Slashdot Mirror

← Back to Stories (view on slashdot.org)

FCC Wants to Track Wireless

Posted by ScuttleMonkey on from the competition-to-be-big-brother dept.

pin_gween writes "According to an article on ZDNet, the FCC wants the ability to track Wi-fi accessible phones like the ZyXel phone. The FCC's June report talked about several ways of realizing a caller's location: 'creating an "inventory" of every Wi-Fi access point in the United States, engaging in "mapping and triangulation" of those access points, compiling an "access jack inventory" for wired VoIP users, or even mandating that Net phones include GPS.'"

4 of 328 comments (clear)

  1. Triangulation is impossible by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Interesting

    The article states that there will occur a "mapping and triangulation" of the access points. Triangulation may have worked to sniff out the spies in World War II, but nowadays it's ineffective for one simple reason: the number of branches to and from each node is too high.

    I've worked (someone with a job on /.!) with WiFi access points for some time, and we constantly came across this hurdle. It's interesting that as technology develops, the capacity of both surveillance and anonymity increases.

    Food for thought.

  2. Lets just hope they go for GPS by hotdrop · · Score: 5, Interesting

    Hopefuly they will just opt for gps and then manufacturers will include a "debug mode" like on almost every dvd player to turn it off. If theres no debug code cutting a few leads and bridging some wires will do the trick for extra anonimity :) Rember if they think they can track you but they cant its even better then if they cant track you at all.

    --
    http://www.uwarfare.com the Best Seattle Counterstirke Community
  3. Question on how??? by Volvogga · · Score: 5, Interesting

    I did RTFA, but I didn't feel like searching through a PDF for the answer to my question. How do they plan on identifying someone's location in one of these 911 incidents that they are so sure will happen?

    To triangulate a broadcast location, don't you need at least 3 reciever stations in the immediate area?

    If so, wouldn't that mean that you would already be in a decently populated area (we are taling about calling 911 in public, right?) where someone nearby should be able to find a land line while you are bleeding in the street?

    Sounds like maybe 911 shouldn't be available with these phones, or that it should be a known risk in buying one that it may contribute to your death when operators have no idea where you are.

    --
    Vol~
  4. Re:Ye gods by onecaribou · · Score: 5, Interesting

    Reminds me of a quote I read recently...

    If Tyranny and Oppression come to this land, it will be in the guise of fighting a foreign enemy.

    James Madison

    The Bush administration makes me feel like I'm stumbling through a bad dream.

    - E -

    Japan-A-Madness
      http://jmad.blogspot.com/