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A PDA or laptop based directory tool that uses GPS location information to find your nearest WiFi hotspot.
This seems so simple to me, so I can't comprehend that no-one has built the software yet. All we need are the following components to be connected together
- a database of hotspot locations
(e.g. boingo)
- a laptop or PDA
- and a connected GPS (either by serial or bluetooth)
Then you can query the software to find you the closest WiFi hotspot. If it is integrated with navigation software such as Tom-Tom, then it could even direct you to the hotspot in question.
(?) Boingo PDA
http://www.boingo.com/pr/pr79.html
Boingo now have PDA software, although no mention of GPS yet [andybryant, Oct 04 2004]
(?) is this it?
http://www.kensington.com/html/3720.html
[cromagnon, Oct 04 2004]
netstumbler.com
http://www.netstumbler.com/
See the netstumbler kit [Porsche911, Oct 04 2004]
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Annotation:
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The kensington wifi finder and other similar devices will only find a hotspot if you're close enough to it to pick it up on the laptop. Netstumbler is exactly the same. |
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The thing I'm talking about would direct you to the closest hotspot by GPS, even if you are miles away... |
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I think the thing with hotspots is there's limited roaming. Unless of course, you're talking about the free WLANs discovered during warchalking. It would suck if I walked for miles to find I was at (label A)'s hotspot versus (label B)'s hotspot (where I have my access). |
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1) this can already be done; all you have to do is write a netstumbler database plugin and tie it to gps. |
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Wardrivers can already tell you how to wire everything to get netstumbler to save a gps location on any wifi point, and most cities are mapped. Just build something that you can run locally (dl a 100 mile range), that ties into gps and netstumbler: "You are 550 feet away from the outer fringe of an unencrypted private hotspot: Would you like to connect once close enough?" |
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2) The reason this doesn't work on a commerical level is that noone has a broad enough network yet: You could be with a provider that has 2 hotspots within 20 miles, let there is an open one evey 2 feet that doesn't belong to them. |
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Doable right now if you only use public wardriving data.
Start a sourceforge project and see where it goes :) |
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It's a good idea for now, but I think that wifi network coverage will improve so rapidly that this will soon be unneccessary, just as a similar feature for locating cell-phone towers would be. |
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