Finding *unfiltered* free WiFi?

[Joshua Judson Rosen]

Dave Johnson <dave-gnhlug-list at davej.org> writes:
>
> Bill McGonigle writes:
> > 
> > > We've got the `open database of general knowledge' (Wikipedia), the
> > > open database of maps (OpenStreetMap), the open database of
> > > speed-limit signs (Wikispeedia), the open database of GSM cell-sites
> > > (OpenBmap)..., why not one for WiFi-hotspots?
> > 
> > We actually talked about this a bit at the DLSLUG meeting on
> > OpenStreetMap.  A WiFi node is just another type of node, with a certain
> > tag.  I think somebody said wardrivers have already automated this?  It
> > makes more sense to add the data to OpenStreetMap than to create another
> > database.
> 
> Google has been recording location data of WiFi APs (no surpise
> there), too bad the data isn't exported in a friendly way.  From what
> I can tell, anywhere that has been Street View'ed has also had all
> WiFi AP's recorded as the car passed by taking pictures.

Man--not only do they show my wife's car in front of our apartment,
but they also show my AP? Are they advertising the ESSIDs somewhere?

> This was rather obvious when using the iPhone 2G (no GPS).  It would
> contact some server via HTTPS and (presumibily) send nearby WiFi AP
> data in an attempt to get a more precise location.
> 
> Worked great when driving down a street that had been Street View'ed.
> Whenever an AP from someone's house got in range, it would narrow down
> the location rather well.

Well, I guess *that's* OK :)

More seriously (and generally), there does some to be, at the very
least, a set of `political issues' to be encountered when we start
building a public DB of WiFi access-points--people may not appreciate
the idea that they could be `blitzkriegdriven' by the *whole world*,
even when they're happy to offer an open access-point for passers-by
wanting to do benign things like check e-mail.

I've had to deal with stationary freeloaders doing high-load
filesharing on my open WiFi network, am I going to have to deal with
transients who've planned out their road-trips around a WiFi
AP-hopping scheme so that they can run bittorrent on-the-go? I think
I'm going to tell myself that that's unreasonably paranoid--I hope I'm
right :)

-- 
Don't be afraid to ask (Lf.((Lx.xx) (Lr.f(rr)))).