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802.11b Network Scanning In London And Amsterdam

jbrw writes: "Beware of cat skulls in sombreros! Bicycle + laptop + gps unit + 80I.11 magic = WarPeddlaz, currently scanning London. Replacing the bike with a canal boat, and you have the WarFloataz in Amsterdam. Pics, info and raw scan data available at free2air.org." Some amusingly altered photos in here, too. Now that I have an 802.11 card working, this is getting even more interesting.

19 of 134 comments (clear)

  1. Re:Slashdotted already? by Rackemup · · Score: 3, Redundant

    someone should really warn these smaller sites that they're about to be posted on Slashdot.. their max-users is probably set to 20.

  2. Hosting system by autocracy · · Score: 2

    "free2air proudly hosts over wireless free2air public networks" Yeah, like that doesn't have mistake written all over it. SLASHDOTTING!

    --
    SIG: HUP
  3. Free 802.11 Networks by The+Jake · · Score: 5, Interesting

    I just recently set up a Linksys BEFW11S4 router with wireless access in my apartment.

    Shortly after I set it up, I found a guy using my network via the wireless access point. At first, I was fine with it, but I realized quickly that this wasn't some guy passing on a bike, but rather someone in the same apartment building.

    I tracked him down, and told him that I wasn't in the business of providing free internet to the entire building. Now he pays half the DSL cost. Not a bad deal.

    The point is this: I still leave my network open. Anyone wandering by is free to use my 802.11 network. In fact, the settings are such that anyone with a computer set up to connect to the local university's wiress network will get a connection here.

    The lesson learned: keep your network open. Smile when some wandering soul conencts for a while. Unless you've got your own T3, though, you better make sure someone isn't getting free, continued, high speed internet, at your expense.

    1. Re:Free 802.11 Networks by LordNimon · · Score: 2
      You shouldn't allow him to use your network. If he abuses it, you will be held liable. If you try to prove that he did it, your DSL provider will then remind you that you're not supposed to share your access with outsiders. Either way, you're screwed.

      802.11 is bad idea in an apartment complex.

      --
      And the men who hold high places must be the ones who start
      To mold a new reality... closer to the heart
  4. Possible Misuse by bstadil · · Score: 5, Interesting

    What about misuse. Unless you keep excellent log files you might find yourselves in a lot of trouble if the next CodeRed get launched from your IP number. I am not saying this is a reason not to leave it open, just a reminder that it unfortunately has a flip side.

    --
    Help fight continental drift.
    1. Re:Possible Misuse by ZoneGray · · Score: 3, Informative

      For that matter, be careful what you do if you connect to an open wireless network.

      It would be simple to set up an access point, leave it open, and sniff traffic of whoever connects. If nothing else, I'd think you could collect POP passwords pretty easily.

    2. Re:Possible Misuse by firewort · · Score: 2

      My techworks.com / buffalo / melco Access point has a web page configure page, and it has the "MAC address allow list."

      I never considered how inconvenient a disallow list would be.

      --

  5. Frankfurt, GE Sniffer by kruczkowski · · Score: 2

    Frankfurt Airport has open 802.11b, all I saw was a bunch of novell and NT.

    I have the Sniffer 4.6 Wireless on my laptop, if anyone who lives in the Frankfurt area and whats to check it out, give me a shout at kruczkowski@hotmail.com (English please :)

    --
    hmm... for fun I enjoy launching DDoS attacks against 127.87.42.5
  6. Anti-slashdotting setup perchance? by shermozle · · Score: 5, Interesting

    Since /. kills many many sites with interesting stuff on them every time it links to them but is unwilling to cache the pages because the lawyers run the show there, how about Google?

    Slashdot should organise with Google to cache the page as they approve a post. Google grabs the site before the hoards and next to the real link /. posts the google cache URL?

    1. Re:Anti-slashdotting setup perchance? by scrytch · · Score: 2

      Since /. kills many many sites with interesting stuff on them every time it links to them but is unwilling to cache the pages because the lawyers run the show there, how about Google?

      Slashdot likes to think it carries breaking news, and thus the versions in the google cache would be stale. Organizing it with google would just drag google into the lawyers' liability game.

      --
      I've finally had it: until slashdot gets article moderation, I am not coming back.
  7. Improving 802.11b security by nsayer · · Score: 3, Informative
    For what it's worth, my page at FreeBSD has some instructions on how to set up PPPoE and/or PPTP on a FreeBSD server to use as a way to secure a wireless LAN.

    People may find my wireless LAN -- they may even DHCP an IP address from it, but they won't be able to actually do anything once they do. :-)

  8. Re:slashdot counter-measures implemented? by jbrw · · Score: 3, Informative

    I'd be that SMSing person...

    We're juggling like made here at the moment. Just opening up the firewall a touch so we can move the database on to a beefier machine.

    I guess we'll add to our woes by posting some of the traffic graphs once it's calmed down a little.

  9. Re:Scanning Cities by Russ+Steffen · · Score: 2

    Or, it could be 4) other security measures. The wireless netrwork here does not use link-level (WEP) encryption becuase it has been shown to be fundamentally broken many, many times. Instead, in order to get out of the wireless network you have to establish a VPN tunnel. And that kind of setup wouldn't be apparent to someone just scanning for networks.

  10. It's all about the cheapness by Wesley+Felter · · Score: 2

    People keep wondering why there are so many open wireless networks around. Sure, many of them are probably explained by laziness. But I'll bet a lot of them are due to good old-fashioned cheapness.

    When I bought my access point, I got the absolute cheapest one I could find; of course it only has useless 40-bit WEP and the configuration utility only runs on Windows (which I don't have). But I'm not worried about people freeloading; I just turn it off when I'm not using it. :-)

    1. Re:It's all about the cheapness by Fluffy+the+Cat · · Score: 2

      WEP buys you very little. It's the equivilent of putting a tiny padlock on a bike - it may deter somebody who's just looking for an easy target, but it's not going to stop anyone who wants access. Depending on the traffic levels on your network, WEP can be broken within a few hours. Even worse, the time taken to crack the encryption scales linearly with the number of bits - 128 will only take 3 times as long to break, not 2^88.

  11. Idea for other bicycle project... by Ed+Avis · · Score: 2

    This may be OT, but I'd like to see bicycle + gps unit + digital camera == cartography (somehow). Maps are expensive and non-free in many countries (seems the US is lucky here to have govt. information in the public domain), but it seems that somehow you could gather free street map information just by walking around with a GPS-enabled PDA and occasionally typing in information like 'I am crossing over the junction of Fred Street with Jim Road'. Taking pictures and having them automatically associated with your current GPS location and compass direction would also be cool.

    (Just an idea, maybe one day I'll get a PDA with GPS and a digital camera and try it out. But the kit seems a bit expensive at the moment.)

    --
    -- Ed Avis ed@membled.com
  12. Terms & Conditions by Peter+Clary · · Score: 2, Insightful

    Well, I have a cablemodem and my ISP's Terms and Conditions clearly state that I'm not allowed to share my connection. This was probably because some neighbours string network cable between adjoining houses, but it's just as applicable for wireless.

    You are responsible for what happens on your connection. If somebody uses your connection for something nasty (accessing illegal material, etc) then you could be in trouble.

    I've been dying to go wireless, but I need to be sure that I *can* keep it secure.

    Freely shared wireless networks are a lovely ideal, but be careful you don't get burned. Check your ISPs Terms and Conditions.

    Paranoid Pete.

  13. Apple airport by supabeast! · · Score: 2

    Anyone know if Apple airport cards are good for leeching bandwidth?

  14. Re:Slashdotted already? by jbrw · · Score: 2

    free2air.org provides 802.11b network access in the East End of London. They're not leeching anything (erm, but I do - I get my bandwidth from them)... In fact, they're one of the few organisations openly providing wireless access.