Free Wi-fi in Dunedins Octagon from next Friday

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semigeek

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Topic # 60772 3-May-2010 11:24

DCC's cost to set up the service was $8500 and $700 a month to run. Up to 150 users will be able to use it at any one time. Dunedin provider Unifone won the contract to install the service.

I wonder how fast it will be?

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Reply # 325969 3-May-2010 11:43

I'm wondering what they'll do about users who spam websites, commit crimes online and generally make a nuisance of themselves using their laptops.

johnr

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Reply # 325970 3-May-2010 11:44

I wonder how long it will last?

Place your bets

John

patatrat

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Reply # 325971 3-May-2010 11:47

timestyles: I'm wondering what they'll do about users who spam websites, commit crimes online and generally make a nuisance of themselves using their laptops.

Do current ISP's monitor their customers activity online to make sure they don't spam websites, commit crimes online and generally make a nuisance of themselves?

Given the amount of spammers and nuisance makers online, I doubt it.

semigeek

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Reply # 325979 3-May-2010 12:04

johnr: I wonder how long it will last?

Place your bets

John

Well the DCC has funded it for a year, after that, who knows.

timestyles

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Reply # 325989 3-May-2010 12:36

patatrat:
timestyles: I'm wondering what they'll do about users who spam websites, commit crimes online and generally make a nuisance of themselves using their laptops.

Do current ISP's monitor their customers activity online to make sure they don't spam websites, commit crimes online and generally make a nuisance of themselves?

Given the amount of spammers and nuisance makers online, I doubt it.

No, but when the DCC gets a court order asking the details about a user who committed a crime online, I'm sure they'll wonder whether to continue with the service.

semigeek

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Reply # 331178 18-May-2010 08:27

Has anyone tried this service yet, and if so what are the speeds like?

JonC

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Reply # 331278 18-May-2010 11:34

Surely they must get the users to register with some form of ID before they can use the service? Otherwise, who's to stop someone sitting there downloading via bit-torrent all day???

itxtme

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Reply # 331280 18-May-2010 11:43

There is traffic shaping to stop this from happening..

JonC

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Reply # 331285 18-May-2010 11:49

itxtme: There is traffic shaping to stop this from happening..

So I take it from your answer that there is no ID verification?

There are other illegal things you can do online that would make this type of untraceable access attractive for criminals, I'd have thought.

Behodar

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Reply # 331289 18-May-2010 11:52

There's a free hotspot here in Whakatane and you can use it for a limited time (I think it's 30 minutes) without registering. After that time, you need to create a free account, which I seem to recall requires a working email address.

Obviously Dunedin will have more users so it'll be interesting to see how it copes.

NonprayingMantis

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Reply # 331424 18-May-2010 15:49

JonC:
itxtme: There is traffic shaping to stop this from happening..

So I take it from your answer that there is no ID verification?

There are other illegal things you can do online that would make this type of untraceable access attractive for criminals, I'd have thought.

nothing which you couldn't do with a prepaid mobile broabdnad connection I would think. they require no proof of identity or similar either.

JonC

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Reply # 331426 18-May-2010 15:56

NonprayingMantis:
JonC:
itxtme: There is traffic shaping to stop this from happening..

So I take it from your answer that there is no ID verification?

There are other illegal things you can do online that would make this type of untraceable access attractive for criminals, I'd have thought.

nothing which you couldn't do with a prepaid mobile broabdnad connection I would think. they require no proof of identity or similar either.

True, and you can use TOR, VPNs and anonymous proxies as well, but it seems silly to open up another option, especially when it's free and easily available to anyone with little technical knowledge.

EDIT: Interestingly there was a story recently about Germany where having an open wi-fi network is illegal and there is legislation in the UK to do the same:

http://www.thelondondailynews.com/fears-wifi-access-germans-fine-open-network-surfers-p-4113.html

This week Germany's highest criminal Court ruled that Wi-Fi owners are liable for abuse by a third party in cases where they fail to password-protect their internet connections.

...

The UK's Digital Economy Bill makes owners of publicly accessible Wi-Fi hotspots liable for piracy committed - the public connection provider is also required to maintain records, going back 12 months, of the communication taken place on the network.

geek3000

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Reply # 331518 18-May-2010 18:28

JonC:
NonprayingMantis:
JonC:
itxtme: There is traffic shaping to stop this from happening..

So I take it from your answer that there is no ID verification?

There are other illegal things you can do online that would make this type of untraceable access attractive for criminals, I'd have thought.

nothing which you couldn't do with a prepaid mobile broabdnad connection I would think. they require no proof of identity or similar either.

True, and you can use TOR, VPNs and anonymous proxies as well, but it seems silly to open up another option, especially when it's free and easily available to anyone with little technical knowledge.

EDIT: Interestingly there was a story recently about Germany where having an open wi-fi network is illegal and there is legislation in the UK to do the same:

http://www.thelondondailynews.com/fears-wifi-access-germans-fine-open-network-surfers-p-4113.html

This week Germany's highest criminal Court ruled that Wi-Fi owners are liable for abuse by a third party in cases where they fail to password-protect their internet connections.

...

The UK's Digital Economy Bill makes owners of publicly accessible Wi-Fi hotspots liable for piracy committed - the public connection provider is also required to maintain records, going back 12 months, of the communication taken place on the network.

Good thing the Octagon WiFi has a registration process which likely captures MAC address. The performance is a bit up and down. Suppose this is due to the fact it's just a public hotspot though, if I want a fatter pipe with better latency I use my home broadband. I've found the service great for doing a bit of browsing if I happen through the octagon at lunch. The terms and conditions look fairly thorough. Theres only so much security providers can put on public hotspots though, there does seem to be layer 2 isolation, firewall, and traffic shaping blocking ports etc, I did a few checks form my ultraportable. Seems worthwhile; I'd use it again. Good ol Dunedin!! Doesn't look like the DCC are the ISP btw if you check the IP address ownership and t & c's? Good on the council for sparking off this service though, a few others I do business with in the local ICT environment are also keen to see it kept alive. Not often you find this service, and I suppose there will always be the paranoid naysayers and idiots who ruin it for other legitimate users.

ahmad

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Reply # 331540 18-May-2010 19:22

LOL how many central city apartments are within range of the hotspot network?

geek3000

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Reply # 331650 18-May-2010 22:37

.. seems to be designed OK, I walked the general area downloading a plugin, not sure which cafes have best coverage. Ive had some experience with wireless networks so was naturally interested in the transmit power / coverage etc. Doesn't seem as though they have put up excessively high-gain antennas which is OK for the purpose to get even distribution over relatively small area...

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