WiFi coming to an appliance near you

[Ed Hansberry]

<a href="http://news.com.com/2100-1033-937074.html">http://news.com.com/2100-1033-937074.html</a><br /><br />Not content to let Bluetooth encroach on its networking territory, WiFi is making a move to be included in appliances. For example, "in one [WiFi] trial under way in Michigan, called "OnStar@Home," wireless networking plays an integral role. The four-month project will let a car pulling into the driveway automatically arm or disarm a home's security system, turn on or off lights in the home, or adjust the home's thermostat. IHA, General Motors, security firm ADT, Panasonic and a handful of other companies are participating."<br /><br />Houston has a trial going in 150 homes too. "Wi-Fi-powered devices similar to Web tablets have replaced the scribbled notes stuck under refrigerator magnets holding reminders about late soccer practices. Barra said these systems can use Wi-Fi to shuttle a short message to children's cell phones if their ride home is going to be late or automatically reconfigure an entire schedule based on a parent's sudden late meeting at work. "<br /><br />Emergency workers are getting into the act as well. "IBM and Boeing have helped create "droppable access points" for police and emergency officials. In a recent trial, according to IBM manager Suzanne Rutkowski, emergency officials put Wi-Fi access points around the Pentagon, creating an on-the-go network."<br /><br />WiFi - a <b><i>working</i></b> wireless solution. <img src="http://www.pocketpcthoughts.com/forums/images/smiles/icon_wink.gif" />

[marlof]

WiFi - a working wireless solution. http://www.pocketpcthoughts.com/forums/images/smiles/icon_wink.gif

if you have the battery to go with it.....

[dochall]

http://news.com.com/2100-1033-937074.html

Not content to let
WiFi - a working wireless solution. http://www.pocketpcthoughts.com/forums/images/smiles/icon_wink.gif

but an insecure one. Personally I would look forward to hacker being able to disable my alarm system. :wink:

[Ed Hansberry]

WiFi - a working wireless solution. http://www.pocketpcthoughts.com/forums/images/smiles/icon_wink.gif

if you have the battery to go with it.....
None of my appliances have batteries. They have power cords. You guys do thing differently in the Netherlands? :lol:

[marlof]

None of my appliances have batteries. They have power cords. You guys do thing differently in the Netherlands? :lol:

In the Netherlands, when we think about wireless technology, we prefer batteries over power chords. You just delete one cable, but keep the other in The States? ;)

[st63z]

So when can I get Sears to replace my garage door opener with a WiFi one? Drive by hacking, indeed :D

On the other hand, I'd be able to open the garage from like 5 blocks away, kewl.

[dave]

two points on this:

first with the jab of keeping one cord but getting rid of another... i think the issue is that most of us don't have quite as many ethernet jacks in our homes as we do power outlets.

secondly, perhaps these boys could work on something useful. perhaps building a nice car audio head unit with an f-ing hard drive and a media player UI. then use wi-fi to move your music over.

nah, instead let's let people continue to jerry-rig their stereos with fm modulators and headphone jack to rca plug adapters so we can focus on something everyone needs.... like disarming security systems which will have to be upgraded or replaced to be wi-fi compliant.

sweeeeeeet.

[dochall]

So when can I get Sears to replace my garage door opener with a WiFi one? Drive by hacking, indeed :D

On the other hand, I'd be able to open the garage from like 5 blocks away, kewl.

If you did open it five blocks away (you must have a really powerful card btw) you wouldn't need hacking -everything would have been pinched from the garage before you get home. :wink:

[heliod]

Wi Fi has proven to be one of the most insecure protocols ever. It is enough to park a car near a building running a Wi Fi network to easily gain access to the network. It is a little more difficult when cryptography is used, but also proved to be quite easy.

I believe thieves will be very happy when we begin connecting our home alarms to this protocol. It will be back to the times we used to hide the key under the carpet.

More than that, all the weirdos and practical jokers will have a new subject to enjoy, getting our air conditioning to 180 degrees in the summer, making our lights act like a discotheque or activating our vacuum cleaner from far or turning off the TV at the moment of the goal !!! :P

[Steven Cedrone]

The four-month project will let a car pulling into the driveway automatically arm or disarm a home's security system

With a little bit of research, a thief could have a field day with this huh? Steal a car and get bonus "stuff" from the owners house - two for the price of one!!!!

I seem to remember a similar claim by a Bluetooth SIG member about walking up to your house and having your PDA shut off the alarm and open the door - and also a similar arguement: if someone steals your PDA, they have access to your home......

Steve

[heliod]

Steal a car and get bonus "stuff" from the owners house - two for the price of one!!!!

Steve,

This would still be good if you had to steal a car for doing it. A car can still be tracked in many ways. :wink:

Actually you don't need it, just park your own car near the house and spend 1-2 hours until you get into the network. With experience (after the 4th-5th house), you will do it faster...

Helio

[Brad Adrian]

Here's an interesting quote from this story:

"Air Canada has also been using Wi-Fi networks to find people online about to miss their flights, then process their tickets and give them seat assignments on the fly."

Imagine how helpful that would be. Fifteen minutes before my flight leaves, the airline contacts me and finds out that I'm still on line at the ticket counter. They expedite my check-in, get me to the plane on time, and everybody's happy.

[Ed Hansberry]

They expedite my check-in, get me to the plane on time, and everybody's happy.
Except for the guy sitting next to you. :wink:

[bargle]

WiFi - a working wireless solution. http://www.pocketpcthoughts.com/forums/images/smiles/icon_wink.gif

if you have the battery to go with it.....
None of my appliances have batteries. They have power cords. You guys do thing differently in the Netherlands? :lol:

Apprently your PDA is tired to a powerchord? Those silly people in the Netherlands. Must me anoying to tug a PDA around or a laptop about.

[Ed Hansberry]

Apprently your PDA is tired to a powerchord? Those silly people in the Netherlands. Must me anoying to tug a PDA around or a laptop about.
Did you read the article? It talks about ovens, garage door openers and refrigerators. Don't know about your house, but in mine, those all have power cords.

[bargle]

Apprently your PDA is tired to a powerchord? Those silly people in the Netherlands. Must me anoying to tug a PDA around or a laptop about.
Did you read the article? It talks about ovens, garage door openers and refrigerators. Don't know about your house, but in mine, those all have power cords.

Nope, and I don't really care to. I'm just sick of hearing about WiFi as the answer to a PAN. And for someone who gloats it as a "WiFi - a working wireless solution.", obvious hasn't tought about it too hard when it comes to the security on soo many ends. And you seem to be useing it as a ploy to attack bluetooth. This anoys me when WiFi is not much better.

Personaly Im glad WiFi is rampid. Free Inet acess for my iPAQ.

Noting defince applace to needing a powerchord. From my knolage appliance just means a device that dose a task. This can mean any thing really.

http://www.m-w.com

Main Entry: ap·pli·ance
Pronunciation: &-'plI-&n(t)s
Function: noun
Date: 1561
1 : an act of applying
2 a : a piece of equipment for adapting a tool or machine to a special purpose : ATTACHMENT b : an instrument or device designed for a particular use; specifically : a household or office device (as a stove, fan, or refrigerator) operated by gas or electric current c British : FIRE ENGINE
3 obsolete : COMPLIANCE
synonym see IMPLEMENT

[Ed Hansberry]

Nope, and I don't really care to. I'm just sick of hearing about WiFi as the answer to a PAN.
Well, you are so far out of it then. The article is not about a PAN, my post was not about a PAN and 802.11b is not about PAN, and I have never said otherwise.

[dave]

why would anyone want to use wi-fi for a pan?


i prefer stainless steel, or a nice non-stick material.

[st63z]

^ BADA BADA BOOM!

[bsoft]

WIFI itself is not secure. That's why you run a secure protocol over it. You could use a VPN solution or simply an SSH connection. Then if someone can snoop on your packet data it doesn't matter.

As for power and cost... 802.11b has been shown to be both inexpensive and low power. Lower speed (i.e. 1mbit), lower power 802.11b would conserve more power (current implmentations already "step down" to 1mbit as they lose power, so this nothing new).

And, yes, Bluetooth sucks. Compatibility sucks. No one can get the F------ protocol implemented correctly. Palms can't talk to Pocket PCs which can't talk to cellphones - unless they have patch after patch. Until this is resolved Bluetooth is a technology to be cautious with. 802.11b does not have this problem.

Again on security, two years ago we were absolutely sure that 802.11b was uncrackable. Today we know that to be false. Who's to say that in a year and a half we won't discover a gaping hole in Bluetooth security?

[bargle]

WIFI itself is not secure. That's why you run a secure protocol over it. You could use a VPN solution or simply an SSH connection. Then if someone can snoop on your packet data it doesn't matter.

.....................

Again on security, two years ago we were absolutely sure that 802.11b was uncrackable. Today we know that to be false. Who's to say that in a year and a half we won't discover a gaping hole in Bluetooth security?

Well I assume your commenting twards me. The only reason I like Bluetooth over WiFi . Distance. I sure as hell dont wany my toster on a WiFi... (Little alone I cant think of a use for it to be connected, even with bluetooth.) I'm sure bluetooth has holes.

To me its like compairing apples and twinkies. Each has diffrent applications, dispite similar consepts. While WiFi can talk to other devices tough other protocalls. Such as TCP/IP or IPX, etc. They can't talk to seprtate devices easly. Adhoc as I understand is similar but you cant just device to device easly. Such as a WiFi KB would be useless. two totaly diffrent conselpts. Bluetooth has more of a challange ahead. Im not saying its the tecnoligy that should win. But its the only thing out there I have seen. As soon as WiFi tackels the same problems bluetooth's multi platform/multi device system, I think you can compair them. And Im sure they will have similar problems..