www.speedtest.net/result/2132615837.png [speedtest.net] . ONO its a cable company pretty spread at Spain, so i call bullshit to your "facts" , care to provide any source ?

      • [citation needed]
      • Entitlement Generation? I must have missed the part where the poster said something about expecting it for free.

        Even with its flaws, I'm thankful to have a fast Internet connection at all. But it could be much better.

      • So everyone who doesn't live in the US lives on $10 a week? You, sir, are fucking retarded. On one hand, I'd like you to leave that shithole of a country you think is #1, but on the other hand, it's probably better for everyone else in the world if you don't.
      • by Ecuador ( 740021 )

        Sure they have some states that are better, but they also have some crappy states (like Greece, Spain) that are a mere 1-2 Mbit/s.

        Wow, wow wow.
        Just wow.
        FACT: Parent post is full of SH*T
        I am Greek and spent 6 years in NY (until 2009). I lived in Brooklyn and in Queens and worked in Manhattan in two locations - Chelsea and Upper West side. In all four locations mentioned, the fastest internet connection you could get was either cable at around $50-$60 for 5Mbps down 384kbps up (useless) or the more decent dsl at 3Mbps down/ 768kbps up for around $40. At the same time, my uncle in a tiny (50 inhabitants) village in a remote Greek island

    • It comes with Google (TM) Internet.
  • by Jeng ( 926980 ) on Tuesday August 21, 2012 @01:41PM (#41071483)

    Ok, so they made a download of 85Mbps, is this impressive due to the speed, or the complexity?

    Also, how fast is the Ethernet connection on it's own?

    All in all, they hooked up all of these networking cards:

            7 USB Wi-Fi Cards
            USB 3G Modem
            4G Tethered Smartphone
            Ethernet Connection

    • The Ethernet connection was Comcast's "100 Mbps" connection, which was running at 85 Mbps (due to the cap being hit as DHCP handed out the IP address). The other 9 connections were just there to make it "look fancy".
  • I regularly read facebook or googlemail. I've not noticed it being switched off? I do feel a bit ripped-off though. I bought the 3G version (instead of the cheaper wifi) specifically because the amazon description advertised webbrowsing over the connection. Now suddenly they've taken away that function. (ponder) Maybe if I ask for a store credit, I can return the 3G and get the cheaper wifi instead.

    • by arnott ( 789715 )
      From the article:

      The free Internet ride is over though: Amazon is now capping use of the browser over 3G at 50 megabytes per month.

      However, it’s more likely that Amazon is limiting the 3G connection because of hacks that allow the device to be used as 3G mobile hotspot for free.

  • likely even faster if not useing USB to link them all.

  • FINALLY!!! (Score:5, Funny)

    by jemenake ( 595948 ) on Tuesday August 21, 2012 @01:57PM (#41071723)
    ... a use for all of the wireless passwords in my neighborhood that I've cracked! All of my neighbors (individually) have slower connections than I do.

    On a side note, it always would irk me that Windows XP, if you gave it more than 1 path to the internet, would be unable to get to the internet at all.
  • From now on, will a link to this story substitute for the fabled "Beowulf cluster" meme? We shall see.
  • Webramp (Score:4, Interesting)

    by CambodiaSam ( 1153015 ) on Tuesday August 21, 2012 @02:23PM (#41072119)
    I played with one of these back in the 90s that did the same thing. http://www.speedguide.net/reviews/webramp-700s-89 [speedguide.net]
  • Interesting concept, but I don't see the practical use.

    How many times do you need that fast of Internet connection on the go AND have access to several unsecured WiFi hotspots at the same time?

    One fast reliable WiFi connection is a simpler solution that accomplishes the same thing.

    • by Anonymous Coward

      It happens all the time when you're out on a boat. Example: http://setsail.com/efficient-versatile-easy-to-use-communications-what-is-the-answer-for-cruisers/

      You show up in a new port. There are 6 WiFi stations, 2 of which sort-of kind-of work. There's a weak 3G signal that's fast for a few minutes, then gone for a while. There's a strong 2G signal but it's slow. There's a satellite phone, which is pricey.

      A device that can aggregate all of these flaky connections into one reasonably stable data stream is a

  • Someone needs to smack the twit who tethered his Kindle. As if Amazon wouldn't notice. Many times I've used my Kindle's lousy browser as a backup; if they crank down the usage or eliminate it because of this he needs to hope I never catch him unaware. How hard is it to just use a free bonus service in a device as a free bonus service in the device?

  • A time ago I played with a linux box and 4 cable modem (each had a different IP). It just were a load balancing with the kernel routing tables. I remember that BitTorrent was the sole thing where I could get the total speed being the sum of each link. The problem was that the routes are cached by session (dhost, dport I think) so parallel HTTP/FTP download of a file would go through the same link. However, routes expiring gave me problems with some services which doesn't like your IP to change.
  • So, one tenth the speed of Google Fiber? Makes me almost wish I lived in Kansas City...

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