Broadband news

First of all, thanks everyone for signing up with us.

If you haven’t done it yet, don’t forget you can enter our prize draw for a MP3 Player if you sign up with PF Systems until the 31^st of October 2004.

Here is an update for all of you who have signed up for Westvic Broadband Wireless Internet.

Westvic has delayed the installation of their Wireless Internet service for the people in Port Fairy. They are having trouble initializing the service in this area and are gradually working through the problems. They don’t want to begin their service until they’re 100% confident that the problems have been resolved. As part of the problem resolution, they are connecting people who’ve signed up with Westvic gradually under a ‘testing phase’ during which time all connected users will be welcome to use the Westvic service for free. This phase should last 2 – 4 weeks for customers involved. Westvic is trying to keep people up to date and most would have received a letter regarding this issue already.

Like you, we are waiting for them to enable the service and connect Port Fairy with Broadband as we rely on their service for some of our projects. We will keep you informed through our website.

Here is an update for all of you who have signed up for Bigpond ADSL.

Telstra has enabled our exchange and is currently connecting people. Since we are processing your applications online, your signature is not required anymore on the forms. You can consider your application to be complete if you have filled in the form online or on the phone with us.

Home wireless networking

One of the most important developments in modern day computing is wireless networking. Wireless networking allows you to break free of the desk and use your technology wherever you are. Wireless networking takes on a number of guises: Bluetooth, CDMA1X, GPRS and most importantly - WiFi (or 802.11). WiFi allows you to stay connected to the internet and your home network. It will allow users with laptops to relax and more productively use their computer wherever they want in their house, whether that be in their bedroom, lounge room or outside in the sun…

DSL-G604T

WiFi fits in very nicely with broadband since with the inclusion of a Wireless access point/ADSL modem, you no longer need the computer on to host your internet service. A device such as the one shown on the right is plugged into your phone line and the Internet is broadcast over your house 24 hours a day.

Wireless networking is cheap and most devices will give you a range of 40 m inside and 100 m outside ‘straight out of the box’. In the near future, all devices in the house will be digital and will communicate with each other. WiFi will be an integral part of this home network since this communication will be facilitated without requiring a separate wiring infrastructure which restricts where your digital devices need to be placed.

Although wireless devices are sold with capabilities of over 100 MBits in practice we rarely see transfer speeds of over 10Mbits using typical home wireless networking technology. Wireless networking therefore provides transfer speeds of somewhere between 10 and 100 times slower than is possible with a wired connection. Such a connection speed is therefore not currently suitable for streaming DVD quality sound and video and so you’d expect the entertainment hub of your house to be a wired networked device with a removable media device like a DVD. Stay tuned for the next edition of the Belfast times for more information about Media Centres.

Wireless networking will pave the way for technologies like Voice Over IP (using the internet for telephony) and will also set the stage for technologies like video phone. With wireless networking and a Pocket PC (which can include a camera) you will find that in the near future you will carry only one device. This device will be your phone, organizer, mp3 player and any other digital device which you may carry on you. Away from your home network, it will operate as a mobile video phone through various Telco’s networks, and within your private or neighbourhood network, it will allow local call communication and international communication for local call costs.

With the onset of broadband and the increased popularity of laptops and mobile devices it’s a wise investment to install an Access Point/ADSL modem when you install broadband as this will definitely be part of your home communication/entertainment system in the future. PF Systems uses and recommends D-Link products.

PF Systems new online catalogue and products

We have redesigned the layout of our shop section to help you find the right product quickly and effectively.

We focus our selection on three main ranges of products:

budget: an affordable solution to access technology
value: for those who want the best value for money
performance: for people who don’t want to compromise on features, quality or performance.

In the home systems category, you’ll no longer find our complete systems, but a range of boxes that you can match with a system package (which includes a monitor, a keyboard and mouse, and speakers) if needed. For example, a complete budget system will cost you $475 + $218 = $693 (not including windows).

The mobility systems category contains all the items you want to be using on the move, from laptops to pocket PCs and tablet PCs!

This new catalogue is still under construction so keep an eye on it. There is a lot more to come!

Click on the pictures for more details.