Apple Store free Wi-Fi going 802.11n only?
It’s a familiar situation for the faithful—yet another legacy technology is facing oblivion at the hands of Apple. As with the forced migration from OS 9 to OS X, Apple Desktop Bus to USB, NuBus to PCI , SCSI to FireWire and just plain death for the floppy disc, Apple is said to be once again pushing the envelope by ending support for legacy wireless networking gear.
What was once deluxe is now debris
If you’re anything like me—a Mac user for over 20 years—you have got a drawer full of bits and bobs that, despite being fully functional, just aren’t useful anymore. Well, to be honest, I’m pretty good about giving things away, selling them off, recycling or just getting rid of them. Nevertheless, if I had saved the SCSI gear alone—scanner, hard discs, optical disc burners, printers, cabling, ugh, cabling—I acquired over the years, I’d need a new and much larger equipment storage cabinet than the one currently under my desk.
Thereupon, quoting reader reports from the field, ifoAppleStore reports that some brick and mortar Apple Store locations have begun turning off 802.11b and 802.11g compatibility, restricting access to only 802.11n equipped portables.
As a somewhat incredulous ifoAppleStore article commentator noted, shutting off access to 802.11b/g would leave iPhone and iPod touch users out in the cold, as those devices access Wi-Fi via those earlier versions of the IEEE wireless standard.
Is it possible individual Apple Stores are tweaking access to limit the drag that 802.11b/g users place on their networks, perhaps even targeting specific leaches customers? Those seem like solid possible reasons for a thoughtful store manager to take action.
However, I really seriously doubt Apple as a corporation has adopted a policy of excluding iPod touch and iPhone users from Apple Store wireless networks.
Then again, knowing Apple the way we do, it makes you wonder if Apple Stores will move to ghettoize 802.11b/g users, perhaps only permitting Apple handhelds to connect using those slower protocols? Food for thought…
What’s your take?
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February 24th, 2009
Apple retails stores have two networks. One .n for demo and one b/g/n open for any to use.
February 24th, 2009
Wouldn’t doing this almost make the Apple Stores like Best Buy, especially when shopping for a Touch? Look, but don’t try!
February 24th, 2009
There are two networks in Apple Stores: Apple Store and Apple Demo. IIRC, Apple Demo is supposed to be used for iPhone/iPod Touch. My guess is that they don’t want the slower iPods/iPhones making the computers crawl, and a good way to prevent that is to ‘physically’ prevent those handhelds from joining.
July 7th, 2010
Well, it looks like the 2 commenter must have been correct about the Apple Store and Apple Demo network.
The Apple Store in Atlantic City, definitely let my iPhone 2G and Nokia N810 on right away.
I didn’t even see Apple Demo, so either this store failed to have said WiFi, or because it’s N-only, my devices never saw it.