Anti-WiFi Wallpaper Available Next Year

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Anti-WiFi Wallpaper Available Next Year

Posted by Unknown on Wednesday May 9, 2012 @05:09AM from the orbital-mind-control-lasers dept.

hypnosec writes with good news for folks who want to live in a Faraday cage. From the article: "A new type of wallpaper, which has been developed by scientists from the Institut Polytechnique Grenoble INP and the Centre Technique du Papier, will go on sale in 2013 after a Finnish firm Ahlstrom acquired the license. What looks like a bog-standard wallpaper roll actually contains silver particles that allows it to filter out up to three different frequencies simultaneously. It is not the first time that such a technology has surfaced. Back in 2004, BAE Systems was tasked by Ofcom to come up with a similar solution based on what was then called a stealth wallpaper. It used copper instead of silver and blocked Wi-Fi signals while letting GSM, 4G and emergency calls through. Back then, though, a square meter cost £500, whereas the Wi-Fi wallpaper devised by the French researchers should be priced reasonably, with costs matching those of a 'classic,' mid-range wallpaper according to M. Lemaître-Auger, from Grenoble INP."

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it probably could be done also with paint by mapkinase · 2012-05-09 05:12 · Score: 4, Insightful

Americans do not use wallpaper much.

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1. Re:it probably could be done also with paint by ColdWetDog · 2012-05-09 05:17 · Score: 3, Funny
  
  Americans do not use wallpaper much.
  But if they would just use tin foil instead of silver (really, how bourgeois) it would be a major hit.
  At least here on Slashdot. Maybe ThinkGeek could sell it.
  
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2. Re:it probably could be done also with paint by Anonymous Coward · 2012-05-09 05:23 · Score: 2, Insightful
  
  Hope the paint is expensive... poor people in the hood generally run open WiFi!! :D
3. Re:it probably could be done also with paint by TechyImmigrant · 2012-05-09 05:37 · Score: 2
  
  In the US, you usually buy colored paint by choosing the color from a display of color cards and an operator taps in the code to machine which squirts the right ratio of dyes into a white base paint. Another machine then vibrates the can to mix it, while you get on with the rest of your shopping.
  It wouldn't be hard to add a squirter of said silver particles to the machine. Pay a premium for a squirt of wifi blocker. Of course they couldn't patent this, because I just said it.
  
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4. Re:it probably could be done also with paint by jklovanc · 2012-05-09 06:15 · Score: 2
  
  That is true if you don't want to use your cell phone either. The pattern is designed to filter frequencies used by WiFi but not those used by cell phones. You can not do that with paint.
5. Re:it probably could be done also with paint by BasilBrush · 2012-05-09 06:52 · Score: 2
  
  Well I wish they'd paint movie theatres in non-selective paint.
6. Re:it probably could be done also with paint by Goedendag · 2012-05-09 06:55 · Score: 3, Informative
  
  Neither will this magic snake oil paper filter only wifi signals. The frequency (actually wavelength) of signals that can penetrate (or exit) a faraday cage are determined by the size of the holes in the cage. Holes will let wavelengts through that are shorter than the hole's size. Or to put it in another way: everthing up from the lowest frequency that can fit through the hole will pass the holes. Wifi happens to use a higher frequency (shorter wavelength) than GSM (and most mobile phone frequencies). If a GSM signal fits the hole, a wifi signal will have enough room left. Oh, and those holes don't know the difference between regular and emergency calls...
7. Re:it probably could be done also with paint by aztracker1 · 2012-05-09 07:20 · Score: 2, Interesting
  
  But what about the cellular signals you *do* want?
  
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  Michael J. Ryan - tracker1.info
8. Re:it probably could be done also with paint by lister+king+of+smeg · 2012-05-09 07:52 · Score: 3, Informative
  
  what you really need is two layers the outside layer an antenna to pick up the neighbours wifi and this on the inside to keep them from picking up yours.
  
  --
  ---Saying gnome 3 is better than windows 8 not so much a compliment as it is damning with light praise.
9. Re:it probably could be done also with paint by BasilBrush · 2012-05-09 08:13 · Score: 3, Insightful
  
  To be fair, the chances of an emergency requiring radio or cellphone on BART are far higher than in a movie theatre. And there are plenty more non-emergency but reasonable needs for communication whilst travelling.
  For sure it's not many years since no one had any cellphones anyway, so it's far from disaster if people lose it for a while. But I think it's an over-reaction to take the service down because of a protest. Protests are an intrinsic part of being in a democracy and shouldn't be thought of as something to be suppressed.
  The significant difference between the two is that when a movie ticket is bought, there is an implicit contract that you're not going to disturb other patrons by using cellphones. If you're unwilling to forgo them, then you shouldn't be buying a ticket.
  But you don't reasonably forgo the expectation to use a cellphone when you travel on BART. Now it's part of the facilities it shouldn't be taken away without good reason. And I don't think a protest in the area is a good reason.
10. Re:it probably could be done also with paint by BasilBrush · 2012-05-09 10:41 · Score: 2
  
  I don't agree with what you say, but I'll defend to the death your right to say it.
  
  The protesters did not apply for or get a permit for this protest and it is therefore an unlawful protest.
  There's a big problem with the concept of protests being illegal unless sanctioned by government. Ref China, Russia, Syria etc.
  For sure you personally might find the US government within some acceptable bounds right now, so it's reasonable to give them the right of veto over protest. But what about people who differ in that opinion? Is their opinion less important than yours? And what if in a few years time the US government is not one that you trust anymore, and they are suppressing your protest?
  
  To me, a protest in a confined area where there is a danger of people being pushed or falling on to the tracks is a safety concern sufficient to deny large protest in that area.
  If there was a serious risk of accidents happening due to the protest, then that's even more reason not to cut off the emergency communication lines.
  
  If the protest was allowed and someone was killed the headline would have been "BART fails to act in the face of protest. Innocent rider killed".
  As it was, if someone died, the headline would have been: "Cell network switch off may have cost life."
11. Re:it probably could be done also with paint by jklovanc · 2012-05-09 18:18 · Score: 2
  
  If you don't care enough to verify facts then don't make statements like "that's even more reason not to cut off the emergency communication lines." So, since you do not care enough to check facts, you are admitting that your statements are un-researched assumptions on you part that may or may not be true. I will keep that in mind when reading your posts.
could this decrease interference in high-rises? by Trepidity · 2012-05-09 05:14 · Score: 5, Interesting

If I put some of this wallpaper on the walls between me and neighbors in an apartment building (and maybe even something similar on floors/ceilings), could this plausibly increase signal quality by reducing interference from the 50 (!) other access points I currently see within range?

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1. Re:could this decrease interference in high-rises? by Hatta · 2012-05-09 05:18 · Score: 5, Insightful
  
  That's kind of the entire point.
  
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2. Re:could this decrease interference in high-rises? by pixelpusher220 · 2012-05-09 05:26 · Score: 3, Funny
  
  ooo Tinfoil curtains! I'll make a killing, or rather my wife will when she sees them.
  
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  People in cars cause accidents....accidents in cars cause people :-D
3. Re:could this decrease interference in high-rises? by swanzilla · 2012-05-09 05:29 · Score: 5, Funny
  
  Goodbye tin foil hat; hello stylish wallpaper hat.
  
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  0 = 1 + e^(Alt something)
4. Re:could this decrease interference in high-rises? by Psychofreak · 2012-05-09 06:37 · Score: 2
  
  Some probably will, but I expect your siding is already well grounded.
  I had aluminum siding on my old house, it was grounded in several spots (plumbing for garden hose spigots, electrical inlet and meter, AC unit, grounding spike, probably at a few other points too), and phones, pagers, etc did not work well inside. It was kinda nice most of the time. My wireless was very low strength, but usable, on the front porch in front of the picture window, and as expected very strong inside.
  Phil
  
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  Laugh, it's good for you!
5. Re:could this decrease interference in high-rises? by couchslug · 2012-05-09 07:47 · Score: 3, Insightful
  
  "Goodbye tin foil hat; hello stylish wallpaper hat."
  Hello band-pass filter wallpaper hat!
  Now I can SORT the voices in my head.
  
  --
  "This post is an artistic work of fiction and falsehood. Only a fool would take anything posted here as fact."
no greater evil than wallpaper by alen · 2012-05-09 05:25 · Score: 4, Informative

being from europe my mom made my dad put it up on the walls. if you want to change it you have a hellish experience ahead of removing the old wallpaper
i will never use wall paper
1. Re:no greater evil than wallpaper by azalin · 2012-05-09 05:54 · Score: 3, Insightful
  
  If it's properly applied (like using wallpaper glue and primer instead of say paper glue) just put on some remover (or even water) and the whole line pulls right of. A six year old with a ladder could probably do it. If you apply the wrong glue though, have fun.
how about passive cell-phone-blocking tech? by davidwr · 2012-05-09 05:30 · Score: 3, Interesting

Churches and theaters would love it, because the FCC can't say "you can't do that" without a serious court challenge.

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Warning to PC and smart phone users!!! by BenJeremy · 2012-05-09 05:37 · Score: 5, Funny

I used this wallpaper on my desktop, and now my wifi no longer works.
Took me a while to figure it out, but I've since switched back to my old wallpaper, and everything is fine now.
Already available now. by Lumpy · 2012-05-09 05:50 · Score: 3, Informative

Paint your wall with magnetic paint, wallpaper over it.
http://www.amazon.com/Rustoleum-223081-Rust-Oleum-Magnetic-Primer/dp/B000PU1D3I
Paint your walls with two coats of this primer, and paint into the electrical boxes to where you can ground it. I used under wallpaper speaker wire that is just a stick thin copper foil, I ran a 3" strip out the electrical box connected to the ground, painted over it.
Wifi and cellular coverage in that room is completely lost when the door is closed (which is also painted) and I have aluminum storm windows and aluminum screens on the windows.
Made a huge difference to RF interference to my ham shack. the number of "birdies" from crap in the home went down to nothing so I could pull in signals that were closer to the noise floor a lot easier.

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Block everything, install repeaters by petes_PoV · 2012-05-09 05:52 · Score: 2

Rather than "tune" the wallpaper to block or allow certain frequency bands, surely it's simpler to block the whole lot and then install hardware inside the screened room to retransmit the sorts of signals (not just their frequencies) that you wish to allow.
That way, as technology changes, you can easily reconfigure the system to accommodate new requirements.
I'd guess that's what most people do anyway - since this wallpaper has taken so ong to be developed.

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Certified by TFH Institute by 140Mandak262Jamuna · 2012-05-09 05:56 · Score: 2

The anti-WiFi wall paper will be the second product to be certified by the Tin Foil Hatter's Institute. The first one to earn the esteemed and much sought after certification was Reynolds kitchen aluminum wrap.

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Lead paint by MrEricSir · 2012-05-09 06:08 · Score: 2

How about lead paint? My apartment is covered in the stuff!

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Brick by Caerdwyn · 2012-05-09 06:27 · Score: 2

Silver wallpaper? Cool! It will go with the 5000-dollar brick I put on top of my stereo amplifier to screen out cosmic rays.
How long do you think it will be before Monster gets into the wallpaper market and starts suing anyone who uses the term "wallpaper" in their domain names?

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Everybody gets what the majority deserves.