US Soldiers in Iraq Finally Get Wi-Fi Network

Good news for those of you spending this autumn in sunny Iraq: According to Aruba Networks, the company has installed a secure Wi-Fi network in Iraq to provide Internet access for U.S. soldiers. The service is being provided to 20,000 U.S. soldiers serving at Joint Base Balad (the largest U.S. military base in the region). For the first time since the start of the war, soldiers are now able to securely surf the Web from their laptops, anywhere on the base's huge premises.
Of course, it's not just any wireless network that manages to do the job: This is what they call a "mesh-based network," the advantages of which include its capability to self-heal if access points are lost or die of heat exhaustion, and the network can be quickly moved if need be -- essential in this most unstable of regions.
Still, just the idea of being an IT guy tasked with fixing a network while avoiding sniper fire is stressing us out. [From: InformationWeek]





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Comments
3
Subscribe to commentscharlesSep 26th 2008 9:53AM
With this Wifi Internet access provided by Aruba Networks, US MIlitary forces stationed in Iraq should be equipped with mobile portable units like this Motion Computing F5 Tablet. This is a rugged portable and rugged slate PC that can stand the wear and tear of being in the middle of a warzone. It will come in handy for documentation purposes as it has an optional barcode scanner so the soldiers can just scan and send. Check this out at http://www.pressdigital.com.au.
Brian D. JohnsonSep 26th 2008 10:54AM
What a rip off. Aruba is a flat-out war profiteer. Soldiers have to pay $60/month to use this service. How does that compare to your own high-speed internet service @ home? First we make our sons and daughters buy their own body armour. Now we make them pay for the "priviledge" of write home to mom.
Aruba should be ashamed of itself.
N. RecobOct 4th 2008 12:46PM
These service members are in a WAR ZONE. $60 a month? This service should be FREE! If Aruba can't provide it [they should be HONORED to provide it!] then the government should pay for it. Postage is free and no income tax is due in a war zone--I know I've been there....
-'91 Gulf War Vet