[CWN-Summit] Re: CWN-Summit Digest, Vol 5, Issue 2

[Stelios Valavanis]

the feature that blocks user-user traffic is present on several APs now 
especially those made for hotspots such as colubris. now this only works when 
you associate with an AP. you can still create an ad hoc network and share 
files though not while connected to the internet. now if you set it up right 
you can allow users to see each other at layer 3 while blocking layer 2 
traffic and maybe some port such as RPC. this drastically minimizes viruses 
spreading. we've got that going all over on our wired networks and the people 
with the pagers get a lot more sleep. i am going to try something similar 
very soon on a wireless network.

On Wednesday 15 December 2004 01:47 pm, Sascha Meinrath wrote:
> This is a really sad development.  Basically, it's an artificial limiting
> of the resources that would otherwise be available to network users.
> Basically eliminating the LAN aspects of a WAP.  Seems rather foolhardy to
> me, but then again, the whole pay-for-access business model is pretty
> silly.
>
> But it is strange that Starbucks wants to shoot itself in the other foot
> -- spending time and money to make the service _less_ useful to customers.
>
> --Sascha
>
> On Wed, 15 Dec 2004, Michael Oh wrote:
> >> Could Tmobile be doing something sinister here?  Have any of you come
> >> across similar stories in your cities?
> >>
> >> Steveg
> >> Tremont Wifi Neighborhood
> >
> > Something similar, but not directly related.  There was a time that
> > Starbucks had APs that would allow you to ping the broadcast address and
> > then find others on the network, presumably allowing you to file share
> > and things, etc.
> >
> > Recently (i.e. in the last few months), Starbucks has increased their
> > security to include 802.1x as well, which I suspect means either new APs
> > or new firmware on their boxes.  At the same time, it looks like they do
> > some sort of blocking between wireless connections, so that even if you
> > know the other person's IP on wireless, you can't do anything - no file
> > sharing, pinging, nothing.  Sorry, guys, no more file sharing at
> > Starbucks.
> >
> > [As a side note, the reason that we found this out was for a TV spot
> > where they wanted us to prove that Starbucks was just as insecure as
> > other networks.  Imagine our embarrassment.  Luckily, it made for bad TV,
> > so that section went on the cutting room floor.]
> >
> > It's possible that they're using enterprise technologies that do "block"
> > other APs - a la Airespace (I'm not sure how they do it), but I would
> > think it would be unlikely for you to even attach to an AP if that was
> > the case.
> >
> > Short story: they're much more secure than you think they are, so it's
> > possible they're also a lot sneakier.
> >
> > Mike
> >
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stel valavanis  http://www.onshore.com/