Bloomberg: Google, Meta and Apple Win US Approval for Mobile VR Devices. “Alphabet Inc.’s Google, Apple Inc. and Meta Platforms Inc. won approval from US regulators to deploy a new set of mobile virtual- and augmented-reality devices, including goggles and in-car connections. The gadgets would be allowed to tap airwaves used by Wi-Fi-enabled devices, the Federal Communications Commission decided in a 5-0 vote Thursday.”
Bleeping Computer: Snappy: A tool to detect rogue WiFi access points on open networks. “Cybersecurity researchers have released a new tool called ‘Snappy’ that can help detect fake or rogue WiFi access points that attempts to steal data from unsuspecting people. Attackers can create fake access points in supermarkets, coffee shops, and malls that impersonate real ones already established at the location. This is done to trick users into connecting to the rogue access points and relay sensitive data through the attackers’ devices.”
Tom’s Hardware: How to Turn a Raspberry Pi Into a Wi-Fi Access Point. “The latest Raspberry Pi OS release saw a beta of Network Manager, a tool new to the Raspberry Pi that replaces dhcpcd as a means to manage networking on the Pi. This new tool provides us with a simple, GUI based means to configure a spare Raspberry Pi as a wireless access point. If you need to extend a networking setup, add Wi-Fi to those hard to reach places, then this is for you.”
Texas A&M Today: Researchers To Enhance Security Of Next-Generation Wireless Systems. “Guofei Gu, professor in the Department of Computer Science and Engineering at Texas A&M University, is the lead principal investigator of a research team that has received a $1 million grant from the National Science Foundation’s (NSF) Resilient and Intelligent Next-Generation Systems (RINGS) program to enhance the security of future wireless and mobile network systems.”
ReviewGeek: New Raspberry Pi Pico W Adds Wi-Fi and Costs $6. “Now available for just $6, the Raspberry Pi Pico W uses an Infineon CYW43439 wireless chip for Wi-Fi support. This enables wireless internet support, which is particularly useful for IoT projects. Notably, the CYW43439 chip also supports Bluetooth 5.2 and Bluetooth LE, though these features aren’t enabled at launch.”
Bleeping Computer: Microsoft: June Windows updates may break Wi-Fi hotspots. “Microsoft is investigating a newly acknowledged issue causing connectivity issues when using Wi-Fi hotspots after deploying Windows updates released during the June 2022 Patch Tuesday. The Wi-Fi hotspot feature allows users to share their Wi-Fi, Ethernet, or cellular data Internet connection with other devices on their network.”
San Francisco Chronicle: Ninth Circuit upholds $13M settlement in Google Street View privacy case. “Google can pay $13 million to privacy-rights groups to settle a suit over its former use of ‘Street View’ vehicles to collect private computer information, including emails and passwords, from homes around the world, a federal appeals court ruled Monday.”
Mashable: How to see who is lurking on your WiFi. “The simplest way to remove unwanted WiFi users is to change your password — and don’t share the new one. But if you want to take things a step further and find out exactly who is on your network, there are several ways to access a list of the devices that are currently using your WiFi.”
Ubergizmo: How To Create A QR Code For Your WiFi Password. “We’re sure that many of us have had that experience when your friends or family members come to your home and ask for the WiFi password. Maybe you use this password for other things and you’d rather not give it outright, or maybe you’re tired of having to repeat it over and over again. Thankfully, there is a quicker way of giving your guests access to your home’s WiFi and that is by generating a QR code.”
Techdirt: A Major Wireless Network Flaw Is Still Being Exploited To Track User Locations. “In 2017, hackers and security researchers highlighted long-standing vulnerabilities in Signaling System 7 (SS7, or Common Channel Signalling System 7 in the US), a series of protocols first built in 1975 to help connect phone carriers around the world. While the problem isn’t new, a 2016 60 Minutes report brought wider attention to the fact that the flaw can allow a hacker to track user location, dodge encryption, and even record private conversations.”
Techdirt: Ajit Pai’s FCC Does Something Good, Frees Wireless Spectrum The Auto Industry Had Done Little With. “Last week, the FCC quietly voted unanimously to add 45MHz of spectrum to Wi-Fi to public access, taking it away from an auto industry public safety initiative that failed to materialize over the last 20 years. Spectrum in the 5.850GHz to 5.925GHz range for several decades had been set aside for something called Dedicated Short Range Communications (DSRC), a vehicle-to-vehicle and vehicle-to-infrastructure communications system that was supposed to warn drivers of traffic dangers.”
Neowin: Amazon Sidewalk is coming to turn your network into Amazon’s. “Today, Amazon started notifying Echo and Ring users of a new service that it’s rolling out this year called Sidewalk. Sidewalk is essentially a proprietary shared network that runs on top of your personal network. According to the company, it uses a ‘small portion of your Internet bandwidth’, although it obviously won’t help you out with your internet bill.”
CNN: A fourth-grader walked to school to use its WiFi because he didn’t have internet at home. “A fourth-grader in Roswell, New Mexico, has been walking to his shuttered elementary school to do his classwork over the building’s WiFi because he didn’t have internet access at home. Schools in the Roswell Independent School District have been conducting classes online because of the Covid-19 pandemic.”
AgriPulse: New tool locates Wi-Fi hot spots in rural communities. “A new interactive map from the American Connection Project (ACP) makes it easier to find free internet connectivity across the nation. The new map includes locations of 2,300 free Wi-Fi hot spots across 49 states with the hope of adding more sites in the coming months. Many of the current hot spots are retail locations for places like Land O’Lakes and Tractor Supply Company, but they also include facilities such as electric coops and 4-H buildings.”
Texas State Library and Archives Commission: Texas State Library and Archives Commission Launches Texas Free WiFi Map. “This interactive online map provides up-to-date location information for public drive-up WiFi hotspots provided by Texas libraries, schools, and nonprofits. The Texas Free WiFi Map is searchable, zoomable, and perfect for educators and students, as well as members of the general public requiring internet access for activities such as accessing library services, skill and workforce development, online job and government applications, virtual court appearances, WiFi-based telephone calls, research, business development and more. It provides site-specific login instructions for users.”
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