Wi-Fi...unalienable right...?

[Sapper6]

SAN FRANCISCO (Reuters) - San Francisco Mayor Gavin Newsom, who became internationally known for his campaign a year ago to legalize gay marriage, said on Monday he considered wireless Internet access a fundamental right of all citizens.

http://news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&u=/nm/20051004/wr_nm/telecoms_wireless_sanfrancisco_dc_2

civil rights issue? WTF is this guy smokin?

thoughts?

 

[mantis]

that's coz Google is working on offereing free WI-FI to san francisco..
he's saying that to support google, which is in war with big-bananas from the bay area

 

[Andrew Green]

Peronsonally, I'd like to see it become one. Like the right to public education.

If everyone had access to the internet and all the information available on it, I'd say that would be an impressive feat and a big step forward for our society.

But it could sure do a lot...

How about VOIP phones? A Skype ready device that connects wirelessly and is useable over free bandwidth anywhere.

Instant maps via google maps of the location you are in, complete with restaraunts, police stations, bus routes, etc. Whatever you tell it too show.

Wikipedia for everyone, anywhere, That's quite the reference to have access to whenever you need it.

Toss in internet radio and a headphone jack, give it a hard drive and call it a super i-pod...

With a giant free wifi network available to everyone, I'd imagine we'd see a whole new wave of handheld devices.

But to say it is a fundamental right is a little much...

And if anyhing is gonna make traditional phones start looking obsolite, that's my guess. So It's no wonder the telecommunications companies don't like the idea

 

[BlackCatBonz]

so when does having a car become a civil right?
or a phone?
or free medical care?

 

[Fallen Ninja]

The only thing is Wi-Fi was never ment to be a secure signal. So for those that think that checking your personal info online is okay with Wi-Fi....

Now Wi-Max....!

FN

 

[Sapper6]

so when does having a car become a civil right?
or a phone?
or free medical care?

i'm with you man.

 

[mantis]

The only thing is Wi-Fi was never ment to be a secure signal. So for those that think that checking your personal info online is okay with Wi-Fi....

Now Wi-Max....!

FN

i said google, not microsoft.. so hopefully they have a solution to security... probably some kind of encryption!

 

[mantis]

i'm with you man.

haha
why u with him?
does it bother you to have a free car, free medical, and free internet?

 

[Andrew Green]

Yup, for this too work there is going to have to be a lot of new work on wireless security. But if they can make it work it will be quite the feat, and quite the benefit to everyone.

 

[BlackCatBonz]

haha
why u with him?
does it bother you to have a free car, free medical, and free internet?

umm yes.......
why stop with internet access.....why not make everything free.
why not free houses and free gas for a year.
why arent these civil rights?

 

[mantis]

haha
they should be
jk

 

[Sapper6]

umm yes.......
why stop with internet access.....why not make everything free.
why not free houses and free gas for a year.
why arent these civil rights?

exactly.

it's absurd to think these things should be "rights" to all humans. i guess i'm the only one who recognized the Bonz man's sarcasm.

 

[mantis]

well.. the internet is different
i mean a car, medical care and stuff is like a commodity or something
but internet is plain information and some services...
but i agree with the post that said "is he smoking?"
in SF he could be doing a lot more than just smoking

 

[Fallen Ninja]

i said google, not microsoft.. so hopefully they have a solution to security... probably some kind of encryption!

From what I have been taught there is no way you can encrypt Wi-Fi. I would like to see them do it.

Wi-Fi operates on unlicensed 2.4GHz frequencies, making it vulnerable to scanning and packet interception.

http://www.clearwire.com/support/support_faq.htm

FN

 

[Andrew Green]

exactly.

it's absurd to think these things should be "rights" to all humans. i guess i'm the only one who recognized the Bonz man's sarcasm.

Yes, his wording doesn't make sense...

But, if it could be granted, free wifi for all, I think it would be worth it. WOuld I call it a right? Probably not, but not all rights are natural rights.

Is the right to use public parks a "right", Everyone has it... Providing they follow the rules that are attached to it. (Doesn't mean the city gives you a ball to use in them though)

 

[mantis]

From what I have been taught there is no way you can encrypt Wi-Fi. I would like to see them do it. http://www.clearwire.com/support/support_faq.htm

FN

why's there no way to encrypt wi-fi?

 

[mantis]

Wi-Fi operates on unlicensed 2.4GHz frequencies, making it vulnerable to scanning and packet interception.
From what I have been taught there is no way you can encrypt Wi-Fi. I would like to see them do it. http://www.clearwire.com/support/support_faq.htm

FN

it doesnt matter if packets are intercepted as long as they cannot be decrypted, which they probably cannot without the encryption key, whether it's symmetric or not. (that's based on the current tech tho) which im sure will change pretty soon...

 

[Andrew Green]

From what I have been taught there is no way you can encrypt Wi-Fi. I would like to see them do it. http://www.clearwire.com/support/support_faq.htm

FN

Packets can be intercepted, but the network can be encrypted.

There are tools to sniff the packets and eventually "guess" the key. Takes a long time though, and a lot of packets. But that sort of encryption secures the network, not the individual connections, which on a open wifi isn't gonna help.

There are other methods to encrypt things though, https:// site all use encryption so that all of the packets sent are encrypted. Otherwise the same thing could happen anywhere along the wire, from your house to the site and all the stops in between.

Wireless encryption should be possible, and no trickier then wired if you take the fact that someone can tap into your wired connection as an issue.

 

[mantis]

yah.. people will switch to using SSL's, and VPN's and stuff
just dont check ur bank account too often
jk

 

[Fallen Ninja]

Wi-Fi was just a frequency people started broadcasting bandwith through. It was never ment to be secure. They also used unlicensed spectrum which anyone has access to.

Thats why Wi-Max takes it to the next level.

FN

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