Monday, 20 Jun 2005
I was out and about today, playing with my new toy - a Canary Wireless WiFi detector. Fire it up, and it will tell you about all the wireless networks within range, including their names, their channels, and the approximate strength of their signals. More importantly, it also shows you which of these networks are actually available for you to use - no other device of this type is currently able to distinguish between open and encrypted access points.
WiFi detectors might seem bit sketchy, but they not really a hacker's tool; after all, you can gather the same information by just booting up your laptop. Lots of restaurants and coffee shops provide free, open WiFi, and the signal often extends to nearby areas like local parks and other handy spots. It's nice to be able to scout your favorite haunts in advance to see what's available for a little remote web surfing. Many private individuals leave their networks open, too, some out of ignorance, some out of apathy, others out a deliberate sense of community spirit. So long as you patronize the friendly cafes and do not abuse the access that individuals provide, there is no harm in joining in. (Ironically, the stranger who joins an open network is the party who is most at risk; don't check your email unless you don't mind sharing your username and password with your new host! Surfing the web is safe, but anything involving password access is not).
Here's the Canary in action:
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I spent the day walking around the local university and discovered, only slightly to my surprise, that open networks are available almost everywhere. Even the lovely wooded trails offer excellent internet access if you are so inclined.
If you are lucky, they also offer more traditional diversions:
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This is a juvenile pileated woodpecker, trying to make himself invisible while being mobbed by the local crows. Before the crows showed up I got a few seconds of video from a different vantage point: