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Where's Your Nearest Wireless Access Point?

Posted by CmdrTaco on Mon Jan 29, 2001 09:57 AM
from the now-thats-a-clever-idea dept.
bgp4 writes "The Global Access Wireless Database (GAWD) is a search engine that allows you to find your nearest wireless access point. It also allows you to search for access points based on provider such as PersonalTelco or Seattle Wireless. The catch here is all the access points are added by the community. If you are invovlved in a wireless project, feel free to enter the information on your AP's into GAWD. Even if you're not in a project, if you know of an access point somewhere (good examples are locations in airports, bus stops, locations on the BART, etc) feel free to enter them as well. The more AP's that are in GAWD, the more useful it will be to everyone. GAWD is still under active development. If you have any feedback or ideas for improvements, please let us know." Its still a little new since it doesn't have any significant amounts of data yet, but this is a really cool idea. Especially when everyone leaves unencrypted 802.11 lans hanging around their houses and you can simply ping your way to infinite bandwidth *grin*
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  • So lets get thisright... by Anonymous Coward (Score:1) Monday January 29 2001, @05:03AM
  • Re:Damn. We just had this idea by Anonymous Coward (Score:1) Monday January 29 2001, @06:31AM
  • A nomination for... by Slay (Score:1) Monday January 29 2001, @08:36AM
  • It's 95 now by Sabalon (Score:1) Monday January 29 2001, @10:24AM
  • Re:Yeah right by Pii (Score:1) Monday January 29 2001, @08:54AM
  • cool. by Bwana (Score:1) Monday January 29 2001, @10:54AM
  • FHSS vs. DHSS by drwho (Score:1) Monday January 29 2001, @01:26PM
  • Re:No Kidding... by whyDNA? (Score:1) Monday January 29 2001, @06:10AM
  • Re:So lets get thisright... by whyDNA? (Score:1) Monday January 29 2001, @06:17AM
  • Re:No Kidding... by whyDNA? (Score:1) Wednesday January 31 2001, @08:32PM
  • Re:Yeah right by jonbrewer (Score:1) Monday January 29 2001, @02:02PM
  • Re:Security Cluster#^@| by Roofus (Score:1) Monday January 29 2001, @06:48AM
  • Re:What wireless card to use ? by Wugger (Score:1) Monday January 29 2001, @08:24AM
  • Re:No Kidding... by tap (Score:1) Monday January 29 2001, @06:43AM
  • Re:Signal to Noise by davburns (Score:1) Monday January 29 2001, @07:46AM
  • Re:Signal to Noise by davburns (Score:1) Monday January 29 2001, @11:18AM
  • Re:Ok. Encrypting your 802.11 LAN... by Ecks (Score:1) Monday January 29 2001, @08:18AM
  • Re:What wireless card to use ? by Ecks (Score:1) Monday January 29 2001, @07:25AM
  • Re:No listing for TN by bgp4 (Score:1) Monday January 29 2001, @07:15PM
  • Afghanistan!!!!????? by Dark Coder (Score:1) Monday January 29 2001, @07:43AM
  • Anyone in Melbourne... by DHR (Score:1) Monday January 29 2001, @01:04PM
  • Number of Access Points Indexed by ari_j (Score:1) Monday January 29 2001, @10:25AM
  • Re:Now that thar's front page news... by wafath (Score:1) Monday January 29 2001, @07:20AM
  • Re:Internet overload by Harri (Score:1) Monday January 29 2001, @05:32AM
  • Ok. Encrypting your 802.11 LAN... by Rhyas (Score:1) Monday January 29 2001, @07:50AM
  • Ludite warning! by masterbyte2000 (Score:1) Monday January 29 2001, @05:27AM
  • Sarcasm Vs. Irony and access points by chris_martin (Score:1) Monday January 29 2001, @05:51AM
  • free bandwidth and a secure LAN by mmkhd (Score:1) Monday January 29 2001, @08:50AM
  • Re:Before entering data by f5426 (Score:1) Monday January 29 2001, @07:33AM
  • Re:What wireless card to use ? by f5426 (Score:1) Monday January 29 2001, @07:40AM
  • Re:What wireless card to use ? by f5426 (Score:1) Monday January 29 2001, @09:08AM
  • Damn. We just had this idea by Zara2 (Score:1) Monday January 29 2001, @05:28AM
  • So download the database by peccary (Score:1) Monday January 29 2001, @10:40AM
  • Ironically... by peccary (Score:1) Monday January 29 2001, @05:33AM
  • GPRS, 3G mobile phones by CarrotLord (Score:1) Monday January 29 2001, @05:23AM
  • Licensing, etc by CarrotLord (Score:1) Monday January 29 2001, @05:31AM
  • What the? by fist (Score:1) Monday January 29 2001, @05:29AM
  • Re:No Kidding... by hygelic (Score:1) Monday January 29 2001, @08:15AM
  • I got a SQL-statement by egreB (Score:1) Monday January 29 2001, @06:13AM
  • Re:GPRS, 3G mobile phones by ukryule (Score:1) Monday January 29 2001, @08:38PM
  • Re:Anyone in Melbourne... by sduff (Score:1) Monday January 29 2001, @06:13PM
  • 19 by Siqnal 11 (Score:1) Monday January 29 2001, @05:16AM
  • Re:No Kidding... by Rafajafar (Score:1) Monday January 29 2001, @11:46AM
  • Egg, Chicken by nick_davison (Score:1) Monday January 29 2001, @04:43PM
  • No listing for TN by microft_the_terible (Score:1) Monday January 29 2001, @03:11PM
  • Re:Internet overload by sandman935 (Score:1) Monday January 29 2001, @07:52AM
  • Re:Excellent idea. by WirelessFreak (Score:1) Monday January 29 2001, @12:01PM
  • Re:FHSS vs. DHSS by WirelessFreak (Score:1) Monday January 29 2001, @04:52PM
  • Cool! by WirelessFreak (Score:1) Monday January 29 2001, @11:14AM
  • Re:the problem is... by WirelessFreak (Score:1) Monday January 29 2001, @11:19AM
  • Re:Range by WirelessFreak (Score:1) Monday January 29 2001, @11:21AM
  • Re:Internet overload by WirelessFreak (Score:1) Monday January 29 2001, @11:24AM
  • No coverage in MI and other by perlstar (Score:1) Monday January 29 2001, @06:50AM
  • 802.11b Telephony by Smuj (Score:1) Monday January 29 2001, @02:21PM
  • Re:GPRS, 3G mobile phones by Arkleseizure (Score:1) Monday January 29 2001, @05:48AM
  • Re:No Kidding... by raju1kabir (Score:1) Monday January 29 2001, @06:56AM
  • Re:Licensing, etc by raju1kabir (Score:1) Monday January 29 2001, @07:00AM
  • Re:No coverage in MI and other by raju1kabir (Score:1) Monday January 29 2001, @07:04AM
  • Re:Security nightmare by ipl31 (Score:1) Monday January 29 2001, @05:12PM
  • Re:What the? by ipl31 (Score:1) Monday January 29 2001, @05:15PM
  • GAWD? by majestyk2000 (Score:1) Monday January 29 2001, @11:33AM
  • Re:Internet overload by gabriel2 (Score:1) Monday January 29 2001, @10:31AM
  • Excellent idea. by ThohT (Score:1) Monday January 29 2001, @11:33AM
  • re: the article by imaginate (Score:1) Monday January 29 2001, @07:31AM
  • Re:Internet overload by lupercalia (Score:1) Monday January 29 2001, @05:35AM
  • Re:Excellent idea. by tagplazen (Score:1) Monday January 29 2001, @12:08PM
  • Re:Signal to Noise by tagplazen (Score:1) Monday January 29 2001, @09:33AM
  • Re:Signal to Noise by tagplazen (Score:1) Monday January 29 2001, @11:01AM
  • Re:Internet overload by garcia (Score:2) Monday January 29 2001, @06:45AM
  • Aironet got bought by Cisco by Otto (Score:2) Tuesday January 30 2001, @06:16AM
  • It's new ... don't complain, CONTRIBUTE! by SuperRob (Score:2) Monday January 29 2001, @07:13AM
  • Re:Signal to Noise by Cramer (Score:2) Monday January 29 2001, @10:58AM
  • Re:Signal to Noise by Cramer (Score:2) Tuesday January 30 2001, @08:06AM
  • "Useful" is a bit premature... by Speare (Score:2) Monday January 29 2001, @05:10AM
  • Re:Yeah right by barnaclebarnes (Score:2) Monday January 29 2001, @12:54PM
  • What wireless card to use ? by f5426 (Score:2) Monday January 29 2001, @06:30AM
  • Yeah right by Fervent (Score:2) Monday January 29 2001, @07:39AM
  • Re:Yeah right by Fervent (Score:2) Monday January 29 2001, @10:06AM
  • Great Idea by Alien54 (Score:2) Monday January 29 2001, @05:13AM
  • Re:Before entering data by b1t r0t (Score:2) Monday January 29 2001, @07:27AM
  • Now that thar's front page news... by American AC in Paris (Score:2) Monday January 29 2001, @05:43AM
  • Security Cluster#^@| by Bonker (Score:2) Monday January 29 2001, @05:37AM
  • The zombies are coming! by Arkleseizure (Score:2) Monday January 29 2001, @06:10AM
  • by wiredog (43288) on Monday January 29 2001, @05:30AM (#473645) Journal
    We do not need wireless access
    Unless, of course, you live in an area without wired access. If you live on the wrong side of the freeway in some areas it can cost thousands of dollars to get a phone line strung just 1/2 mile (1 kilometer). If cell phones are available there they are a much less costly solution. I know, different type of wireless, but it needs to be discussed, maybe I'll post it to K5 [kuro5hin.org].
  • No Kidding... (Score:3)

    by Greyfox (87712) on Monday January 29 2001, @05:29AM (#473646) Homepage
    As if the SUV driving dipshits need any more of an excuse not to pay attention to the road. They're already veering all over the place while they play with their cell phones (Personally I think cell phones are a phallic representation used primairly by people who either don't have one or think theirs is too small.) Imagine how bad it'll get when those idiots can surf the web from their vehicle on a regular basis.

    On the plus side, I suspect this will lead to much more rapid development of a self driving vehicle. Once that is designed, it will quickly become mandatory. It'd solve a lot of problems, though it'd see a lot of resistance here in the States, too.

  • Signal to Noise (Score:3)

    by tagplazen (310628) on Monday January 29 2001, @06:36AM (#473647) Homepage
    I personally work on SeattleWireless, and as such I think GAWD is a great idea. However, there are things that start bothering you.

    The people that jump on going "it's only got so and so number of points". Who cares? It was just announced, give it time.

    The people that love bragging about how insecure access points are. Who cares if you can log in to someones network? Does that make you any better than a script kiddy bragging about how many shell accounts he has? Is 802.11 any different than securing any other xmission technology? Nope. So before bragging about the clueless users, why don't you help to educate them? Remember, at least a script kiddy has know how to dl a script to gather their accounts. :-)

    To the luddite. Why don't you get involved with a similar project, user group, etc. etc. Then you'd see that you actually get more face to face time than you do sitting in front of a monitor writing screeds about how technology is disenfranchising the proletariat.

    Okay, I've vented (and lost the first version of this due to fat fingers), but it just drives me nuts that every open source type of project you get into, for every one person that helps out and contributes, you get ten that sit around and tell you why you'll fail, and when it works, they get to tell you how it's flawed, politically unworkable, yadda yadda yadda. So Shmoo and any other groups that are contributing, they'll always get respect for taking the time away from rl in order to work on projects for other people. Thanks guys.

  • by f5426 (144654) on Monday January 29 2001, @05:55AM (#473648)
    I'd like to see the license. I am surprised that, afert the cddb fiasco anyone is still ready to enter information into on-line without checking before how the database is licensed.

    Cheers,

    --fred
  • Security nightmare (Score:4)

    by osgeek (239988) on Monday January 29 2001, @05:12AM (#473649) Homepage
    People leaving 802.11 networks completely unsecured would make a lot of problems on the Internet even worse.

    Can you say "Drive by Spamming"? I thought you could.
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