racoma.com.phJ. Angelo Racoma on technology, economics, writing, problogging, and getting things done

It’s either you’re not that well-versed in wireless technology or you’re a really generous person. But since your router says “default” as its access point name, I reckon it’s the former!

I’m at our new apartment right now, since we’re transferring some of our stuff (hey, it’s only three houses down after all, so a gradual move would do). I was actually surveying the scene again for active WiFi hotspots and this time I brought the PowerBook, and this time I found a signal. It was a bit weak, though, and it only reached the room facing the back of the lot. Hey, at least I’m connected. And it’s at the right place, since this is where I intend to set up my new home office, anyway.

I got tired of holding the laptop in my arm with the Cardbus (the one that pretends to be an Airport Extreme card because it has a Broadcom chipset ) facing the window, so I thought of using the USB WiFi adaptor instead. The advantage? It’s obvious–I could extend the “antenna” by connecting the adaptor via a USB extender. So if you see a USB dongle dangling off the second-floor window, that’s probably mine.

Repeater

I can theoretically set up the desktop here to connect to the live access point and run the second (PCI) WiFi adaptor as an access point. I’ll then set up Windows NAT sharing so I can share the ‘Net across the computers via WiFi–sort of like a repeater.

Of course, if Bayantel beats me to it, then even better! I’ll be sending in my application forms tomorrow, and hopefully I’ll get connected within a few days. I’m thinking of signing up for the lowest plan for now–PhP 899 per month for the 384 Kbps plan. I’ll only have to add PhP 300 to bundle in the telephone connection.

We’ll be completing the move in a few days. So I won’t have to worry about connectivity for the time being. I’m looking forward to getting better work and living space. Watch out–my productivity meter will be shooting through the roof in the next few weeks. Maybe I’ll get that million-dollar idea by then!

By the way, if you’re wondering about the legal and ethical implications of WiFi leeching (and even leaving unprotected WiFi hotspots out in the open), I have a post about this dating from last year.

In the end, those who own and operate the access points should be
responsible for securing their systems. There are various means
of doing this, such as limiting access to specific MAC addresses, use of WEP, WPA, or even a simple http firewall.

After all, perhaps one of the better wardriving tools is Windows XP’s Wireless Zero Config! So anyone with WinXP SP2 can be a perpetrator, or at least his/her computer has the propensity to.

Isn’t an ounce of prevention better than a pound of cure?