If we actually have a katrina or 911 style event here, I doubt wifi will help a whole lot. Sure the first few hours before everyones laptop batteries die could be kinda neat. Amateur radio, see ARRL, is designed for emergency communications. Depending on the type of event -- say, if power and netlinks die, we're screwed -- that is, we'd actually have to *talk* to each other!!
I have a question about wardriving, though, since it seems like it used to be all the rage, and now I haven't heard for it for about a year until today. So, the question is, is residential [open/free] wifi getting ubiquitous enough that it is no longer worth it to try to find and map (prior to usage needs) the wifi hotspots?? Last time I really needed internet, and was far from home (near atlantic city actually, lots of rentals), I only had to go about 1/2 block down the street to find an open wifi that was usable. The neighborhood was "littered with net access"! So, my question boils down to: "Why wardrive?" thanks & laffs, Ben On Mon, May 5, 2008 at 12:39 PM, Ben Barrett <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > Realistically, all uplinks would likely have to be a business-class > service. Most folks who already have a wifi router/repeater have > private uplinks with qwurst or bumcast, but if you could come up with > a couple hundred firmware-upgradable devices we could prolly setup a > mesh. > > As for the "wardriving kit", what is that other than a normal wifi > transceiver?? I expected a nice all-in-one unit with GPS and data > logging, no computer needed. Where are those??? > > ~ben > > > > > On Mon, May 5, 2008 at 12:29 PM, f c <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > > > > did anyone see (or interested) in this slashdot article? > > > > http://hardware.slashdot.org/article.pl?sid=08/05/04/0359232 > > Dan Rutter Suggests Tossing Some Wi-Fi At the Neighbors > > > > I am very interested in using linux to do some similar things like this.. > around here.. > > > > anyone already, ahead of me? > > > > I have also been playing with a war driving machine (in another common, > yet inferior, OS) has anyone done this in linux, and want to share, their > hardware, software tools, and experience? > > > > I am especially interested in the GPS equipment, receiving the signal, > and logging.. (what works with easily with linux?) > > > > I will start this equipment thread, by sharing some equipment, i have > used for war driving: > > > > http://www.jefatech.com/product/wardrivingkit > > http://www.jefatech.com/product/WARDRIVINGKIT-USB > > > http://www.jefatech.com/product/VA24-16F/16dBi_24Ghz_Die_Cast_VAGI_Antenna.html > > > > I have had spectacular results, with this gear! > > > > often if using, conventional USB, or pcmcia wi fi gear, the laptop will > only "see" (or find) 0-2 networks.. > > > > with the above gear, swapped for the conventional equipment, I will often > easily see 7-15 networks! > > > > personally, I think the 200 mw output, and the ease of swapping in/out > many different antennas (directional, or omni-directional) are the most > valuable attributes > > > > I purchased the above mentioned gear specifically because it will work > with linux, but i have not had the opportunity to set up a linux machine and > test it.. yet.. > > > > I have heard rumors that, the software list of networks will usually only > show a maximum of 15 networks..is there linux software tools, out there, that > will see a far longer list of networks, if available? > > > > I want to war drive the local area to see if i can find some spots that > would have a "good reception" of a lot of networks, so later ( I hope) to set > up equipment similar to the slash dot article.. > > > > I hope to eventually get an OLPC as the portable linux war driving > machine (very low power consumption, very portable, with any small > rechargeable 12Vdc lead acid battery) and use the above gear to war drive > easily, especially if i have to climb a few large, local hills.. > > > > I think a local "free wi fi network" would be invaluable, in case of any > "katrina event" that may, possibly, ever happen.. > > > > just a crazy idea.. > > > > fwc > > > > > > _________________________________________________________________ > > Windows Live SkyDrive lets you share files with faraway friends. > > > http://www.windowslive.com/skydrive/overview.html?ocid=TXT_TAGLM_WL_Refresh_skydrive_052008_______________________________________________ > > EUGLUG mailing list > > [email protected] > > http://www.euglug.org/mailman/listinfo/euglug > > > _______________________________________________ EUGLUG mailing list [email protected] http://www.euglug.org/mailman/listinfo/euglug
