Chicago seeks city wide wireless Internet access...

[Dagummit]

Okay, while maybe a good idea at one side of the coin, but on the flip side this REEKS of socialism and the possibility of gov't intrusion and oppression.

Mayor Daley, Chicago, is seeking to provide Internet access, via wireless technology, to all of Chicago....but there are some stipulations:

(From the article)
The provider would have to:
1. commit to keep rates low
2. provide access even in the city's poorest neighborhoods
3. offer free access in schools, public parks and other destination "hot spots"
4. support digital inclusion projects to make computers more widely available to low-income residents.

I agree with #1 and even #2 (since it is a city project), but the other two are bullshit. Why should a provider have to give free access to schools and promise to beef up the ghettos technically? Why can't they just provide the service, for a fee, and that be that? Why make stipulations?

Now on to the gov't intrusion plot that I see coming...

We all now Daley is a piece of shit, just like his dad. I see this as a way for the city to "lock" down certain areas of the Net...say porn sites? racist sites? Conservative sites? (yeah you laugh)...whatever...but "freedom of Internet" should be the drive. Just wait...it is just a matter of time before this turns into another rung of liberal hell.

Oh yeah...here is the link to the article:

http://www.breitbart.com/news/2006/05/31/060531164234.5yok2arv.html

[Jimbo]

I think thats very cool but I would never use because of things like filters and stuff. I mean browsing the internet thats fine but I woudln't use it for anything personal.

I agree with you on those other issues though Dag, I definitely don't think the company should have to provide computers to poor residents. If they don't have one that is nobody problem but there own.

[Wadi66]

If you're using wireless, how easy would it be for someone outside your home to hack your activities?

[FKLBRLS]

So does this just mean that Chicago has is a gigantic wireless hotspot, like a large-scale Starbucks? Or does it mean that all internet access is maintained by the local government, basically being like the city paying for everyone's phone bill but for the internet instead? I have no problem having a huge hotspot where a laptop can work anywhere but I do have a problem with socializing ANYTHING.

[Guns R Cool]

If you're using wireless, how easy would it be for someone outside your home to hack your activities?

I'm not a computer wiz, but that's my first concern there. Everyone would be using the same account...I think? Where's Eric?

[Dagummit]

If you're using wireless, how easy would it be for someone outside your home to hack your activities?

It all depends on what encryption and other security features that you use at your wireless router base...

Here is my reco...

On your wireless router:
Disable SSID broadcasting. This is the "Service Set Identifier" of your wireless network. When you have, say, a laptop turned on with your 802.11 card panning for wireless signals, this is what it will pick up. All of them come with default SSID's, such as a Linksys w-router would be called "Linksys", etc. This makes it REALLY easy to step right on through the "doorway" since they also have a default password and there are sites that list them ALL. But if no SSID can be seen, then a person wouldn't know that a wireless network is around (without expensive frequency detection equiptment).

Change the w-router password

Edit your ACL (access control list) on the w-router. You should edit your ACL to only allow your KNOWN MAC addresses. A MAC address is like a fingerprint on your NIC (network interface card). No two are the same (or at least suppose to be that way). Doing this will only allow your w-router to accept your computers, laptops, etc. which keeps wardrivers out.

USE ENCRYTPION This is the most important thing that you can do for security is to use encryption for your w-router access. When you turn on your laptop or whatever and attempt to access the w-router (usually the first time during the setup), you will be prompted to enter in a passphrase, which should be at least 128-bit encrypted (such as WPA, WEP2, etc.)

Oh yeah...a wardriver is someone who literally drives around looking for SSID's that are unencrypted, then all hell can break loose. They really don't hack anything because they aren't breaking into anything. People are leaving themselves wide ass open, so they just "walk" right on in.

The most active wardriving is right after Christmas when people get their "new" wireless routers and set them rather quickly without securing them.

Hope this helps.

[Wadi66]

SF is what you're talking about wireless? Or landlines?

[Jimbo]

Just because the city is wireless doesn't mean your house uses the same connection. I would still always have my own line from a provider of my choice for my own house.