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General => General Technical Chat => Topic started by: Sionyn on August 06, 2012, 10:07:38 am

Title: 'Wi-Fi police' stalk Olympic Games
Post by: Sionyn on August 06, 2012, 10:07:38 am
http://www.theage.com.au/technology/technology-news/draconian-wifi-police-stalk-olympic-games-20120803-23jdc.html (http://www.theage.com.au/technology/technology-news/draconian-wifi-police-stalk-olympic-games-20120803-23jdc.html)
and why ? interference, what a load of junk science, typical 'trained' blithering idiots
Title: Re: 'Wi-Fi police' stalk Olympic Games
Post by: Things on August 06, 2012, 10:14:42 am
ROFL!! What a load of shite! Good laugh :)
Title: Re: 'Wi-Fi police' stalk Olympic Games
Post by: tom66 on August 06, 2012, 10:16:34 am
Properly designed devices do not interfere. Codswallop.
Title: Re: 'Wi-Fi police' stalk Olympic Games
Post by: Things on August 06, 2012, 10:17:55 am
That's just their lame coverup excuse, the real reason is they want people to have no other internet access & so have to purchase it from them.

Also why do their WiFi detectors look like they're made from red duct tape? :D
Title: Re: 'Wi-Fi police' stalk Olympic Games
Post by: David_AVD on August 06, 2012, 10:21:19 am
I'd guess that they are little yagi antennas and they had to cover over the sharp bits to avoid potential injury.
Title: Re: 'Wi-Fi police' stalk Olympic Games
Post by: Things on August 06, 2012, 10:31:22 am
Yeah, sounds like that's what it is. Strange the mention "3G hubs" also, seeing as most phones today can be used as 3G hubs. Did they ban all phones from using 3G and limit to GSM too? :D
Title: Re: 'Wi-Fi police' stalk Olympic Games
Post by: tom66 on August 06, 2012, 10:31:39 am
That's just their lame coverup excuse, the real reason is they want people to have no other internet access & so have to purchase it from them.

Also why do their WiFi detectors look like they're made from red duct tape? :D

Just like fish and chips costs £8 or something ridiculous - it's not as if there is a lack of customers!
Title: Re: 'Wi-Fi police' stalk Olympic Games
Post by: Ferroto on August 06, 2012, 10:42:01 am
Someone should build a bunch of 2.4 ghz beacons and leave them all over the place. Maby by the end of it all fox hunting could become an olympic sport. :D
Title: Re: 'Wi-Fi police' stalk Olympic Games
Post by: Sionyn on August 06, 2012, 11:04:19 am
i don't see how they have a leg to stand on its a unlicensed spectrum after all do they own the electromagnetic spectrum they think by making a policy agreement that infringes on your basic rights http://pastebin.com/eU8RJtFd (http://pastebin.com/eU8RJtFd)

no wonder that the businesses in London complains of the lack of customers when the restrictions for the olympic venues are hard enough to make you feel like a suspect.

their claim to it being private property is ludacris considering it was paid out public coffers
Title: Re: 'Wi-Fi police' stalk Olympic Games
Post by: madires on August 06, 2012, 12:01:09 pm
I boycott the Olympic Games. It's just a huge marketing event enforcing special rights and exceptions from local law, which I consider totally illegal. It's a shame that governments change laws to help the Olympic Games company make more money.

It would be really nice if the Olympic Games would be just about sports.
Title: Re: 'Wi-Fi police' stalk Olympic Games
Post by: firewalker on August 06, 2012, 12:28:16 pm
Just.... TROLOLOLOL. Idiots.

Alexander.
Title: Re: 'Wi-Fi police' stalk Olympic Games
Post by: Psi on August 06, 2012, 01:03:55 pm
Someone should build a bunch of 2.4 ghz beacons and leave them all over the place. Maby by the end of it all fox hunting could become an olympic sport. :D

na, make up some small battery powered wifi transmitters with sticky backing and secretly attach them to the backpacks all those wifi police are wearing.

Then sit back and laugh as they keep turning around and around trying to find a signal peak for the hotspot on their back.

FYI, fox hunting is an abhorrent activity (i'm not going to call it sport) it's no different to seal clubbing
Title: Re: 'Wi-Fi police' stalk Olympic Games
Post by: Monkeh on August 06, 2012, 01:26:32 pm
FYI, fox hunting is an abhorrent activity (i'm not going to call it sport) it's no different to seal clubbing

It's also a method of controlling fox populations, which spiral out of control if left unchecked.
Title: Re: 'Wi-Fi police' stalk Olympic Games
Post by: Psi on August 06, 2012, 01:42:39 pm
A desirable side effect doesn't negate the harm and make something acceptable.
Title: Re: 'Wi-Fi police' stalk Olympic Games
Post by: Monkeh on August 06, 2012, 02:26:50 pm
A desirable side effect doesn't negate the harm and make something acceptable.

What harm's that, then?
Title: Re: 'Wi-Fi police' stalk Olympic Games
Post by: mikeselectricstuff on August 06, 2012, 02:29:59 pm
This is mostly about the fact that there is a holy crapload of RF stuff going on in the area - networks, wireless TV camera links, telemetry, wireless mics and in-ear monitors/talkback, walkie-talkies etc. so they need to be able to find anything causing interference that might disrupt operations. The odd random person sharing a 3g connection to save BT's rip-off charges will be the least of their problems.
The antenna in that pic looks like a wideband one - if they were just looking for wifi they's use a single band one.

As well as mobile receivers there are some fixed sensors to get rough positioning as it's a huge area to walk around- I'm guessing these are remotely operable spectrum analysers or simliar.

 There are some reports on all the spectrum requirements they envisage and there is all sorts of stuff there.

http://stakeholders.ofcom.org.uk/binaries/consultations/london2012/statement/statement.pdf (http://stakeholders.ofcom.org.uk/binaries/consultations/london2012/statement/statement.pdf)
http://stakeholders.ofcom.org.uk/binaries/consultations/london2012/statement/london2010Update.pdf (http://stakeholders.ofcom.org.uk/binaries/consultations/london2012/statement/london2010Update.pdf)
Skimming the second, looks like 2.6GHz is being used as a dedicated band, so interference from 2.45G wifi is a distinct possibility.

When I was working there we were told that any wireless networking gear we installed had to be on 5.8GHz.

of course "wifi Police" makes a much better headline
Title: Re: 'Wi-Fi police' stalk Olympic Games
Post by: Ferroto on August 06, 2012, 03:57:57 pm
Someone should build a bunch of 2.4 ghz beacons and leave them all over the place. Maby by the end of it all fox hunting could become an olympic sport. :D

na, make up some small battery powered wifi transmitters with sticky backing and secretly attach them to the backpacks all those wifi police are wearing.

Then sit back and laugh as they keep turning around and around trying to find a signal peak for the hotspot on their back.

FYI, fox hunting is an abhorrent activity (i'm not going to call it sport) it's no different to seal clubbing

I like this idea even more. btw Fox hunting is a competition where ham radio enthusists look for hidden radio transmitters using a directional antenna, map and compass.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Transmitter_hunting (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Transmitter_hunting)
Title: Re: 'Wi-Fi police' stalk Olympic Games
Post by: elliott on August 06, 2012, 04:36:47 pm
This is mostly about the fact that there is a holy crapload of RF stuff going on in the area - networks, wireless TV camera links, telemetry, wireless mics and in-ear monitors/talkback, walkie-talkies etc. so they need to be able to find anything causing interference that might disrupt operations.
It is bad enough trying to setup a router at an apartment complex with all legal US wifi channels saturated, I couldn't imagine trying to work with RF stuff in a situation like the Olympics.
Title: Re: 'Wi-Fi police' stalk Olympic Games
Post by: mikeselectricstuff on August 06, 2012, 04:57:00 pm
My understanding is that this is more about preventing people live streaming events, to protect the "media partners" who played lots of money for the official live stream.
You'd have to route it out over 3G to get offsite, so a local wifi link wouldn't help, unless it was something beefy enough to make it out of the site. And it's a HUGE ste
Title: Re: 'Wi-Fi police' stalk Olympic Games
Post by: HardBoot on August 06, 2012, 04:59:23 pm
Heh, I have a feeling they can't look for high GHz signals because pirate radio relays are still working in the area.
Title: Re: 'Wi-Fi police' stalk Olympic Games
Post by: SeanB on August 06, 2012, 06:06:22 pm
Better is to turn on microwave ovens when they walk past, with nothing inside, so the leakage is at it's worst. How will they detect any signal with a half watt of RF leakage pinning the meters and burning out the front ends if aimed direct at them.
Title: Re: 'Wi-Fi police' stalk Olympic Games
Post by: HardBoot on August 06, 2012, 06:10:45 pm
Better is to turn on microwave ovens when they walk past, with nothing inside, so the leakage is at it's worst. How will they detect any signal with a half watt of RF leakage pinning the meters and burning out the front ends if aimed direct at them.
Get microwave oven with plastic cover.
Remove plastic cover.
Cut hole in metal box.
Put cover back on.
Hope the plastic case is transparent to microwaves.
? ? ? ?
Profit.
Title: Re: 'Wi-Fi police' stalk Olympic Games
Post by: SeanB on August 06, 2012, 06:14:23 pm
V2 involves a quick work on 3 switches, and losing a certain part. Do not stand in front then.................
Title: Re: 'Wi-Fi police' stalk Olympic Games
Post by: Murphy on August 06, 2012, 08:52:14 pm
Also why do their WiFi detectors look like they're made from red duct tape? :D

Because without the tape they look kinda scary http://www2.rohde-schwarz.com/en/products/radiomonitoring/antennas/HE200-%7C-Key_Facts-%7C-4-%7C-2745.html (http://www2.rohde-schwarz.com/en/products/radiomonitoring/antennas/HE200-%7C-Key_Facts-%7C-4-%7C-2745.html)
Title: Re: 'Wi-Fi police' stalk Olympic Games
Post by: M. András on August 06, 2012, 09:19:31 pm
I boycott the Olympic Games. It's just a huge marketing event enforcing special rights and exceptions from local law, which I consider totally illegal. It's a shame that governments change laws to help the Olympic Games company make more money.

It would be really nice if the Olympic Games would be just about sports.
it would be a good start to deny the payment for SPORTING! they get insane amounts of money for doing what? sporting? ridicoulus. and going to an olympia makes them more money for the nothing. i  would say you can go to such events but you get nothing just a piece of paper for winning. and you must work beside your sport activity to be able to survive. no money= no food. most of the people get their paycheck with hard work. not for doing sports what is a goddam hobby or a healthcare activity....
Title: Re: 'Wi-Fi police' stalk Olympic Games
Post by: icon on August 06, 2012, 10:06:32 pm
Quote

FYI, fox hunting is an abhorrent activity (i'm not going to call it sport) it's no different to seal clubbing
Quote
btw Fox hunting is a competition where ham radio enthusists look for hidden radio transmitters using a directional antenna, map and compass.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Transmitter_hunting (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Transmitter_hunting)

What, you think he didn't know that? Sounds disgraceful. Ham radio enthusiasts indeed. >:(
Title: Re: 'Wi-Fi police' stalk Olympic Games
Post by: Psi on August 07, 2012, 01:05:37 am
lol, no, i wasn't aware of that definition.
Only knew of the hunting where foxes are chased for hours and finally ripped apart by dogs under the banner of sport.
Title: Re: 'Wi-Fi police' stalk Olympic Games
Post by: Monkeh on August 07, 2012, 02:40:55 am
lol, no, i wasn't aware of that definition.
Only knew of the hunting where foxes are chased for hours and finally ripped apart by dogs under the banner of sport.

I do wonder where people get the idea that a single fox lasts 'hours' and is 'ripped apart by dogs'. You'll find most don't very long, and it's rather a quick death. Quicker than being shot, especially by the incompetents who usually go around shooting foxes. Also quicker than traps or poisoning.
Title: Re: 'Wi-Fi police' stalk Olympic Games
Post by: Simon on August 07, 2012, 06:19:21 am
given the poor wifi reception on y phone I'm guessing it won't exactly make a long range wifi hotspot. Probably some idiot panicking
Title: Re: 'Wi-Fi police' stalk Olympic Games
Post by: G7PSK on August 07, 2012, 07:45:37 am
Assuming that those aerials are folded long periodical yaggi's they are looking for far more than wifi well into the VHF bands judging by the size.
Title: Re: 'Wi-Fi police' stalk Olympic Games
Post by: LaurenceW on August 07, 2012, 08:01:16 pm
Are we sure this isn't just one of those Olympic meeter and greeter chappies, who directs lost punters to the PleasureDome, or whatever it's called? "Over there, madam" (emphasises direction with huge, nay phallic, pointy red arrow, while listening to "Chariots of Fire" tune on iPod).

That's what it is I reckon
Title: Re: 'Wi-Fi police' stalk Olympic Games
Post by: Simon on August 07, 2012, 08:32:26 pm
Are we sure this isn't just one of those Olympic meeter and greeter chappies, who directs lost punters to the PleasureDome, or whatever it's called? "Over there, madam" (emphasises direction with huge, nay phallic, pointy red arrow, while listening to "Chariots of Fire" tune on iPod).

That's what it is I reckon

haha, about as good as you mean  ;)