Unregulated "White Space" Allocations

[Stan Harper]

Any comments on this from the professionals?

http://www.magdahavas.com/2010/09/24/white-spaces-super-wifi-and-potentially-dangerous/

Excerpt:

"The FCC agreed to open up a large band of now unused TV spectrum for
digital data communications for Super WiFi. It’s called White Space TV
BAND spectrum. It’s free and mostly unregulated."

Yes, unregulated, unpoliced and, judging from recent research,
possibly unsafe.

Stan Harper

 

[[email protected]]

I'm always puzzled by all the wireless shit... who needs it?

We have the wireless router on top of the book cases in the great room; quite
central. I generally use the computer in an upstairs bedroom and my wife in
the great room. I also have a netbook I wander around with, once in a while
(screen is too small).

Cable comes into our house into modem into (Barricade) router into
CAT-5 to my office and the wife's and the grandkids' playroom
(restricted access).

I see no need in the kitchen, in the bedroom or the great room when
I'm watching TV.

My wife cooks with her laptop sitting on the counter. She'll often find a
recipe on the Internet. I set up a 22" monitor on the counter so she can read
it easily.

I did configure my laptop for when I travel, and was appalled at all
the unsecured networks running in my neighborhood :-(

No unsecured ones here (I tried when ours was down). When we lived in an
apartment for the year in Ohio there were at least a dozen unsecured ones
available for the choosing. College kids.

 

[Dirk Bruere at NeoPax]

We have the wireless router on top of the book cases in the great room; quite
central. I generally use the computer in an upstairs bedroom and my wife in
the great room. I also have a netbook I wander around with, once in a while
(screen is too small).


My wife cooks with her laptop sitting on the counter. She'll often find a
recipe on the Internet. I set up a 22" monitor on the counter so she can read
it easily.


No unsecured ones here (I tried when ours was down). When we lived in an
apartment for the year in Ohio there were at least a dozen unsecured ones
available for the choosing. College kids.

As soon as everyone has a Tablet WiFi will be mandatory

 

[[email protected]]

As soon as everyone has a Tablet WiFi will be mandatory

Oh, yeah, I forgot. She also has a B&N Nook (ebook reader). ...actually two.

 

[Spehro Pefhany]

No unsecured ones here (I tried when ours was down). When we lived in an
apartment for the year in Ohio there were at least a dozen unsecured ones
available for the choosing. College kids.

I notice there are far fewer around than a few years ago (sitting in a
coffee shop opposite a tall apartment or office building you can see
_lots_ of routers). Since people in general don't seem to be getting
any smarter or all that much more technically savvy, I suspect the
router mfrs have been altering the setup defaults to force some kind
of minimal security as the easiest way to do a setup.


Best regards,
Spehro Pefhany

 

[Spehro Pefhany]

As soon as everyone has a Tablet WiFi will be mandatory

It would be nice if 3G was affordable enough to make that untrue,
but..


Best regards,
Spehro Pefhany

 

[[email protected]]

I notice there are far fewer around than a few years ago (sitting in a
coffee shop opposite a tall apartment or office building you can see
_lots_ of routers). Since people in general don't seem to be getting
any smarter or all that much more technically savvy, I suspect the
router mfrs have been altering the setup defaults to force some kind
of minimal security as the easiest way to do a setup.

Probably. Laptop manufacturers have been busy making setup a lot easier, too.
Still gotta swap keys, though.

 

[Rich Grise]

Yes, true for existing WiFi and cell phone devices as well. All our
cell phones are off by default, except when going on the road. Our
WiFi router is only on when my wife is using her laptop. "Honey, can
you turn on the router?". I am amazed to see our neighbours with WiFi
on 24/7. With super WiFi coming, we might need to install thick lead
walls.

Nah, that's not necessary. One layer of copper mash should do the trick.

Cheers!
Rich

 

[Dirk Bruere at NeoPax]

It would be nice if 3G was affordable enough to make that untrue,
but..

WiFi hotspots seem to be spreading fast.
At some point they must have an impact on the economics of 3G (4G)

 

[[email protected]]

I was amazed to find that our Linux box at home was getting hundreds of
attempts to get into its SSH port every day. :-( -- It's on a very short leash
now, banning any incoming IP after something like 3 incorrect login attempts.
(Plus a lot of attempts try "root", which is completely locked out.)

Could it be your ISP looking for a "server"? Many have T&Cs that ban such
things and will probe for them.

 

[Dirk Bruere at NeoPax]

He sounds like a crank?

Seriously... CB radios are "mostly unlicensed" and also 4W. GMRS is
supposed to be licensed, but few if anyone even bothers anymore... and
those are up to 50W (albeit ~4W is much more common). And heck, most
people can get an amateur radio license by attending a one-day course,
and then they can transmit hundreds of watts of power... including
various "pulsed digital" modes.

Basically... if there is a danger there, my opinion is that it's
insignificant compared to that of driving to work every day or spending
a nice sunny afternoon on the beach without sunblock (...the sun being
~1kW/m^2 and all!).

If that were gamma rays it could be quite dangerous!

 

[Stan Harper]

He sounds like a crank?

Seriously... CB radios are "mostly unlicensed" and also 4W. GMRS is supposed
to be licensed, but few if anyone even bothers anymore... and those are up to
50W (albeit ~4W is much more common). And heck, most people can get an
amateur radio license by attending a one-day course, and then they can
transmit hundreds of watts of power... including various "pulsed digital"
modes.

Basically... if there is a danger there, my opinion is that it's insignificant
compared to that of driving to work every day or spending a nice sunny
afternoon on the beach without sunblock (...the sun being ~1kW/m^2 and all!).

Actually, YOU sound like a crank. Read the literature and then make a
comment that is not 10 years behind the times.

How much poison is enough for you?

Stan

 

[Rich Grise]

Copper "mash"? Is that like Jack Daniel's ?

No, it's because of it. ;-)

Cheers!
Rich

 

[Rich Grise]

The effect of drinking any and everything with alcohol in it.

He should look at the price of copper mesh some time. Even better is
bronze, which doesn't oxidize so fast.

I didn't bother with that - it's not my house; but I'd bet it'd be cheaper
than "thick lead walls!" ;-)

Cheers!
Rich