Demarc 300mW Card Safety

hardware.hank · 07-09-2004

Hello. I've read in some forums that the 300mW Demarc card was not for use in laptops. I emailed the manufacturer, and he replied with this:

"This is 100% correct the radios should be use more then 20cm away from a person via the FCC rules but this does not stop it from
being used in a laptop. Keep in mind there is well over 1W of power coming out of most cell phones now a days.

Sincerely, Tony Morella
Demarc Technology Group, A Wireless Solution Provider"

I looked up the FCC regulation on Cell phones, and the reg is 1.6 watts per kilogram - so in a sense he could technically be right about that...but that's beside the point.

So, the 300mW cards ARE SAFE as long as you're 20 cm away.

wrzwaldo · 07-09-2004

Quote:

Originally Posted by hardware.hank

Hello. I've read in some forums that the 300mW Demarc card was not for use in laptops. I emailed the manufacturer, and he replied with this:

"This is 100% correct the radios should be use more then 20cm away from a person via the FCC rules but this does not stop it from
being used in a laptop. Keep in mind there is well over 1W of power coming out of most cell phones now a days.

Sincerely, Tony Morella
Demarc Technology Group, A Wireless Solution Provider"

I looked up the FCC regulation on Cell phones, and the reg is 1.6 watts per kilogram - so in a sense he could technically be right about that...but that's beside the point.

So, the 300mW cards ARE SAFE as long as you're 20 cm away.

As long as you do not add a higher gain antenna! And if you do make sure you do the math and maintain proper distance from said antenna.

fordem · 07-11-2004

Quote:

Originally Posted by hardware.hank

Hello. I've read in some forums that the 300mW Demarc card was not for use in laptops. I emailed the manufacturer, and he replied with this:

"This is 100% correct the radios should be use more then 20cm away from a person via the FCC rules but this does not stop it from
being used in a laptop. Keep in mind there is well over 1W of power coming out of most cell phones now a days.

Sincerely, Tony Morella
Demarc Technology Group, A Wireless Solution Provider"

I looked up the FCC regulation on Cell phones, and the reg is 1.6 watts per kilogram - so in a sense he could technically be right about that...but that's beside the point.

So, the 300mW cards ARE SAFE as long as you're 20 cm away.

I'm surprised at Demarc - they should be aware that the frequency at which the power is radiated also plays a part - cellphones don't radiate at 2.4GHz, which just happens to be the resonant frequency of water, which the human body contains in large quantities ....

PhilJSmith67 · 07-12-2004

Without doing any scientific experiments to measure this, I would guess that it would be safer to stick an external antenna on the laptop cover toward the front, so that when the lid is open it's positioned behind the screen, at least 20 cm away from your hands and much farther from the rest of your body.

But, I still don't think this is a concern, if you can control power levels with this card for each usage scenario.

If you're WARdriving, chances are the antenna isn't anywhere near you. Crank the power up to 300mW so you can get any many access points as possible to bark at you.

If you're not WARdriving, chances are you're not at the very edge of your access point's range. I don't know about anyone else, but my preference is to lower the power on my Cisco card to the minimum necessary for 100% reliabile communications. At home, that just happens to be 10mW for me (longer battery time, too!). My AP's power is already leaking beyond the walls of my house. Why should I give someone running Kismet a second super-duper signal to pick?!?

hardwarehank · 07-13-2004

Thanks for the suggestions, guys!

I was also a bit surprised at Demarc about the cell phone comment, but as long as they make a good product, they have my vote

.

PhilJSmith67 · 07-13-2004

Yeah, odd comment... Around 1990 the mfrs began limiting power on handheld analog cell phones to 0.6W, instead of the full 3W. Digital modes typically transmit with even less power on today's phones, and the TX signal isn't "constantly on" as it was with analog. My Nokia 3589i will only go up to 0.3W if I switch it to analog. Each cell site sends commands to each individual phone to switch to lower power levels based on signal strength, too.

Actually, I wish that the 802.11 protocol worked that way. I wouldn't mind having my 100mw card drop itself down to about 5mw if I were in the same room as the access point, then run back up toward 100mw as I walked farther away. As far as I know, power levels are not dynamically modified under 802.11. This is done really well with GSM, and CDMA as long as it's 1xRTT and not IS-95.

slicemaster101 · 07-14-2004

Quote:

Originally Posted by hardware.hank

Hello. I've read in some forums that the 300mW Demarc card was not for use in laptops. I emailed the manufacturer, and he replied with this:

"This is 100% correct the radios should be use more then 20cm away from a person via the FCC rules but this does not stop it from
being used in a laptop. Keep in mind there is well over 1W of power coming out of most cell phones now a days.

Sincerely, Tony Morella
Demarc Technology Group, A Wireless Solution Provider"

I looked up the FCC regulation on Cell phones, and the reg is 1.6 watts per kilogram - so in a sense he could technically be right about that...but that's beside the point.

So, the 300mW cards ARE SAFE as long as you're 20 cm away.

I’m new to WiFi...
Why would it be unsafe? What does that type of power do to you?

Thorn · 07-14-2004

Quote:

Originally Posted by slicemaster101

i'm new to wifi... whay would it be unsafe? what does that type of power do to you?

WiFi is microwave RF. Microwaves cook meat. You are meat (presumably.)
Therefore you want a minimum 20cm distance unless you don't mind cooked parts. For what it is worth, the eyes and the testicles are the two areas most susceptible.

slicemaster101 · 07-14-2004

thats what i thaught... thanks

Thorn · 07-14-2004

Quote:

Originally Posted by slicemaster101

thats what i thaught... thanks

You're welcome. Now then, would you please do us all a favor and learn to type like a big boy?

slicemaster101 · 07-15-2004

Quote:

Originally Posted by Thorn

You're welcome. Now then, would you please do us all a favor and learn to type like a big boy?

What the heck are you talking about?
Did I offend you in anyway? I didn’t know that people could get so prissy over shorthand, but what ever. To each his own, right?

Signed,
Slice

hardwarehank · 07-15-2004

Well, you mis-spelled 2 words, but I don't feel that you were deserving of that comment from Thorn. Nonetheless, this thread is pretty dead, but I think a mod should throw a safety FAQ into the FAQ thread (presuming there isn't one already). I don't have time right now to look thru the FAQ, but I have perused it before, and haven't seen anything pertaining to this.

G8tK33per · 07-15-2004

Quote:

Originally Posted by hardwarehank

Well, you mis-spelled 2 words, but I don't feel that you were deserving of that comment from Thorn. Nonetheless, this thread is pretty dead, but I think a mod should throw a safety FAQ into the FAQ thread (presuming there isn't one already). I don't have time right now to look thru the FAQ, but I have perused it before, and haven't seen anything pertaining to this.

Well then read this:

If you don't like it, take a fucking hike asswipe. Maybe you should read the posted statements at the bottom of every page. Then, go to the front page...the forum index, and see who you should NOT run your mouth to.

You AOL-typing fucknuts need to go somewhere else, try duh-broken.

Goddamn morons, no one here has the time to spoonfeed your ass or put up with your juvenile-leet-dude-AOL-speek asses.

hardwarehank · 07-15-2004

Quote:

Originally Posted by G8tK33per

Well then read this:

If you don't like it, take a fucking hike asswipe. Maybe you should read the posted statements at the bottom of every page. Then, go to the front page...the forum index, and see who you should NOT run your mouth to.

You AOL-typing fucknuts need to go somewhere else, try duh-broken.

Goddamn morons, no one here has the time to spoonfeed your ass or put up with your juvenile-leet-dude-AOL-speek asses.

WTF Are you talking about? Is it WRONG to ask a mod to add something to the FAQ?

G8tK33per · 07-15-2004

Quote:

Originally Posted by hardwarehank

WTF Are you talking about? Is it WRONG to ask a mod to add something to the FAQ?

Here's your safety FAQ, it's clearly written in the forum rules:

Note: Administrators and moderators reserve the right to delete your post, or ban you from the forums for violating the forum rules, written or otherwise.

Typing like an ignorant juvenile little bitch comes under the "otherwise" part.

Now, move along.

07-09-2004	#1 (permalink)
hardware.hank Registered Member Join Date: Jul 2004 Posts: 2	Demarc 300mW Card Safety Hello. I've read in some forums that the 300mW Demarc card was not for use in laptops. I emailed the manufacturer, and he replied with this: "This is 100% correct the radios should be use more then 20cm away from a person via the FCC rules but this does not stop it from being used in a laptop. Keep in mind there is well over 1W of power coming out of most cell phones now a days. Sincerely, Tony Morella Demarc Technology Group, A Wireless Solution Provider" I looked up the FCC regulation on Cell phones, and the reg is 1.6 watts per kilogram - so in a sense he could technically be right about that...but that's beside the point. So, the 300mW cards ARE SAFE as long as you're 20 cm away.

07-12-2004	#4 (permalink)
PhilJSmith67 Registered Member Join Date: May 2003 Location: NE Illinois Posts: 17	Demarc 300mW Card Safety Without doing any scientific experiments to measure this, I would guess that it would be safer to stick an external antenna on the laptop cover toward the front, so that when the lid is open it's positioned behind the screen, at least 20 cm away from your hands and much farther from the rest of your body. But, I still don't think this is a concern, if you can control power levels with this card for each usage scenario. If you're WARdriving, chances are the antenna isn't anywhere near you. Crank the power up to 300mW so you can get any many access points as possible to bark at you. If you're not WARdriving, chances are you're not at the very edge of your access point's range. I don't know about anyone else, but my preference is to lower the power on my Cisco card to the minimum necessary for 100% reliabile communications. At home, that just happens to be 10mW for me (longer battery time, too!). My AP's power is already leaking beyond the walls of my house. Why should I give someone running Kismet a second super-duper signal to pick?!?

Thread Tools
Show Printable Version Email this Page
Display Modes
Linear Mode Switch to Hybrid Mode Switch to Threaded Mode

07-13-2004	#5 (permalink)
hardwarehank Registered Member Join Date: Aug 2003 Posts: 5	Thanks for the suggestions, guys! I was also a bit surprised at Demarc about the cell phone comment, but as long as they make a good product, they have my vote .

07-13-2004	#6 (permalink)
PhilJSmith67 Registered Member Join Date: May 2003 Location: NE Illinois Posts: 17	Yeah, odd comment... Around 1990 the mfrs began limiting power on handheld analog cell phones to 0.6W, instead of the full 3W. Digital modes typically transmit with even less power on today's phones, and the TX signal isn't "constantly on" as it was with analog. My Nokia 3589i will only go up to 0.3W if I switch it to analog. Each cell site sends commands to each individual phone to switch to lower power levels based on signal strength, too. Actually, I wish that the 802.11 protocol worked that way. I wouldn't mind having my 100mw card drop itself down to about 5mw if I were in the same room as the access point, then run back up toward 100mw as I walked farther away. As far as I know, power levels are not dynamically modified under 802.11. This is done really well with GSM, and CDMA as long as it's 1xRTT and not IS-95.

07-14-2004	#9 (permalink)
slicemaster101 Registered Member Join Date: Jul 2004 Posts: 8	thats what i thaught... thanks

07-15-2004	#12 (permalink)
hardwarehank Registered Member Join Date: Aug 2003 Posts: 5	Well, you mis-spelled 2 words, but I don't feel that you were deserving of that comment from Thorn. Nonetheless, this thread is pretty dead, but I think a mod should throw a safety FAQ into the FAQ thread (presuming there isn't one already). I don't have time right now to look thru the FAQ, but I have perused it before, and haven't seen anything pertaining to this.