"Roby" <roby@no-address.net> wrote in message
news:46dff826$0$6412$4c368faf@roadrunner.com...
> sillyputty wrote:
>
>> I could probably find the answer to this by some research, but I'm too
>> lazy. :D We have the beginnings of free wifi in our city (Portland),
>> though it's still spotty, at best, since not all areas of the city are
>> 'wired.' I was thinking about how the nodes only cover about 300'
>> each, then there's obstacles, interference, etc. Why can't they put up
>> one big antenna, like radio stations, and pump out 50k watts, or
>> whatever would be necessary to cover the entire city?
>
> ... but now the wifi client in your laptop needs to be able to respond
> (acknowledge packet received, send a packet, etc), using its own
> 50kw transmitter. Really shortens battery life!

The laptop would only need to use full power at the limit of the coverage of
the station, close in the laptop would not need to use such high power.:)