[olug] Cafe with WiFi in Omaha?

[Phil Brutsche]

Jesus Cash wrote:
> Wow, that's really cool. Now I'll just have to get some wireless gear.
> 
> I've been discussing wi-fi submerged areas with some people at work. I'm 
> not too familiar with the tech at the moment, but let's say 
> hypothetically that every building in a section of downtownh had wi-fi 
> or something like it. I know the range isn't the greatest, but besides 
> them handing out and setting static IPs (and what tech is really gonna 
> do that for a large office?) could they really stop people for just 
> bumming around their buildings and leeching their bandwidth?

Yes.  There are a number of things that can be done, such as:

1) Turn off broadcasting the SSID.  AFAIK without the SSID you're not 
gonnna be able to participate in the wireless network.  While you're at 
it, set the SSID to something other than the default to that it can't be 
guessed.

2) Put the wireless stuff on a restricted subnet and make the 
workstations/laptops VPN into the main network.  The VPN can also be 
used to provide better privacy/security than WEP ever can.

-- 

Phil Brutsche
phil at brutsche.us