For cops and firefighters, being wireless isn't just about walkie-talkies anymore. An increasing number of emergency workers rely on high-speed wireless data networks while on the job. But many of these networks are set up in a hub-and-spoke configuration: if a hub, such as a wireless base station, goes down, the network fails. This summer, Belmont, CA's PacketHop will release software designed to prevent that type of failure. The software enables standard Wi-Fi-equipped laptops, PDAs, and other devices to form their own "mesh" networks and share video, photos, messages, and location data. With the technology, emergency workers at a disaster site can "set up a network on the fly without the need for infrastructure," says Michael Howse, the startup's president and CEO.

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