[hackerspaces] Discuss Digest, Vol 20, Issue 17

[Dan Lozano]

Seems like the fix of MAC banning or a WEP key written on the board is
easy enough to pick off the offenders, since they're not too frequent
or too motivated to work at getting past a small barrier in most
cases.  I think it's mostly just freeloaders wanting service without a
bill, not people that want to get into our network specifically. 23b
Shop is located in a ferro-cement maze of industrial buildings, so
there aren't as many APs visible around us -- an wide open AP
practically has a bow tied on it, around here.

Another solution might be to restrict connection speed to the known
offenders by MAC so they can still grab a map or web page or two but
probably won't want an extended browsing session at 2400 baud
connection speeds.  Or provide selective inline image replacement, a
portal with a signup page and access prices listed (real or not), or
some other nagging treat for abusers. Depends on how much fun and
theater you want to make, and how much work you want to make.

Danozano - Shop.23b.org


On Mon, Apr 19, 2010 at 11:48 AM,
<discuss-request at lists.hackerspaces.org> wrote:
>
> On Mon, Apr 19, 2010 at 11:20 AM, Matt Joyce <matt at nycresistor.com> wrote:
>> First off, at nycresistor we have an open access point currently.? However,
>> we have had passwords in the past.? In our rather condensed urban sprawl the
>> odds of some geographic neighbor using our network is fairly high.? And as a
>> result the continuing odds of abuse of that resource are high.
>>
>> We used passwords because of a situation in which a neighbor was eating up
>> all the traffic and causing many people in the space issues.
>>
>>
>> -Matt
>>
>> On Apr 19, 2010 1:35 PM, "john arclight" <arclight at gmail.com> wrote:
>>
>> The "Eduroam" concept seems like a great idea if it gets everyone in
>> your network automatic free roaming on other networks. Otherwise, I'm
>> more in favor of open access. We have a simple WEP key which is always
>> written on the whiteboard and never changes. We used to be completely
>> open, until we noticed that 2 local business were using bandwidth 24/7
>> and didn't want to kick in.
>>
>> Arclight
>>