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Irish 'Running Man' WarWalking Competition

Posted by CmdrTaco on from the now-thats-a-strange-game dept.

phaxx writes "Dubbed 'WaveHunt', this is the Irish take on DefCon's RunningMan competition. Contestants will have three attempts, each an hour long, to locate a moving Linksys WRT54g running OpenWRT Linux. They must positively identify the person carrying the hidden acccess point and report this back to base. The first prize is two hundred euro, and it takes place this coming Saturday, March 5th. The intended venues are a large park, a defined area of winding streets in Dublin City Centre, and a multi-level shopping centre!"

83 of 134 comments (clear)

  1. beer and linux by caino59 · · Score: 2, Funny

    will there be free beer during this event?

    heh - you bet your ass i'd probably forget the competition and find my ass a pub.

    1. Re:beer and linux by ABaumann · · Score: 1

      Irish beer? No way!

      They also play their golf entirely sober.

    2. Re:beer and linux by Lord+Pillage · · Score: 1

      Like my friend always says, "I'm never drunk, I'm just always Irish sober!"

      --
      try { Signature mysig = new CleverAttempt(); } catch(NonCleverSignatureException e) { postanyway(); }
    3. Re:beer and linux by T'Kethry · · Score: 1

      The Temple Bar district is aptly named. Pubs galore. I'd imagine most of the competitors will start there...

      --
      Death is but a doorway.
      Here, let me hold that for you.
    4. Re:beer and linux by ScottyUK · · Score: 1

      Or even decent Irish beer :p

      What's wrong with Guinness?

      --
      Nice weather for penguins...
    5. Re:beer and linux by markana · · Score: 1

      and most of them probably won't continue on....
      but they'll exhaustively search each and every pub :-)

  2. Twice the persons = twice the PC's? by Jokernick5 · · Score: 3, Insightful

    The article states that individuals or "teams of two" may enter. I wonder if a team of two could use two devices? If so, teams would have a huge advantage in their ability to triangulate the position of the WAP. ... on the other hand, the second person could just run around and physically search everyone in the area...

    1. Re:Twice the persons = twice the PC's? by ch-chuck · · Score: 2, Funny

      the second person could just run around and physically search everyone in the area...

      At first I though that was a crazy idea - then realized that if it was held in the US, a clever team could just obtain some t-shirts marked "Homeland Security" or something, setup a fake X-Ray scanning table outside and start searching everybodys backpack and parcels. Locate it by social engineering instead of rf sniffing ;)

      --
      try { do() || do_not(); } catch (JediException err) { yoda(err); }
    2. Re:Twice the persons = twice the PC's? by arivanov · · Score: 2, Informative
      Well, if you remember the original "Running Man" (both the Philip Dick story and the movie) you should recall that the Running Man is NOT supposed to have any advantages. In fact the Running Man is not supposed to live through it...

      In btw, it is possibly the only meaningfull movie the Terminator ever made.

      --
      Baker's Law: Misery no longer loves company. Nowadays it insists on it
      http://www.sigsegv.cx/
    3. Re:Twice the persons = twice the PC's? by slimak · · Score: 2, Informative

      I am only familiar with the Stephen King book The Running Man. Was there also one by Dick? A quick Google search didn't find it, but that may just be me.

    4. Re:Twice the persons = twice the PC's? by ggvaidya · · Score: 1

      The first rule of Homeland Security: don't you FRIGGIN' DARE to pretend to be homeland security. Or else our hired goons^W^W^W agents will have you illegally detained in Guantanamo Bay^W^W^W^W^W brought in for questioning.

      That said, that's a really smart idea :) - as long as the HS doesn't find out. Or you run into that millionaire who was disallowed from flying ...

    5. Re:Twice the persons = twice the PC's? by arivanov · · Score: 1

      Yep, you are right. This one is King's. I got mixed up with Total Recall which is based on a P. Dick short story.

      --
      Baker's Law: Misery no longer loves company. Nowadays it insists on it
      http://www.sigsegv.cx/
    6. Re:Twice the persons = twice the PC's? by easter1916 · · Score: 1

      In Dublin it would be better to pretend to be a syringe-weilding heroin addict, and menace people with the syringe claiming "I have AIDS! Empty the backpack/rucksack". That'd fit right in in lovely old "Dooblan".

  3. I claim first post! by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1, Funny

    Whoo!

    Now then; can you just imagine how people will react to seeing teams of geeks with their high-tech gadgets running around all over the place? Even before they get a false positive on you.

    - Kizor, Making an idiot of myself in public since 1994

  4. intentional vi-l33tness? by myspys · · Score: 2, Funny

    :wq (bottom of the page)

    1. Re:intentional vi-l33tness? by kahei · · Score: 5, Funny


      It must be a hoax -- a user trying to quit vi actually types this:

      ^C
      ^C
      ^Z
      .
      ^[
      ^[^[^[^[^[
      quit
      end
      exit
      bye
      quit!
      QUIT
      QQQQQQQ :quit :QUIT :zz :w :quit!

      $rm /usr/bin/vi

      --
      Whence? Hence. Whither? Thither.
    2. Re:intentional vi-l33tness? by KiloByte · · Score: 1

      I would personally go for Alt-F2 (or perhaps Ctrl-Z) followed by killall -9 vi.

      --
      The creatures outside looked from Alt-Right to Antifa; but already it was impossible to say which was which.
    3. Re:intentional vi-l33tness? by EvilSporkMan · · Score: 1

      Funny, it's in /usr/bin on Debian, and you'd think they'd be sticklers about that...

      --
      -insert a witty something-
  5. Verizon by GeeForeTechTV · · Score: 2, Insightful

    Verizon Wireless now has high speed wireless in major cities across the country. It would be interesting if people subscribed to this "all you can eat" access and set up mobile access points. This would be an interesting way to get access on the road.

    --
    Dogs are annoying. Go ECFA.

  6. Triangulation by mikeumass · · Score: 5, Interesting

    Triangulating the location of a wireless access point is no small task even if it is stationary, and you have 3 point of reference.

    However combinting 2 points of reference with signal strength from each point should make the job possible, assuming there is not too much interference from external sources. The hard part will be trying to keep track of how your experimental locations map up to location of persons who could be carrying the access point.

    Maybe you could just look for someone with an antenna sticking out of thier backpack!

    1. Re:Triangulation by Otter · · Score: 2, Funny
      Maybe you could just look for someone with an antenna sticking out of thier backpack!

      Simply identifying the nerdiest guy on the streets of Dublin is probably a fairly sound strategy.

      --
      What I'm listening to now on Pandora...
    2. Re:Triangulation by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1, Informative

      Also helps to use some of the massively directional WiFi antennas you can get (you know, the ones with +22dbi gain or more). Signal strength then beocmes less of an issue, and more of how good your pointing skills are (one directional antenna, with good backside characteristics will point you in a rough line).

      Mostly because the signal strength "meters" on most wifi cards are utterly useless. All you really need is "signal found and acquired".

      Ah, the modern foxhunt (I don't believe that even the traditional radio foxhunts used signal strength to much effect, other than well, detecting the presence of a signal).

      I wonder what the rules say about just searching the backpacks of everyone in the area for said access point (you know, the new post-9/11 way of doing things?)...

    3. Re:Triangulation by mikeumass · · Score: 3, Informative

      The rules state no directional antennae.

    4. Re:Triangulation by Propaganda13 · · Score: 1

      Triangulation is not required since you're in close proximity to the target and the target is clearly defined as a person and router.
      One person with a directional antenna can do this.

      Now if you're dropping a bomb a thousand miles away, you better have something better than shoot it over that way.

    5. Re:Triangulation by Eythian · · Score: 1

      it's not so bad, I've done similar things with ham radio transmitters. All I did was use a handheld, removed the antenna, and carried a paperclip to use in place, so that I could change the reception abilities of the receiver. Through turning around and blocking the signal with your body you can relatively easily get a direction. You don't need to do fancy triangulations involving signal strength.

  7. oblig by Tuffsnake · · Score: 3, Funny

    First ya find the computer running the wireless then you win 200 euro, then you can buy lots and lots of Guinness ... BRILLIANT!

    1. Re:oblig by mickyflynn · · Score: 1

      "It's a little black book! you put women's phone numbers in it!"
      "a little black book! briliant!"
      *slap*
      "it also works as a coaster!"
      "a coaster?! BRILLIANT!!"

      (typical slashdotter night at the pub, as put in a Guinness commercial).

    2. Re:oblig by anticypher · · Score: 1

      You mean, the winner of the contest can shout us all a few rounds of Guinness after the hunt. Brilliant!

      the AC

      --
      Hemos is like...sci-fi fans;he thinks technology is cool, but he hasn't bothered to understand the science it's based on
    3. Re:oblig by cordsie · · Score: 1

      You obviously haven't been in Dublin city centre recently. You'd be lucky to get change from a single pint for that amount.

  8. My, My by punkin · · Score: 5, Funny

    Is that an access point in your pocket or are you just glad to see me?

  9. This should be pretty easy by winstonmeister · · Score: 5, Funny

    If you're using wireless internet and the router stops working every five minutes for no apparent reason, you're getting closer to the Linksys.

    --
    Save the galaxy!
  10. Re:I think some people have too much free time by Hyecee · · Score: 4, Insightful

    Recreation? Competition? Exercise? Something fun to do? Not everything has to have a "point". Sometimes folks can just get together and have fun, you know?

  11. Foxhunting by another name by wowbagger · · Score: 5, Informative

    This is just Foxhunting by another name.

    The only difference is that this is open to non-hams.

    --
    www.eFax.com are spammers
    1. Re:Foxhunting by another name by shrubya · · Score: 2, Funny

      Bah, fox hunting is such a wussy pseudo-sport. I think a competition that features two governors wrestling to the death in an iron cage is MUCH more exciting.

    2. Re:Foxhunting by another name by M1FCJ · · Score: 2, Funny

      Finally fox hunting by dogs is banned in this country. I always wondered why these hound dogs hated hams, probably it's the smell.

    3. Re:Foxhunting by another name by easter1916 · · Score: 1

      It's more like drag-hunting, as there is no kill involved. Both types of hunts are still perfectly legal in Ireland... come on over, U.K. hunts -- you're welcome to pursue your sport right next door.

    4. Re:Foxhunting by another name by wowbagger · · Score: 1

      You didn't actually FOLLOW THE LINK, did you?

      I am not speaking of hunting Vulpes vulpes, but rather the sport practiced by amatuer radio operators of tracking a hidden transmitter with radio direction finding equipment.

      --
      www.eFax.com are spammers
  12. Damn, this coincides by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1, Funny

    With my "mobile build a Linux based wireless network" competition, also being held in Dublin on that day!

  13. sounds a lot like...ham radio by lophophore · · Score: 4, Informative

    This sounds a lot like Ham Radio direction finding contests. In fact, I bet a lot of the same kind of DFing technology will be used.

    Look here for information about direction finding, transmitter hunting, and radio-orienteering as used by hams:

    http://members.aol.com/homingin/

    --
    there are 3 kinds of people:
    * those who can count
    * those who can't
  14. I could do this without a Wi-Fi device by gearmonger · · Score: 4, Funny
    Just seek out the smuggest-looking n3rd in the mall/park, which shouldn't be too hard, since true geeks generally avoid places with other people and sunshine.

    Yeah, go ahead...I've got some karma to burn.

    1. Re:I could do this without a Wi-Fi device by kryten_nl · · Score: 5, Funny

      Much easier:
      Listen for young women screaming: "Get the f*ck away from me!"

      --
      For the perfect anti-Unix, write an OS that thinks it knows what you're doing better than you do and let it be wrong.
    2. Re:I could do this without a Wi-Fi device by Stavr0 · · Score: 1

      Just seek out the smuggest-looking n3rd in the mall/park Heh. They'll prolly give hime a haircut and a shave, dress him up in a suit and tie and put the WAP in a attache case.

    3. Re:I could do this without a Wi-Fi device by anticypher · · Score: 1

      Well, the St. Stephens Green Shopping Centre will be packed solid with shoppers at noon on a sunny Saturday. That will make it difficult just to get around, and the hunters will probably annoy a lot of people. It's a pretty lame spot, just three levels around a central open space. Not too many spots for a fox to hide or move around easily.

      I hope the weather reports are correct for Dublin, sunshine and 10 degrees for Saturday. The continent has been fucking c*ld this week, the snow hasn't melted since the storm a week ago. But Dublin seems to have escaped the worst of this last siberean blast.

      The park should be a good place for a hunt. Lots of curving trails, open spaces, and hidden areas. If the fox is wearing a large parka and has the kit stowed under the jacket, there isn't going to be any good way to just spot them.

      The most fun part will be running around in the Temple Bar area. Teams will have to search every bar carefully, long enough to sample the Guinness. After confirming the fox is not in any of 8 or 9 bars, teams will not really feel the urgency to return to the hunt, and a good time will be had by all ;-)

      the AC

      --
      Hemos is like...sci-fi fans;he thinks technology is cool, but he hasn't bothered to understand the science it's based on
  15. Re:I think some people have too much free time by myspys · · Score: 1

    what about that thing people keep talking about called "fun"?

  16. Re:Simple answer by over_exposed · · Score: 1

    The point is finding it while it's moving - building a single wi-fi detector won't help you with directional location - especially in that last scenario, the multi-level mall. How do you plan on finding a moving signal within a 3-D search space?

    --
    "The object of war is not to die for your country, but to make the other bastard die for his." - Patton
  17. War Walking? by Prince+Vegeta+SSJ4 · · Score: 1
    where did that come from? If Eazy E were alive and a geek he would say:

    The name is 345y for me to come off like the 3|\|f0rc3r' Mass Stumbling muthafskas in a course of An everyday situation where I would stalk by Fsck the car, I do a muthafsking walk-by

  18. Re:Simple answer by caryw · · Score: 4, Interesting

    I wish it was that easy. It's pretty hard to find a moving target with a little pocket device that gives signal strength. A better solution would be to buy a nice receiver that can process signal direction (like a newer ICOM or Uniden). Of course you'd still have to fire up the laptop to figure out what channel the SSID you're chasing is on.
    Ham's have these (find the transmitting guy) things all the time. They call them foxhunts. The best anecdote I remember is one year the guy transmitting was an elderly man fishing off a bridge. He was using the fishing poll as the antenna. Nobody wanted to disturb him.
    - Cary
    --Fairfax Underground: Where Fairfax County comes out to play

  19. Re:I think some people have too much free time by Silver+Sloth · · Score: 1

    Maybe if you can't see that this might be fun then you need to have more free time. All work and no play makes jack a dull boy.

    --
    init 11 - for when you need that edge.
  20. Not my cup of tea... by eric_brissette · · Score: 5, Funny

    Running? Like... with your feet? After a moving router? I'm getting winded just thinking about it.

    Let me know when the host a go cart enabled competition. Or at least with those scooters for handicapped people. I'd be all over that.

  21. Thanks /. ! by cwj123 · · Score: 2, Funny

    I was planning on installing OpenWRT on my linksys today. But from the looks of it, the site's been slashdotted. Thanks for giving me some more free time today!

    1. Re:Thanks /. ! by mikeumass · · Score: 1

      http://wrt54g.free.fr/openwrt/

  22. Re:I think some people have too much free time by iBod · · Score: 1

    You really mean to tell me that you think this would be 'fun' ?

    Holy Christ!

    What sort of 'fun' did you have as a kid?

  23. Re:I think some people have too much free time by iBod · · Score: 1

    Ok, I'll buy!

  24. Easy by slapout · · Score: 5, Funny

    Just look for the guy with the extension cord hanging out of his coat. Or the one carrying the really big battery. :-)

    --
    Coder's Stone: The programming language quick ref for iPad
  25. Re:Oh no! My karma suffered at the hands of the... by ggvaidya · · Score: 1

    All your thinks are belong to us.

    cheers,
    The Group Think Clowns

  26. Re:Oh no! My karma suffered at the hands of the... by iBod · · Score: 1

    Ah ha! - so you admit it then?

  27. Amazing! by Evil+W1zard · · Score: 1

    All triangulation seems to lead directly to a pub. Hmmmm beer is good!

    --
    News Reporters Make Tasty Polar Bear Treats!
  28. Re:Oh no! My karma suffered at the hands of the... by ggvaidya · · Score: 2, Funny

    Group Think clowns admit NOTHING. We have sworn our oaths on the Sacred Red Nose of Bobo and the Gloved White Hand of Krusty. We will be honest, generous and true to our cause.

    We may or may not be funny.

    cheers,
    The Group Think Clowns
    (laugh at us? -5, Unfunny to you, bozo)

  29. Re:I think some people have too much free time by ggvaidya · · Score: 1

    Treasure hunt, hide and seek, Scotland Yard ... a whole lot of "go find something/someone before anybody else does" games.

    My first thought when I saw the article was, man, I wish they had this in Singapore!

  30. Geek Bar by asoap · · Score: 1
    I agree with you, but I had an experience that was the exact opposite once.

    I once went to a bar to meet up with some "internet" friends of mine. I don't see these people that often so when i walk into the meeting place, I just look for the geeks. We can identify our own kind right away. Well I went into this one bar and right by the door was a bunch of geeks. So I start to walk over and they notice me, and they give me a weird look. These obviously were not MY geeks. Ok ok, that doesn't happen often, so the next geeks I should find will be mine. So I keep on walking and BAM more geeks... but there not the ones I'm looking for. So I start walking all over the place, and there are geeks everywhere. Everyone wearing prim and proper IT work clothes, and with there satchel back pacs. I could have yelled out "Who read's /." or "Who uses firefox" and not only would everybody not looked at me weird, they would have probably raised there hands.

    Well I eventually found my friends... but man, I've never seen so many nerds in one place before. It was border line scary.

    --
    Treat me like a marketing stat, and I'll treat your movie like a series of ones and zeros
  31. Re:I think some people have too much free time by iBod · · Score: 1

    Yeah. But where I came from we had girls!

  32. Re:For those who dont know.. by citog · · Score: 4, Funny

    So the PRC has been annexed then? Langers surrendered?

  33. Walking to Los Angeles by bitspotter · · Score: 2, Funny

    Not a bad solution to the problem with the wardriving competition a couple years ago. In their race to record the most APs, contestants were told they needed to stay West of a certain Las Vegas street - so some smartass went all the way to LA.

    Needless to say, he won. ;p

    1. Re:Walking to Los Angeles by Render_Man · · Score: 4, Informative

      Actually, that was BigEZy. He did drive all the way out to LA before the start of the competition, provided evidence of his being there at the time of the contest, but through some technical goofs, they did'nt get thier data in by the deadline and so the LA run did'nt count.

      I know this because I was one of the other contestants who was angry and impressed by the interesting interpretation of the rules.

      --
      Where are we going, and why are we in this hand cart?
  34. Re:I think some people have too much free time by Dogtanian · · Score: 2, Funny

    Recreation? Competition? Exercise? Something fun to do? Not everything has to have a "point". Sometimes folks can just get together and have fun, you know?

    It's called sex, and that IS the point.

    --
    "Slashdot - News and Chat Sites Deviant". (Click "homepage" link above for details).
  35. Or Recruiters... by drewzhrodague · · Score: 1

    I personally prefer to see recruiters fight to the death for my amusement!

    --
    Zhrodague.net - I do projects and stuff too.
  36. New Reality Show by drewzhrodague · · Score: 1

    Call it surWIver, or Wi-Fi Rally, or whatever. Neet idea for my next video segment for tv.

    --
    Zhrodague.net - I do projects and stuff too.
  37. What strategies are they going to use? by Phantasmo · · Score: 1

    HUFFDUFF???

    --

    The US Army: promoting democracy through unquestioned obedience
  38. Spherical Trigonometry by drewzhrodague · · Score: 2, Interesting

    I asked someone for advice on how to deal with our triangulation, and he said "Spherical Trigonometry," and sent me a URL. I printed it out, and took one look at it. The hair on the back of my neck hasn't stopped standing on end since!

    Of course, we're using GPS coords, in addition to signal strength.

    --
    Zhrodague.net - I do projects and stuff too.
  39. Power? by CypherXero · · Score: 1

    How are they going to power the WRT54G? Are they gonna look for a guy attached to a wall outlet? Or what?

  40. Just hope that... by ebrandsberg · · Score: 2, Funny

    nobody uses an old cordless phone that for all intent purposes jams the signal, like the one my neighbors use... and use... and use....

    1. Re:Just hope that... by ebrandsberg · · Score: 1

      Nah, 2.4Ghz phones have been out for a while now. It's the 5ghz that is newer. And I don't really think it is a problem, 2.4 is "unlicensed" and if someone wanted to should be complete legal to operate a wifi jammer if they really wanted to.

  41. Winners! by RamboCalrissian · · Score: 4, Funny

    Hopefully the contestants this year will do as well as last years winners: Whitman, Price, and Hadad!

  42. Re:I think some people have too much free time by VAXcat · · Score: 1

    But, all play and no work makes Jack a jerk.

    --
    There is no God, and Dirac is his prophet.
  43. Re:For those who dont know.. by easter1916 · · Score: 1

    The Peep's Republic of Cork is going strong... a few dirty RA lucre handlers won't shut us down. Up Cork! FUCK DUBLIN!

  44. I can see it now by RU_on_weed · · Score: 1

    300 hundred anti-nerds randomly plugging in routers in every free wall outlet. Or god forbid they all start walking around with powered routers .. Turn into a gong show real quick ....

    Now if only I could get to ireland .........

  45. Wardriving... warwalking... What's next? by elgatozorbas · · Score: 2, Funny

    Let me guess: war-segwaying. Definitely.

  46. Re:I think some people have too much free time by mzwaterski · · Score: 1
    Rationalized: Its fun and you can win money...

  47. English muthafska.. by slashmojo · · Score: 1

    ..do you speak it?! ;)

  48. A mod to the rules... by PHAEDRU5 · · Score: 1

    Try to get from start to finish without passing a pub!

    --
    668: Neighbour of the Beast
  49. If Andrea Corr... by Master+of+Transhuman · · Score: 1


    was carrying the Linksys, I'd find it!

    And if Sharon was with her, I'd find it fast!

    --
    Richard Steven Hack - This sig is TOO GODDAMN SHORT TO DO ANYTHING USEFUL WITH! MORONS!
  50. Why it's called "Warwalking" by benn333 · · Score: 1

    Try driving in Dublin City Centre on a weekend and you'll understand the change in terminology...

  51. Bitter associate by DkY · · Score: 1

    Dammit if only they'd done this last year when I was still in that college, and that country.