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2003 Seattle Wireless Field Day
propellerhead writes "Today is 2003 Wireless Field Day for Seattle Wireless. 'Similar to amateur radio field day, a mock emergency network will be created this summer using off-the-shelf 802.11b hardware, computers, and battery/gas power supplies. Network applications such as VoIP (Voice over IP or Internet Telephony), streaming audio and video, file sharing, chat, network games, and others will be implemented across a multi-hop wireless infrastructure. If resources allow, the goal is to connect this mobile network to the existing Seattle Wireless network, which currently exists in the Seattle area. This network can also provide access to the internet and our community network partners like Seattle Pacific University and Council House Projects.'"
Great News!!!
I will no longer need to use my microwave to cook my popcorn. I'll be able to just leave it near the window and POP POP POP away!!!
Time to karma whore cuz the server's getting slow ;)
Google Cache
This is a great idea though -- hopefully it doesn't get as annoying as mock emergency fire drills did back in residence at college.
Network applications such as VoIP (Voice over IP or Internet Telephony), streaming audio and video, file sharing, chat, network games, and others will be implemented...
Like people are really going to need to chat, share files, and watch streaming video during an emergency.
/usr/bin/complain >
is watching the wireless bungee jumpers jump off
the bridge, and the motorists egging them on
they only do it once apiece
just to get your slashdot fix.
Big Brother Bush is doubleplus ungood.
... file sharing, chat, network games, and others...
"Power out... disaster... locusts... must... play... Unreal Tournament... critical..."
"a mock emergency network ... video, file sharing, games"
That sounds like an emergency for slashdotters.
That those 802.11b wireless access points will work really well when the power grid dies. Heh. The reason amateur radio is useful in these scenarios is that it only takes one guy with a generator to communicate with people far away, who can relay information to authorities and media agencies. Anyway, I guess I'm just missing the point, but it is somewhat comforting to know that the sky may be falling, but I'll still be able to bounce some HTTP requests for autopr0n.com through the emergency 802.11b network and get a last wank in before the world comes tumbling down.
When the power goes out so long that my server and cable modem go down, I have nothing left to do but play UT.
"Power out... disaster... locusts...
That's an SEP. (Someone Elses Problem.)
You can't judge a book by the way it wears its hair.
I'm no expert when it comes to this stuff so I'll just ask...
Are most people who enjoy using these giant, free, wireless networks still checking there mail with good old, send the password plaintext, POP? Are networks like this just a giant smorgasborg a free information floating around for anybody to grab? Considering your average Joe uses the same password for everything I would think this would be problematic.
What security mechanisms are place that makes this difficult?
I did set the MAC address filter and I'm using WEP and planing to PPTP into my other firewall in front of my home network, instead of putting the Linksys behind my firewall. Any advice would be welcome.
The point of this event is more to meet people than to do any real technical stuff.
:)
The networking was not that difficult, getting computers / custom AP software to work seemed to take time. Doing the distance we did over open wawa was not very hard.
Too Bad Slashdot posting was 8 hours too late
Yes, you can get a sunburn in Seattle. Especially if you are bald at 35 and too stupid to consider it.
Hello all. I attended the demonstration at the Alki site. I'll try and give a basic description of what it was like.
s sfieldday
We used a 18(?) dbi Yagi to connect to someone in the Columbia tower (the big black building, the tallest in Seattle). We also used a 24 dbi parabolic to connect to the Magnolia site. First we got internet working by relaying through a guys office in the tower. I got over 250 kB/s at some points. It took us a while longer, but we eventually got the connection to Magnolia working. Actually, Ken Caruso did most of the work fixing the Soekris box on the Magnolia end (it was configured for a different network). We had a little bit of problems with the DNS for the internet access, but that was eventually fixed. We were all able to get into an IRC room and use iChat, but we weren't successful on getting iChat AV to work across the main link. I think it may have to do with the fact that all the computers were behind a NAT to the internet. Rendezvous, unfortunately, didn't work across the link because we were routing.
It was actually a sight to see. We had solar panels, batteries, a generator, lots of tables, tons of cables, video cameras, still cameras, cell phones with cameras, FRS radios, etc. Actually, you can see it. I have pictures on my website:
http://www.andrewhitchcock.org/gallery/2003wirele
Andrew
Interesting experiment, I wonder what security measures they'll put up. I'd hate to think that you're in a jam and you need to post your social security number and other info, only to have it stolen by a guy with ethereal also connected. :(
wow this is uberly coool... Now I wish I had enough $$$ to buy hardware and make something of this...
http://www.halfbakery.com/idea/Pringle-Can_20Wi-fi _20Emergency_20Networks
meh
In Seattle? We have a lot of clouds, you know. But I guess that annoying orange orb has been out frying us all summer. Why won't it just go away!?
Most likely the #1 Unfunny Meta/Moderator on
I mean, I live 5mi from this demonstration, and I don't hear about it until it's over. Was it announced anywhere? Or do I still not understand how people schedule things in this city; i.e., being `on time' means you're 30 minutes late, and things don't get announced until two hours before they happen. Honestly though? Was it announced?
Well, this message is going to be rated Depressed Slacker.
Most likely the #1 Unfunny Meta/Moderator on
I still don't think you can take this network seriously when it comes to using it as a tool in the case of emergencies. Case in point: remember the "I told u I was hardcore" guy? The idiot who ODed while chatting on IRC with his buddies and sitting in front of a webcam? Nobody in contact with that individual could trace his whereabouts or do anything to save him, and he expired on cam where everyone could see him.
Unless this network is somehow configured to provide positional data to all computers connected to the network, at least to some limited number of community admins/watchdogs/what have you, it's going to be somewhat useless in emergencies, especially when those experienced emergencies are somehow unwilling or unable to communicate on their own behalf via the network. And providing positional data would likely require GPS devices or something . . . unless some kind of signal triangulation could be done from access points.
I drove up from Portland w/ a friend to attend - and we attempted the first ground to air to air to ground link - the intent was to get alki connected with the air craft, which would link to the heli which would link to magnolia. The two are a good distance apart - and were eventually connected using a couple ground based antennas.
Best part was when we got clearance to circle right in Boing Field's takeoff path. ATC was diverting 737s, etc around us. t'was great.
However, laptop batteries and equipment died and the idea with it. It was really fun, we learned quite a bit and have ideas to make it work the next time. We had taped an omni to the step of the airplane, and that was pretty interesting, worked surprisingly well.
I'd post pics as I was flying in the front passenger's seat, but I like my upstream bandwidth, thank you very much. I'm sure someone will provide a host eventually.
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Look, this is cool, and I appreciate the parallels of using cool antennas to shoot Part 15 device signals miles and miles, but really, this isn't anything like Amateur Radio Field Day.
Let's say you are in a massive earthquake. You need help, or you're going to call for help for someone else. Phones are dead, your cell phone network is jammed, and your ISP was hit big time too. You're screwed!
That's the one flaw here. All these guys could set up an intranet in the event of an emergency, but if the various ISPs are down for the count (as they likely would be), the only coordination would be between users of this phantom wireless network.
Ham radio users, on the other hand, don't need any ISP to coordinate. Sure we have central repeaters, and those might get knocked off the air, but our rigs are allowed to broadcast up to 1500 watts! Furthermore, most counties where I live have emergency radio councils where Hams can take classes and become certified disaster communication specialists. They learn to pass traffic, they are known to local fire departments and police departments etc. Even on my 2 meter handie-talkie, I've got 5 watts and can cover my entire valley. General and extra class licensees could easily get on HF and talk to the world and coordinate with the feds.
In an emergency, I'm not going to log on to my computer and hook up a Yagi connected to a linksys router. I'm going to say, "Mayday, Mayday" on my 2 meter HT on a pre-designated frequency I've received training on.
Like I said, this is very cool, but it's of limited usefulness in a real emergency.
I'm certainly not an expert on this, but I have taken the American Radio Relay League's class on emergency communications for ham radio operators.
Remember Tip O'Neill saying all politics is local? All emergencies are local too. A widespread disaster like Hurricane Andrew is, in practice, a bunch of local emergencies ('cause you're sure not getting any spare firefighters from the next town over, and the bridge is out anyway).
Most of what ham radio operators do in emergencies is short-range, immediate traffic ("Our generator has 2 hours of fuel left. Please deliver to loading dock left of Nth Street. Don't take Mth Street, it's blocked by an accident"). The most effective ham radio emergency service teams are tightly integrated with the served agency. One typical assignment might be riding along with ("shadowing") an emergency official and keeping a communications link going to the emergency operations center.
The exception is health and welfare traffic, the "I'm all right" and "I'm slightly injured but receiving good care and am safe in a shelter" messages to out-of-area relatives.
Emergency response agencies could benefit no end from having a backup TCP/IP network on which they could send email, use web-based order forms for supplies, or even use a regular telephone hooked up to VoIP. Email especially, because they *love* having written communication.
Seattle is a very good place for people to be hardening the 802.11 network against disaster. It's an earthquake area, which periodically has near-apocalyptic events like the 1964 Alaska quake or the 1960 one in Chile. Every few years a winter storm knocks out power so widely that repair crews have to be imported from Canada.
Seattle Wireless is doing something potentially very practical here.
Can you hear me now? Good!
2.45GHz heats water pretty good and since the human body is mostly water you all might want to take care where you point those 99dbi yagi antenna. Yes this is the frequency that the magnetron uses to cook.
Did you happen to read OET Bulletin 63 that followed 65, "UNDERSTANDING THE FCC REGULATIONS FOR LOW-POWER, NON-LICENSED TRANSMITTERS" while you were browsing? The part about the $10k fine for violating part 15 is of note.
Anyway; the replacment of the antenna and violation of the Part 15 Certification is the real issue here. Damaging your body is your own problem.