for novices :

  1. a router is a network sharing or “splitting” device for home or office that allows several computers including laptops and game machines to use the same one internet connection coming into this room or building . here computers are linked via LAN cables .
  2. a wireless router does the above without cables and high-end models sufficently cover a 4~5 bedroom apartment . signals used here are called WiFi .
  3. WiBro is a recent technology that enables mostly cell phones on-the-go to connect to the internet . usable by passengers in cars moving at highway speed this technology is developed by SamSung and mostly used in South Korea, comparable to Intel’s WiMAX used in India .

so with this world’s first : portable WiBro wireless router you can share or split that one account of wireless internet connection further remotely !
sort-of .. a double wireless concept : making a further wireless connection that is coming in-bound wireless !!!

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.. now why would you want to do that ???

  1. now you can make that internet phone a virtual cell phone !
  2. you can connect your iPod Touch (iPhone without a phone) connect to the internet where-ever you go !
  3. portable game machines such as PSP and Nintendo DS now become TRUELY portable with connections anywhere !

( ofcourse by “anywhere” above current technology limits usage within metropolitan boundaries )

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this is the latest side-kick in the fierce battle between the two out of the four major telecommunication companies in Korea : SKT and KT in the domain of wireless WiBro . as noted in my previous post : KT started out almost a year earlier and currently has more AP (Access Points) throughout the country, where as SKT is concentrating mostly in the metropolitan Capital region .

last year both of the carriers gave a generous 3 months trial service to anyone interested, and this “Egg” hardware is given free if you subscribe to KT WiBro 50GB option for a year costing W27,000 monthly . the device is battery charged and last apoximately 4 hours outside . a few on-line communities in South Korea dedicated to mobile device and service are accepting trial orders now for the machine to be distributed next week because this week is a holiday-prone “Golden WeekEnd” in Korea comprising of Buddha’s Birthday (2 May) and Children’s Day (5 May) with forthcoming Parent’s Day (8 May though NOT a holiday).

  

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[ SPEED TEST COMPARISON ]

SK BroadBand dn 84.4Mbps(10.5MB/s)  up 7.43Mbps(928kB/s)  – major Internet Access Provider in the Capital,
ipTIME N3004  dn 23.6Mbps(2.95MB/s)  up 8.61Mbps(1.08MB/s) – when connected above through a wireless router,
ipTIME N5004  dn 25.3Mbps(3.17MB/s)  up 7.69Mbps(962kB/s)   – Korea’s most popular router maker ipTIME’s latest high-end model,

KT WiBro     dn  1.76Mbps(220kB/s)  up  1.36Mbps(170kB/s)  – using KWD-U1300 USB dongle,
SK WiBro     dn  2.3Mbps(288kB/s)   up   769kbps(96.2kB/s)  – using CMOTech CBU-410S USB dongle,
KT WiBro     dn   549kbps(68.6kB/s)  up   950kbps(119kB/s)   – using KWI-B2200 “Egg” WiBro router,

numbers above flunctuate +/- 20% depending upon time of day but here shown is the lowest .
those using WiBro or this WiBro router for the first time may be surprised at the relatively slow speed (compared to office or home link)
but this is “flying” compared to the modem-speed days of earlier mobile wireless devices KTF iPlug and SKT T-Login in 2007 .
( still both were barely enough to browse Internet pages while commuting in KTX bullet trains
where KTF offered more stable connection while SKT a tad faster but breaking off randomly )

( usage terms ) WiBro connection speed – is Internet Access from exterior to this device,
and WiFi connection speed – is from this device to your laptop/portable game machine/iPod Touch .

upon using the device for whole day in the open outdoors within metropolis :
WiBro connection speed was enough to surf graphical webpages seamlessly,
while WiFi connection range AND speed was about half of the most advanced wireless router (for office/home use) above .

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[ USAGE ]

on the exterior of the device : light signals emit in RED-YELLOW-GREEN indicating exterior WiBro and innerr WiFi signals separately .
most of the time WiBro signals YELLOW meaning KT (Telecom) needs to boost their signal power or more relaying stations,
but inner WiFi signals were mostly GREEN while in an medium-sized office or home (2 bedrooms).

forwarding your browser to 192.168.1.1 address access the device control very basic compared to existing office/home routers :
simple 5-page menus allow general tweaking including WEP/WPA security settings and Port Forwarding .

however the device becomes quite warm though not hot enough to burn
and you begin to wish if it was smaller AND lighter .
(size is roughly a larger mouse and weighs like a pro-gamers’ extra weighted mouse)

internal battery is rechargeable via wall-mount plug OR USB from your computer
takes 2 hours+ to fully charge
and lasts up to 5:30 hours on continuous use .

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[ CONCLUSION ]

with this device you become completely mobile around larger cities in South Korea .

am content with the range AND speed but more impressed with the range
since the speed is still a fraction of wired office/home link .
but consider South Korea has the World’s fastest domestic Internet connection
where you download an hour-long TV series in a minute and a feature movie in two 😉
and latest high-rise buildings and apartments further cut this in half //

sufficient device for daily business or even streaming entertainment media
unless you exchange large graphic files or download movies .

please refer to my former post on KT and SKT WiBro USB dongles .

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[ June 2010 update ]

while half a dozen similar wireless service has been contemplated with different portable hardwares in South Korea from the Millennium, it is NOT widely used at all and limited to those who need it in class or work . still the evolving technology to get more close to zapping internet speeds Koreans enjoy at work or home has new firmware AND hardware introduced regularly . here, KT is currently offering exchange to newer hardwares for current subscribers, but in the case of KWI-B220o “egg” a whole new machine with shape in introduced on June 6th :
http://koreatechblog.com/2010/06/24/portable-mobile-wireless-router-kwd-b2300-known-as-egg-2-for-kt-wibro/

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– Korea Tech BLog, May 2009 –
always connected, anywhere

[ RELATED LINKS UPDATE ]

WireLess BiBro “Egg3″ interBro KWI-2400 for KT Show
– 17th April 2011 –
http://koreatechblog.com/2011/04/17/wireless-wibro-egg3-interbrokwi-2400-for-kt-show/

Second Generation of WiBro Wi-Fi called “egg2″ in ModaCom KWD-B2300 and LG innotek LKT-WR1000 in South Korea
– 13th November 2010 –
http://koreatechblog.com/2010/11/13/second-generation-of-wibro-wi-fi-modacom-kwd-b2300-lg-innotek-lkt-wr1000-interbro-egg2-south-korea-compare-difference/

Portable Mobile WireLess Router KWD-B2300 known as Egg2 for KT WiBro
– 24th June 2010 –
http://koreatechblog.com/2010/06/24/portable-mobile-wireless-router-kwd-b2300-known-as-egg-2-for-kt-wibro/

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