http://www.networkworld.com/news/2008/022208-feldman-q-a.html?netht=ts_022208&nladname=022208dailynewspmal (http://www.networkworld.com/news/2008/022208-feldman-q-a.html?netht=ts_022208&nladname=022208dailynewspmal)
Would OS/2-eCS be able to use it if it does happen? Hopefully it would be not restricted to only Win wifi devices. It would be neat if there was a free world wifi. One would not have to pay money to get internet access like I currently do with my cellular modem and AT&T data plan (on my Acer WinPC).
I'd say I'd love for there to be, but there are too many jerks. People will be phising, spreading virii, sniffing packets, etc. Its one of those "if people didnt suck" things :\
This sounded like an interesting idea until I read:
"What we have found is that more than 50% of the hot spots that people are mapping are wide open. A lot of businesses have open Wi-Fi hot spots in order to entice customers to spend time there. A lot of times, people are willing to share their password for devices that are encrypted."
So this software is collecting information about wireless connections from everyone who is using their software (not unlike a spybot) including passwords to encrypted connections, then disseminating this info to everyone else using their software.
Thanks, but no thanks....
Hey David - I think you got the message a bit wrong:
WeFi never accesses encryted WiFi spots. It only checks whether a spot is encrypted or not, and shows it to users as "red" if it is locked, or "green" if not. WeFi NEVER sends passwords around.
The important information which IS shared between different computers with the WeFi software is - in case of non-encrypted spots, WeFi checks whether there is real Internet accessible through that spot, and if there is then this spot becomes available to all the other WeFi members.
It is a community thing - what is good for one users, automatically becomes accessible to everyone else. This is the way to gradually move towards a world with open WiFi for all.
Privacy is a key concern, and you can look at the privacy terms on the website WeFi.com, and contribute your comments and suggestions.
Disclosure - I work for WeFi.
Hey BigWarpGuy
WeFi actually runs on Win Mobile devices that have WiFi on them - go to WeFi.com/download/ and try it out.
Symbian phones with WiFi will be supported soon too.
Since it is a Win or Mac thing, it probably won't work with a eCS device(?) ??? I do not have a Win mobile phone. I plan to upgrade my phone but to a Palm smart phone that uses the Palm os. ;D I guess it will not work with it. ???
http://www.wefi.com/wicket/download/ (http://www.wefi.com/wicket/download/)
I know this doesn't work everywhere, but I was driving around downtown with my eCS laptop with WiFi. If I found a parking space on the street, there was always a public, unsecured AP close enough for me to use. But it didn't work in any parking garage (too far, I guess).
I know this is old hat but since I got lost in this thread anyway I thought Id give a go at it: are we talking free wifi or war driving here?
MZ
Green is Good BLUE >better
Modzilla - this is not Wardriving we are talking about - the thing is, will we all be able to get connected to Internet through open Wi-Fi routers wherever we go, if we all let other people use our own home routers in return.
Wardriving helps you find where there are many routers out there on the streets, but it will not help you a bit to understand where you can or cannot get decent Wireless Internet. With WeFi it is just so much easier.
By the way, there is new WeFi software now for Nokia E60-series - you should try it - http://www.wefi.com/download/?cat=nokia (http://www.wefi.com/download/?cat=nokia).