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How to wifi-enable an entire city?

It really isn't illegal for them to do so, as since it is their network you are using, they are allowed to do whatever they want.

Workplace wifi networks spy on your usage all of the time.
 
mrqs said:
doesn't matter if it's illegal for them to do so
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Probably. But then there are things like PATRIOT Act, warrantless wiretaps, ECHELON, ADVISE, etc, which AFAICT means they can do anything they like, they just have to suspect that you might be a terrorist or involved in terrorist activities.
 
there are a lot of cities like that already where everywhere you walk has free wi-fi

look up the company clear also.. its pretty cool

[FONT=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]GRAND HAVEN, Mich. - July 29, 2004 - Heralding in a new era of city-wide WiFi Internet access, Grand Haven, Mich., Mayor Roger Bergman today announced the completion and full operation of the nation's first city-wide WiFi broadband network. Other cities have announced intent to build similar networks or have announced partial deployments; in contrast, the Grand Haven implementation, by Ottawa Wireless Inc., is the first full and complete city-wide WiFi deployment in the country.

[/FONT] in 2005 Sunnyvale, California, became the first city in the United States to offer city-wide FREE Wi-Fi

and i work for directv, and ive spoke with a lot of people have it in their entire city everywhere
 
Saltine713 said:
It really isn't illegal for them to do so, as since it is their network you are using, they are allowed to do whatever they want.
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http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Privacy_policy


mikedt said:
Probably. But then there are things like PATRIOT Act, warrantless wiretaps, ECHELON, ADVISE, etc, which AFAICT means they can do anything they like, they just have to suspect that you might be a terrorist or involved in terrorist activities.
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seeing as you're in china and i'm in finland, i'm not sure things like the patriot act matter all that much

what i mean is, i've been talking hypothetically with no regards to the where
 
if you're going with the conspiracy theory stuff, they can just as easily get all the same info through your adsl provider already, so this would change nothing

you even said "any govt. organisation" - keyword being government, as opposed to city
 
Public wifi tends to be open wifi. So anyone from the feds to your next door neighbor can spy on you and probably be on pretty firm legal ground in doing so. If you are standing in your front yard screaming your credit card number how upset can you be if I have it?
 
rsarno said:
Wouldnt it be awesome if an entire city was enabled for open wifi? All different networks of course.
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Some cities already have it, if not, then close.

One of the major hurdles, though, is that I know the major wireless carriers are opposed to the idea, because it would literally be the end of them. I wouldn't be surprised to see them having a history of lobbying against it.

Sort of unrelated, but I'm currently waiting on GV to gain MMS support, before dumping my current text plan through VZW. Omnipresent wifi would also be the end of my contract, as I'd save thousands in the long run, even when purchasing a phone at full retail. Again, VZW wouldn't like that, lol.
 
krouget said:
Some cities already have it, if not, then close.

One of the major hurdles, though, is that I know the major wireless carriers are opposed to the idea, because it would literally be the end of them. I wouldn't be surprised to see them having a history of lobbying against it.
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I think maybe 5-7 years ago, it was going to be the next big thing.

@ JoshATT posted "GRAND HAVEN, Mich. - July 29, 2004 - Heralding in a new era of city-wide WiFi Internet access, Grand Haven, Mich., Mayor Roger Bergman today announced the completion and full operation of the nation's first city-wide WiFi broadband network. Other cities have announced intent to build similar networks or have announced partial deployments; in contrast, the Grand Haven implementation, by Ottawa Wireless Inc., is the first full and complete city-wide WiFi deployment in the country.

in 2005 Sunnyvale, California, became the first city in the United States to offer city-wide FREE Wi-Fi"

Thing is, that was a few years ago, before there was widespread 3G and 4G coverage and before many of the dangers and security problems of using open wifi where known. Are these wifi networks still operating and is anyone still using them?

The only kind of fairly city wide wifi network I've come across recently is in Hong Kong, as I mentioned earlier. This is provided by a major wireless carrier(PCCW) rather than local govt. But it's NOT free though, although it is considerably cheaper than using 3G data. I also know that there are some localised pockets of free municipal wifi, usually in city centres, parks, etc. I posted about seeing city wide municipal wifi network in Boston, MA in 2007, can't find any mention of that on the internet now.

@gallandof replied "i havent checked it lately but back in the summer i remember boston harbor, boston commons, and the public garden all had public wifi so I think its still city wide. ill have to double check sunday." Sounds like it's in parks and public spaces. I saw the Boston network in a residential housing area, in Brookline. With visible wifi antennas and plant on utility poles. That's why I was interested to know if it was still there with people actually using it.

I can understand the need for public wifi in parks, city centres, harbour sides, squares, etc. where lots of people are, they might want to sit on a bench and do some surfing or something. Who's going to be using municipal wifi on a residential street though? People living in the houses will already have internet at home. You can't really walk around using it, because of the need to reconnect each time you come to another AP, 100mts range.

Of course there is another open free wifi network that one can find in many places. It goes by the names of Linksys, Netgear, Belkin, TP-link, D-link,... I remember reading something about unsecured wifi routers, it mentioned that Linksys was probably the world's largest Internet Service Provider.
 
A.Nonymous said:
Public wifi tends to be open wifi. So anyone from the feds to your next door neighbor9to5cynic can spy on you and probably be on pretty firm legal ground in doing so. If you are standing in your front yard screaming your credit card number how upset can you be if I have it?
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fix that for ya :P
 
mrqs said:
if you're going with the conspiracy theory stuff, they can just as easily get all the same info through your adsl provider already, so this would change nothing

you even said "any govt. organisation" - keyword being government, as opposed to city
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Wow, you are pretty paranoid about that huh? I dont believe in conspiracies. I simply said any government, since the town legislation could give the info to a higher up if requested to do so. Kinda how the law system works in the US, the Federal branch can take power over the state, then local branches.

I would take a chill pill.
 
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