The Internet Protocol Journal - Volume 5, Number 1

Major Internet events such as the IETF meetings, the Regional Internet Registry meetings, APRICOT, SIGCOMM, and NetWorld+Interop to name a few, all provide Internet access for attendees. Commonly referred to as the "Terminal Room," these facilities have evolved into complex high-speed networks with redundant paths, IPv6 routing, multicast, and more. In the last five years or so, these networks have also been providing wireless access using various flavors of the IEEE 802.11 standard. As I write this, I am sitting in the lobby of the Minneapolis Hilton Hotel, where the 53rd IETF meeting is being held. The lobby area and two floors of meeting rooms have IEEE 802.11 coverage, and a directional high-gain antenna provides access in the pub across the street. Wireless Internet computing is a reality, at least when you have a large gathering of engineers such as an IETF meeting. In our first article, Edgar Danielyan takes a closer look at this technology, its applications and evolution.

More and more software is being distributed via the Internet rather than through the use of conventional media such as CD ROMs or floppy disks. Downloading software via the Internet is very convenient, especially if you have reasonably high bandwidth. However, with this convenience comes a certain risk that you may be receiving a modified copy of the software, perhaps one that contains a virus. Code signing is a method wherein software is cryptographically signed and later verified. Eric Fleischman explains the details of code signing.

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