
Ever wondered what the 'Free Public WiFi' networks you see everywhere are? - danw
http://jstn.cc/post/63070826
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theantidote
That's a cool thing to know, thanks. You could definitely do some viral
marketing this way if you were more devious than I.

~~~
tlrobinson
The user has to try to connect to the AP in order to be "infected", so
presumably this one became popular because so many people actually believed
they would get "free public WiFi".

The SSID in your viral marketing scheme would have to lure people into
connecting to it while at the same time advertising your product.

Sounds hard... anyone have any ideas?

~~~
gojomo
"Free wifi by [YourDomain.com]" might be enough.

~~~
tlrobinson
Ironically enough, if they connect they won't be able to access
YourDomain.com.

~~~
gojomo
So perhaps this is better as viral mudslinging, naming a competitor?

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noodle
this was kind of well-publicized a while ago. thought it was common knowledge.

interesting case study of actual virality. i see two FPW's on my list right
now.

~~~
mindslight
Sorry - I tried to upmod, hit the wrong arrow, fail!

Why doesn't HN allow you to change your vote? Seems awfully arbitrary and
heavy-handed.

~~~
byrneseyeview
_Why doesn't HN allow you to change your vote? Seems awfully arbitrary and
heavy-handed._

So you don't vote arbitrarily, and avoid being heavy-handed.

~~~
kalvin
Ha, that's the exact opposite reasoning to Aza Raskin's "use undo instead of a
warning"... this is "make it irreversible as a warning"

<http://www.alistapart.com/articles/neveruseawarning>

I think allowing a vote change here makes much more sense, FWIW. For the same
reasons allowing post edits makes a lot of sense.

~~~
Raphael
You're right. We need to abolish editing.

~~~
Devilboy
Yea slashdot has no editing and it works well

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stillmotion
I wonder who started it? Pretty amazing. I see it in every country I visit.

~~~
wenbert
i see it here in Cebu Philippines...

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bjelkeman-again
His initial suspision was the same thought I had. Interesting.

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lallysingh
There was a problem with this at an Apple World-Wide Developer Conference a
few years ago (2001?). Most people had the titanium (e.g Faraday Cage)
powerbooks, and had terrible problems with the wireless.

So, when people couldn't connect to the wireless network, they would try to
connect "manually," which sometimes meant they'd accidentally create a new
network with the same name. The ad-hoc network grew pretty quickly from there.

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jrockway
Heh, I visited a client's office today and there were two networks -- "Free
Public Wifi" and "Free Internet". It amuses me because you plug into the
Ethernet there and can't route to the outside world, but one employee can take
their laptop to Starbucks, and all your company's internal information is
stolen.

This make me laugh, and it makes me cry.

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sh1mmer
Someone told me it was the software from a 3G but this makes a lot more sense.

Interesting mistake.

~~~
danw
It may be from the 3G software that the SSID name originally appeared. hpsetup
and linksys are common names in this because there are many real AP's with
these names by default and so the 'infection' would spread from multiple
points.

It would be a miracle if there had only been a single "Free Public WiFi" AP
that caused this 'outbreak' to originate and spread.

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mad44
I have been seeing this at every airport I have been to. Now, I know. Thanks.

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gojomo
I suspect that however this started, its familiarity now means it is popular
network name among those either (1) genuinely offering free wifi, or (2)
seeking to hijack info in transit.

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mattmaroon
I read about this a few months ago while Googling, is truly fascinating. I
tried spreading my own but couldn't seem to get it going. Wish I spent as much
time in airports as I used to.

~~~
periferral
that doesnt make any sense. there should be loads of stuff like this then. why
only Free Wifi whatever

~~~
mattmaroon
My guess is that's the most obvious name you'd click in an airport or hotel.

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tlrobinson
That's pretty awesome.

Can Mac's with WiFi infect Windows machines, or only other Windows machines? I
might have to try this...

~~~
Zev
You can create your own ad hoc network on a Mac. Airport menubar icon ->
Create network then enter the name and select channel to use.

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wenbert
if this thing spread liked crazy throughout the world, imagine what a real
virus (as in virus in movies - say 12 monkeys) will do...

