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WiFi Gone Wild

Posted by michael on from the freebie dept.

b4k4 writes "According to this news release, the Texas Department of Transportation is proposing to install hotspots at all 84 Safety Rest Stops and 12 Travel Information Centers statewide. This would be in addition to the four test locations already in place along US287." Reader polluted notes that Portland is working on free WiFi. An anonymous reader sent in word of this year's wifi-shootout, a contest to maximize the range for an 802.11b connection. And Roland Piquepaille writes in regarding cows wearing WiFi collars, which I'm afraid reminds me of a crummy sci-fi movie.

15 of 180 comments (clear)

  1. Saftey measures... by Ninwa · · Score: 5, Insightful

    The places that have wireless networks should also issue handouts concerning possible security problems to cover their butts. How long until you hear someone getting sued because someone borked their computer over a wireless network?

  2. Crowding by officepotato · · Score: 5, Insightful

    Won't this cause parking problems as people stay at rest stops as long as their battery lasts, rather than long enough to do their business?

    1. Re:Crowding by gl4ss · · Score: 4, Insightful

      why would they waste their time there, just for fun?

      I think you think that there's more nerds out there than there is.

      However truck drivers & others who are forced to spent some time on these stops would really benefit from this.

      --
      world was created 5 seconds before this post as it is.
    2. Re:Crowding by Jahf · · Score: 4, Insightful

      Set a 1 or 2 hour time limit on the DHCP lease and only lease to a MAC once per day. Sure, you will get the occasional geek who knows how to change their MAC, but it prevents the majority of the problem.

      I'm more curious to know when the first hackers are going to realize how easily they can be anonymous. And I'm sure someone will say "they'll probably have cameras" but with a pringles can you don't need to be near that camera.

      --
      It is more productive to voice thoughtful opinions (reply) than to judge (moderate) others.
  3. A whole 'herd' of new excuses? by plover · · Score: 4, Funny
    "Sorry, my access point grazed out of range."

    "How would you like your firewall? Rare, medium, or well?"

    --
    John
  4. can always get your /. by millahtime · · Score: 5, Funny

    Now, nerds in texas can always get their /. fix when traveling. They just have to stop of at a rest area, get some vending machine food, a soda, stop off at mr. porclyn and /.

    Although, hopefully not all at the same time.

    --
    Evolution or ID?
  5. WiFi WiFi WiFi *yawn* by aussie_a · · Score: 5, Insightful

    I have to admit, I'm becoming annoyed with WiFi. Not because I think there is anything wrong with it, but for the simple reason that if there is ANYTHING involving networks, out comes WiFi.

    Why is WiFi so great? And why is everyone working to provide free access to it? Free acces (as in beer) is great. But I just have one question. Why?

    Sure it's convenient and everything, but governments, businesses and individuals are all doing this. Providing free WiFi. Why? What payoff does everyone get?

    1. Re:WiFi WiFi WiFi *yawn* by cuzality · · Score: 5, Insightful

      Wi-fi is the next 'bathroom' -- every customer-service-oriented business will have to have it, even though you get nothing out of it, and in fact it costs you money, but if you don't have it you're not a 'complete' business.

    2. Re:WiFi WiFi WiFi *yawn* by Paulrothrock · · Score: 4, Interesting
      A better example would be air conditioning. When most people couldn't afford it for their homes, they would go to places that had A/C, like movie theatres. They used to advertise it. Broadband+WiFi will be similar, except that in addition to expense, you have expertise that people lack to implement a home WiFi solution.

      Personal Story: I have a laptop with WiFi and I went to the only Starbucks in town for some coffee. They didn't have WiFi there, so I went to Panera Bread Company to get a drink. The coffee was worse, but they had WiFi, so I stayed for three hours!

      --
      I'm in the hole of the broadband donut.
    3. Re:WiFi WiFi WiFi *yawn* by TheRealFixer · · Score: 4, Funny

      Yeah, except when nature calls I'm not running around looking for a hotspot.

  6. Texas, govt agency as an ISP? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 4, Interesting

    Seems that in Texas, truckers are the predominant users of roadside rest stops. Since a govt agency will be providing the Internet, you can bet your life that there will be plenty of surveillance involved, so I wonder if this will also be a fishing expedition for truckers who traffik in child pr0n? If you've ever travelled thru Texas on the interstate highways, you've undoubtedly noticed the many "adult" movie stores near lots of truckstops, and how many 18-wheelers are always filling their parking lots..... not to be making any insinuations about truckers being such big-time consumers of pr0n or nothing like that.

  7. New Problems for RIAA by cfulmer · · Score: 5, Interesting

    So far, the RIAA's "sue the world" strategy has relied on subpoenas sent to ISPs to identify the filesharer who was using a specific IP address at a specific time. What happens when the ISP has no idea: "Well, it was somebody travelling on I-20."? If the ISP were a private entity, the RIAA _may_ be able to sue the ISP. But, what happens when the ISP is the State of Texas? My one semester of ConLaw says that the 11th Amendment would bar that suit.

  8. Set up a damn ROAD CONSTRUCTION WEBSITE! by wowbagger · · Score: 4, Insightful

    This would be GREAT, if they were to set up a damn ROAD CONSTRUCTION WEBSITE.

    I'd love to be able to check and say "oh, I-35 is under construction from hither to yonder. Hm, what is my alternate route?" instead of the old "a mile past the last exit you see the ROAD CONSTRUCTION NEXT 50 MILES" sign.

    --
    www.eFax.com are spammers
  9. Whats your favourite cow exploit? by blacksky · · Score: 4, Funny

    I can't wait for the first time a hurd of wirelessly controlled cows get hacked. Imagine the fun you could have with a hurd of cows at your command.

    I think I'd have them follow the same person around all day. When he stopped walking, the cows would stop. When he went in a building, the cows would wait outside.

    Or just send them all to go and flash-mob the local butchers.

  10. Re:Fleecing of America.. by chefmonkey · · Score: 4, Informative
    ...this is a huge waste of taxpayer money.

    You need to go back and read the news release more carefully.

    TxDOT is taking bids for private companies to come in and install intenet kiosks in rest areas. These kiosks would charge users per time-unit to use them to access the internet.

    These private vendors are also required by TxDOT to provide free wireless coverage. The income from the use of the kiosk is expected to fund the wireless usage.

    The only expense to the taxpayer is whatever administrative time is required to run the bid and selection process. After that, it's all in the hands of private companies.