The Gadget Blog » WiFi

Can Anyone be Allergic to WiFi?

Rico Mossesgeld — Tue, 28 Jul 2009 09:00:17 +0000

So you may have heard about the man who’s apparently allergic to WiFi. Steve Miller has to live in a house with 18-inch thick walls, and can’t just go anywhere, as he has to avoid the “electrosmog” that aggravates his claimed “electromagnetic hypersensitivity” and characterizes his allergy to WiFi. The increasing number of WiFi hotspots definitely doesn’t help his case.

On the other hand, the Telegraph’s Ian Douglas claims that WiFi-allergy is impossible, and that something else is causing Steve Miller’s reaction. Douglas explains that WiFi operates on a frequency similar to radio waves and mobile phone signals, and that hotspots transmit with much less power than a cellular network tower. More so, radio, cell signals, and WiFi are electromagnetic—just like light.

Given these similarities, Douglas asserts, Steve Miller would have trouble literally everywhere, since radios, mobile phones, not to mention light, are in operation everywhere.

What do you think? Personally, as a gadget geek I’m inclined to believer Douglas’ side. He’s not as dismissive as most electromagnetically-induced biochemical reaction skeptics are, as he goes beyond debunking a claimed condition by proposing that Mr. Miller could actually be suffering from agoraphobia.

Source

Post from: The Gadget Blog

Australian Police to Patrol Against Wardriving

Rico Mossesgeld — Wed, 22 Jul 2009 15:10:41 +0000

Now it’s clear: in Australia, wardriving is illegal. To drive home the point, police in Queensland will conduct regular patrols to identify unsecured hotspots. The plan is to sniff out these supposed havens of criminal activity (evildoers piggyback through WiFi to carry out their nefarious schemes apparently) and warn homeowners and businesses who’ve left their door open.

I don’t get the point of this exercise though: Yes, homeowners wouldn’t like random strangers leeching off their connectivity, but the neighborhood coffee shop isn’t exactly vigilant about who uses their hotspot, so long as the coffee’s paid for. If I was an evildoer, all I’d have to do is buy something to drink (and perhaps eat?), set up my laptop, get the WiFi key from the helpful barista, and access my online tools of mass destruction. Mwahahahaha!

Maybe a different kind of legal presence is called for? How does requiring businesses with hotspots to keep detailed access logs? These can be matched to security footage, and make it easier for the good guys to identify who’s being evil, and when.

Source (image by leocub)

Post from: The Gadget Blog

WiFi and Bluetooth USB Adaptor

Rico Mossesgeld — Thu, 01 Jan 2009 15:06:51 +0000

Considering a new desktop purchase? Make sure the new rig will have WiFi and Bluetooth capability, because that kind of connectivity will make life a lot easier.

The pictured WiFi and Bluetooth USB Adapter, available via chinavasion.com, provides everything while taking no more than one USB slot—at less than $20 at that.

The only question remaining is just how trustworthy chinavasion.com is. Comments on the online retailer’s legitimacy are welcome.

Post from: The Gadget Blog

Ryan Block Argues for Ethernet

Rico Mossesgeld — Sat, 23 Aug 2008 17:30:45 +0000

It’s so easy to love WiFi’s convenience. Imagine being able to tap out an article on the laptop while lying down on bed, or even while using the john! But Ryan Block, on the eve of his departure as Engadget’s editor-in-chief, made the case for wiring your house up.

WiFi or Ethernet? As a former network engineer, it’s a question I can hardly resist. My take: wireless is great (and always necessary), but wire your home as much and as well as you can.

Why go wired? Well, Ryan’s right on the money when he talks about “consistent speeds and reliable connectivity”, how much faster Ethernet is than even the latest WiFi, and Power over Ethernet (PoE). PoE you ask? That’s the awesome phenomenon involving network hubs, routers, and access points drawing data and power through the same Ethernet cable.

To be honest though is a question that more people should know the answer to; it’s been around at least since 2003.

Post from: The Gadget Blog