> Everybody keeps talking about custom optical bridges and such, but > what about powerboosted IrDA links? Some guys at a MacHack a few years > back did something clever with lenses, diodes and a PowerBook (or was > it iMac?) to extend an IrDA link over a fair distance (50 yards or > something). Could we not find some good optics and do the same thing Yes, IrDA *can* be made to work over longer distances. In fact, several of the Ir network links that have been hacked together are using IrDA. The protocol has a fair amount of overhead that really detracts from the raw speed. > over a much greater range? Not only would we be able to boost the > power as much as we want (no FCC, right?), it would also be difficult > to eavesdrop in two ways: #1 you have to find the beam, and #2 you > have to grab a piece of it without burning yourself. Well..*someone* is going to complain if you hook up a 2MW laser:) > Most newish > (1999 on or so) laptops and desktops have full speed (4Mbps) IrDA > built in, making amps and optics shouldn't be terribly difficult. Bother of these things are probably more difficult then building a decent yagi antenna. I also suspect that the PowerBook's weren't communicating at 4mbps either. > Patching a laser in instead of the regular diode shouldn't be terribly > difficult either. I also suspect that that's be harder then you think. The trick is to get it fast. The commercial products don't use powerful lasers, they use damn good optics and signal processing. --Justin