Busted For Using Library Wi-Fi Outside The Library

sevej writes "Keith Shaw, in his weekly column "Wireless Computing Devices" (Network World Fusion), reported on a recent entry in AKMA's Random Thoughts where AKMA was using a public WiFi network outside of a library. A policeman approached him and asked that he only access the Internet from within the Library and hinted that Federal Laws against "signal theft" were applicable. Oh, and btw, we're not talking about a person that looked like your stereotypical 'hacker'; AKMA is an ordained priest."

Comments

Not all unlicensed spectrum

[spotteddog]

USA amateur radio has a frequency allocation from 2390 MHz to 2450 MHz FCC Part 97.301a pdf

802.11 2.4GHz frequencies are:
Channel Frequency
1 2401-2423
2 2404-2428
3 2411-2433
4 2416-2438
5 2421-2443
6 2426-2448
7 2431-2453
8 2436-2458
9 2441-2463
10 2446-2468
11 2451-2473

So any 802.11b channel other than channel 11 overlaps licensed spectrum. The implications are:

1. any 802.11 user who causes interference to a licensed amateur radio operator must stop causing interference even if it means turning off the device

2. Licensed amateur radio operators could build some high power wireless networks for amateur radio use as long as they only use channels 1 thru 6 and follow the FCC regulations governing amateur radio.