Re: Ok, so now we have a firewall, we're safe, right?

["Marcus J. Ranum" <mjr () ranum com>]

Paul D. Robertson wrote:
> In any wireless scenario, speed and distances will vary from room to room.
> Anything within the 2.4Ghz (microwave) spectrum may affect your wireless
> connectivity and speed. Signal penetration through walls will depend on
> the density for the walls. 802.11b is the standard for wireless
> technology, with a transfer speed of up to 11Mbps/ 2.4GHz frequency. In
> addition, to help protect your computer from hackers or others who may try
> to intrude on your wireless connection, $Provider Online strongly recommends
> that you use the WEP security function of your Linksys wireless router.
> WEP setup and advanced feature instructions are available on your Linksys
> User Guide CD.

So, if that's the advice that they got, they didn't read it or if they
read it they didn't understand it or follow it. There's nothing a provider
can do to help a dumb klunch who plugs something in without
understanding it.

Your original account of the incident made it sound as if the poor
idiots were completely blindsided by the fact that they were offering
up wireless internet access to all passerby and that it was somehow
the provider's fault. Sounds like they had ample opportunity for their
neurons to fire, "WTF wireless? WTF firewall?"    So, while the users
in this case are pathetic, they deserve pity for being lame morons, not
pity for having been duped by evil service providers.

Unless I'm mistaken, this proves my point. No, Guiness' is hard
to find up here; perhaps you can bring some next time you come
up and we can shoot more pictures of elk and afterwards drink my
winnings around a bonfire. ;)

mjr.

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