06.08.2002 Connecting Islands with 802.11b 70,5 km - New computer wireless connection world record established in the Canary Islands, Spain One month after beating the Spanish national record, until then 35km, with a 54km link, the Canarian Asociation of Wireless Networks has established a new world record of 70,5km linking the Islands of Tenerife and Gran Canaria. Saturday 3rd of August at 4h30PM a new computer wireless connection world record was established. Thanks to the 802.11b tecnology a laptop computer located in Santa Cruz de Tenerife was connected oversea with another one located in Gran Canaria without using any amplifyer. A video conference was achieved at 1Mbps showing journalist and witnesses the benefits of this tecnology. Two days earlier during a pre-event trial a 5,5Mbps connection was achieved. They believe the change in weather conditions may be the reason for the lower speed. The hardware used during the event was 1 Dell and 1 Asus computer laptops both with D-Link wireless cards and two 24db grid antennaes. The world record was organised by a party of internet users belonging to ACRI (Asociación Canaria de Redes Inalámbrica - Canarian Asociation of Wireless Networks) and a group of linux users that happen to be in a computer congress in Gran Canaria. The assocition aim is to link all seven Canary Islands with wireless technology, a backbone is being built at the moment and several access points are already active. The main difference between ACRIs project and others is the will to give a high quality service and access to Internet, not just networking computers for fun and investigation. Not all end users are computer freaks, many just want a good quality access to the Internet and are willing to give up their high cost DSL connection in favour of wireless technology. The public reaction has been very encouraging and many Internet users have contacted the association to join the project. ACRI is asking for full cooperation with wireless material makers to help them setup the backbone. This is a great opportunity for these companies to open new wireless markets. Without a serious backbone very few end users would purshase wireless cards. They offer hardware makers to have a real time laboratory where to test their material. According to Eric Gibaud, ACRIs President, Several companies have already approached them but no agreement has been signed yet.