[Shop-talk] Wireless router - signal boost

[David Scheidt]

On Jan 23, 2008 9:55 AM, David Hillman <hillman at planet-torque.com> wrote:
> On Wed, 23 Jan 2008, PJ McGarvey wrote:
> > And while we're briefly on the topic of wireless networks getting hacked,
> > nobody should be using WEP encryption anymore, attacks have come out in the
> > last year or so that are making it almost trivial to break.
>
>     This is a pet peeve of mine, and it's ironic you mention it in a
> thread about signal boosting.
>
>     Many, if not most, of the people on this list appear to have
> significant chunks of property.  If your wireless signal doesn't extend
> beyond your house, nevermind off your property, is there really a huge
> risk to using light-duty security?  No.

Wireless signals go a lot farther than you think.  With a directional
antenna, I can pick up -- and snoop, and use -- about a dozen wireless
networks, all of which are at least 800 feet from the house.  One of
these, I helped set up, and I know he complains that it doesn't work
well in the living room, yet I can use it a quarter mile away.


-- 
David Scheidt
dmscheidt at gmail.com