With recent proliferation in wireless services and increase in the number of end-users, wireless industry is fast moving toward a new wireless networking model where wireless service providers are finding it difficult to satisfy users and increase revenue with just the spectrum statically allocated. Spectrum usage being both space and time dependent, a static allocation often leads to low spectrum utilization and "artificial scarcity" of spectrum. This results in significant amount of "white space" (unused band) available in several spectral bands that could be exploited by both licensed and unlicensed services.

SpiderRadio is a low cost software driven cognitive radio prototype that can fulfill this requirement. SpiderRadio can sense radio spectrum, detect primary users or interference and switch channels for dynamic spectrum access. Standard commodity hardware such as IEEE 802.11a/b/g radio cards, laptops, Soekris boards are used. With its new MAC protocols and software virtualization, channel bonding/aggregation/fragmentation, dynamic spectrum access, ad hoc networking, are some of the capabilities currently supported.