About Authentication, Security, Multiple users and a small change to Hayai's "Roaming WiFi"

[mgcarley]

You never know when an Apple turns out to be bad.

True. But like I said, I should be the only one knowing the Algorithm OR we should take up your suggestion of ensuring customers set a secure key. As it happens, the device also has a special one-touch WiFi setup button - you have to enter a pin code which is unique to the router or something.

This is because wi-fi connections have been used by terrorists as well as anti-social elements repeatedly in the last few years and innocent customers are left to face the music.

****ing terrorists. I don't care about their causes and stuff, I care that they cause me inconveniences. Same goes for anything else actually

---------- Post added at 08:19 PM ---------- Previous post was at 08:18 PM ----------

and most people are not smart enough to make their own connections secure. government does not listen to excuses anymore. the best solution is that the ISP ensures that the wireless connectivity at their customer's premises are secure and the user knows of the consequences.

the first thing i asked my neighbor uncle when he called me up to fix some problems he was facing on his laptop was whether his wireless network is secured with a password or not. thankfully he had heard of the stories above and told me that he uses a password and does not reveal it to anyone.

The device automatically enables security with the aforementioned one-touch button.

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---------- Post added at 08:30 PM ---------- Previous post was at 08:19 PM ----------

What is WPS? *
Wi-Fi*Protected*Setup*(WPS)*is*a*standard*created*by*the*Wi-Fi*Alliance*for*easy*and*secure*establishment*of*a*wireless*home/office*network.*

The*goal*of*the*WPS*protocol*is*to*simplify*the*process*for*configuring*the*security*of*the*wireless*network,*and*thus*calling*the*name*Wi-Fi*Protected*Setup. There*are*several*different*methods*defined*in*WPS*to*simplify*the*process*of*configuration.*

FSG2200HNU*supports*two*of*those*methods,*which*are*the*PIN* Method*and*the*PBC*Method.

PIN*Method:*
A*PIN*(Personal*Identification*Number)*has*to*be*read*from*either*a*sticker*on*the*new*wireless*client*device*or*a*display,*and*entered*at*either*the*wireless*access point*(AP)*or*a*Registrar*of*the*network.

PBC*Method:*
A*simple*action*of*“push*button”*suffices*the*process*to*activate*the*security*of*the wireless*network*and*at*the*same*time*be*subscribed*in*it.*

---------- Post added at 08:31 PM ---------- Previous post was at 08:30 PM ----------

Grrr, even running through notepad seems to not clear this ** issue up

 

[ziff]

--Software not relevent to discussion--

 

[mgcarley]

May have figured this WiFi issue out. Those who have been following me on Twitter have probably noticed some fairly at-length discussions about 802.1x. Potentially this means that we could theoretically use simple port-binding (with a username and password for the extra security), but this would allow us to:1. Ensure that only 1 user is connected to the user account at any given time and2. Allow us to use the same mechanism whether you connect via Wired, WiFi or any other connection. This means that you could go to your friends house or a coffee shop and connect to that WiFi (assuming it's one of our access points) and have the usage charged to your account only. If you've only got a single machine connecting to our service, the ability to roam would be great (and you would not have to pay extra for it)!3. This means that we can potentially make CPEs completely optional. Default would be a media-converter, and CPEs only come in to question when you subscribe to IPTV and/or VOIP services.

 

[wolvi]

This means that we can potentially make CPEs completely optional. Default would be a media-converter, and CPEs only come in to question when you subscribe to IPTV and/or VOIP services.

In that case the "CPE issue" could have been avoided and the rollout would not have been delayed.....at least broadband rollout could have been earlier with readily available media converters...IPTV,VOIP was anyways planned for launch at a later date in the original scheme of things if i am not mistaken

 

[mgcarley]

In that case the "CPE issue" could have been avoided and the rollout would not have been delayed.....at least broadband rollout could have been earlier with readily available media converters...IPTV,VOIP was anyways planned for launch at a later date in the original scheme of things if i am not mistaken

It could have been avoided, yes, and it was a huge mistake on our part. I wanted the devices to support everything from the get-go. More effective (and would have been cheaper) for us to get devices that do what we want than having to replace them after only 6-9 months, and way more effective than having 2, 3 even 4 devices to sort out the various services (in my parents house in NZ they have 3 devices to supply Broadband and VOIP only!)

Surprisingly, consumer triple-play GigE capable FTTH equipment isn't as easy to come by as you might expect - most of it only supports 100-base FX/BX or worse, FTTB with triple play services delivered from the basement to the home (in other words, the last 20-50 meters) over... VDSL!!

Now the cost of direct-fiber devices are almost down to a similar pricing level to the VDSL gear (a VDSL DSLAM for an apartment block costs about US$100 per line, but averaged over say 5 years it's only a couple of dollars a month) so VDSL basically no longer makes sense - only thing is, VDSL gear is more widely available, and we may still have to deploy it in buildings that won't let us run our own cables.

Funny what 6-months can do.