WiFi Triangulation

mikegroovy writes "WiFi software tracks you down: 'Positioning technology company Ekahau has released an updated version of its software, which allows devices to be physically tracked when they are connected to an 802.11 WLAN network.' Maybe connections that are made from the street(or outside of a predefined area) could be automatically disconnected... It may spell an end to warchalking."

Comments

I question the accuracy w/ relation to networking

[PhysicsScholar]

Out of the various possible routes taken by a TCP/IP packet in transmission, one line l may be chosen with peak in point p relative to which the line is symmetric (relative distance and velocity, v(p), are minimal).

Therefore, the scalar potential field created by such movement obeys Zipf's Law of Power (so do Web links, but that's for another post perhaps).

Bottom line -- be weary of news releases such as this one that proclaim to track you via traditional IP methods. Unlike the X10 cam, most of these software crocks of crud simply don't work!

Also, here in the UK our 802.11 cards are very different from traditional eth0s you folks may have in the States. Yet another question to ponder...