Long-trange Wifi-advice needed

[bigshotceo]

Ok, here's my situation. Since I don't have internet at my parents' house, I want to be able to occasionally connect to my friend's WiFi network; he's agreed to let me on the network and plans to add my MAC address to his router. The only problem is, he lives about 0.3 km away. Is it even possible to connect from that far away? What type of wifi equipment would I need? I don't really care if the connection's very good or not. If it helps, it's a small residential community without a lot of signal interference.

[kschang]

Need a VERY good antenna... And a wireless repeater (i.e. range extender).

[Faustus]

Directional antennas on the roof would do it easy.

Added advantage, if its directional it even limits how many others could even see the new work. They would have to be in the line.

http://www.radiolabs.com/products/wireless/directional-wireless-antenna.php

[isogonic]

should you pull it off, i hope you have it locked down good.
the potential for someone else tapping into the same wireless network is possible.

[Supreme2k]

I have this router (in the attic) and the associated usb adapter*, and my friend has no problem connecting from 6 blocks away (.5 to .75 miles away). YMMV

I also use a card for my laptop in the park, which is 3 blocks (about 1/4 mile) away.


*not advertising. It's just what I use.

[DereX888]

should you pull it off, i hope you have it locked down good.
the potential for someone else tapping into the same wireless network is possible.

but why?!
Secure the access on the machine level (each computer on your network), and secure the router from potential hijacking, but who cares if someone else taps to internet through your network occasionally?
Lets not get paranoid, because if someone really have any valuable data then there should not be any wireless network at all; otherwise its no problem to get through any usual "protections" and people should always remember that.

I always bless all the people who are NOT locking their wifis while Im on the trip... it makes life so easier

[isogonic]

it would be great if all they were doing is browsing the internet. a sniffer in a unsecured wirless network could capture all traffic on the network including financial transactions, e-mails, passwords etc. most people use this stuff 'out of the box" with the default settings.

[TooLFooL]

who cares if someone else taps to internet through your network occasionally?

so you don't mind me borrowing your internet for say, KAZAA?
perhaps i can try to hack the PENTAGON just for kicks, if you don't mind?

c'mon people, DO NOT LEAVE YOUR WIRELESS CONNECTION UNPROTECTED. PERIOD.

[Faustus]

Yeah or maybe SPAM a few million emails out... download some warez.

Not a good idea. Protect your wireless.

[DereX888]

who cares if someone else taps to internet through your network occasionally?

so you don't mind me borrowing your internet for say, KAZAA?
perhaps i can try to hack the PENTAGON just for kicks, if you don't mind?

c'mon people, DO NOT LEAVE YOUR WIRELESS CONNECTION UNPROTECTED. PERIOD.

no i don't mind if youre in town and need to browse the web or emails or even talk for free over the web using my wireless.
kazaa etc obviously is not "occasional usage", dont you think? And 99.99% of people having access to someone's wireless are not like you, they don't try to use it for 'kazaa' or 'hack into FBI' through slow wireless access, what would be the point?

As soon as I wrote my previous post I knew there will be some kind of straight-out-of-the-ass comment like this.
You know what I meant, don't try to be so 'smart'.

DO NOT LEAVE YOUR COMPUTERS UNPROTECTED, THATS INCLUDING YOUR ROUTER/SERVER. PERIOD. You should worry about i.e. standard task scheduler of your windows opening wide port on your computer more than having 'unprotected wirelless connection'.

it would be great if all they were doing is browsing the internet. a sniffer in a unsecured wirless network could capture all traffic on the network including financial transactions, e-mails, passwords etc. most people use this stuff 'out of the box" with the default settings.

do you even have a clue how the sniffers work?
ROTFL!
Most unfortunate is that people use their windowses straight 'out of the box', without any setting etc - just with its wide-open fully unsecured default settings that any half-witted teenage with little 'hacking' knoiwledge can get through.
Im pretty sure that many people reading posts like this run to 'secure' their wireless connections with (laughable anyway) 128-bit passwords etc available on their routers, while their windozes are still begging for being rooted with their default settings Now that is funny

[TooLFooL]

honestly, people SHOULD be able to use this stuff straight out of the box. what is unfortunate is that you have to know a little bit about this stuff in order to be protected. if you're strongly recommended to lock down your wireless connection, it should automatically run a 'wizard' as soon as you plug it in. what typical consumer reads the whole instruction manual?

[DereX888]

honestly, people SHOULD be able to use this stuff straight out of the box. what is unfortunate is that you have to know a little bit about this stuff in order to be protected. if you're strongly recommended to lock down your wireless connection, it should automatically run a 'wizard' as soon as you plug it in. what typical consumer reads the whole instruction manual?

so true... but so impossible as well, aka wishful thinking.
(unless one day we all will use same hardware with same windoze/linux/whatever-OS)

IMO computer is far more 'dangerous' and require far more responsibility to use, than i.e. car, just think of it.
The 'straight-out-of-the-box' notion is wrong. Computer is not a toaster, it cannot operate and perform correctly right of the box just by plugging it to the AC. Granted, some retailers/manufacturesr do incredidible job of pre-setting their machine's environment and security to suit most of average users, but most often its a miss rather than hit.





BTW- nice Reznor's? or was it Tool? quote in your sig

[Supreme2k]

so true... but so impossible as well, aka wishful thinking.
(unless one day we all will use same hardware with same windoze/linux/whatever-OS)

But then we are referring to the router, which has it's own little OS. Most routers run through a wizard to connect you to your ISP, but they should also set up the security while they're at it.






BTW, it's Tool, from "sober"

[TooLFooL]

EXACTLY!

(and yes, hence 'TooLFooL'!)

[DereX888]

yes, i understnd what youre talking about. But not everyone is using only a 'router' as a router, lots of people use PC for such purpose. But then these people most likely do know how to set it up right anyway, so youre probably right. Those fancy 'wizards' that run on the 'routers' should do it right at first use, I agree.

("Sober" from Tool's selftitled 1993 album, I remember now. Great album. Actually all their albums were excellent. Gotta dust it off and listen to it once I get home tonight )

[TooLFooL]

wow, i was looking at that parkervision router - is that really legal? it says it's fcc compliant but...
looks impressive anyway, and only $50!


(Tool's second album is 'undertow'!)

[Supreme2k]

Why is there a question of legality?

...or is it like my neighbor 3 houses down: "She's so hot, she must not be legal!" (she's 25)

[offline]

Man, I'd love one of those ParkerVision's in a 11g
If customs caught me it sounds like jail time though

Why? It seems too good to be legal given the limitations on other routers.

Here is my home office router. There is high electrical interference but still the ParkerVision sounds impressive. A pity you can't buy them anymore.

Network Stumbler graph

- NetGear WRG624 v2 with XR enabled, WPA, 108 auto, 11g+
- NetGear WG511T PCMIA

A) 10 Strides from router. Router next to operating air-con plus 5 foot metal cabinet

D) 45 strides. 6 double brick walls + plaster.

E) 67 strides. Outside tall trees/garden

F) 99 strides. Outside past open car garage.



Blackspot AB is where a 2.4Ghz phone sits. BC is one of two steel gas furnaces.

[TooLFooL]

Why is there a question of legality?

well, this caught my eye...

"ParkerVision is breaking the rules of RF."

"In today's world of advanced technologies, ParkerVision understands that in order to be different, to make a statement, to provide something that is truly revolutionary and important - sometimes you have to break the rules. Breaking the rules of conventional thought is never an easy task. With every rule that is broken, with every idea that is turned upside down, there are people that will be skeptical simply because, "That's the way that we've always done it, and that's the way that it should always be done.""

...then goes on saying they are simply "...doing RF differently...". seems they're using loopholes or something?

[DereX888]

A pity you can't buy them anymore.

Im sure you CAN buy it somewhere else, outside US of A.
Not all countries have exactly same regulations regarding electrical devices and RF, thus it must be avialable in retail somewhere. Sure it will be kind of illegal to use it in your area if it is out of specs according to your local regulations.

[Supreme2k]

well, this caught my eye...

"ParkerVision is breaking the rules of RF."

I think that's more of an EXTREEEEEEEME marketing tactic. "We're breaking all the rules! Pulling all the stops! Going to EXTREEEEMES! They said that it couldn't be done?! Well, THEY WERE WRONG!!!"

More like breaking "conventions" rather than rules.

[iLuvLandingStrips]

should you pull it off, i hope you have it locked down good.
the potential for someone else tapping into the same wireless network is possible.

but why?!
who cares if someone else taps to internet through your network occasionally?

You gotta be joking right?