Comments on: Whisher: Metered Wi-Fi made easy http://www.techcrunch.com/2008/03/31/whisher-metered-wi-fi-made-easy/ Startup and Technology News Thu, 24 Jul 2008 11:54:40 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.5.1 By: Tai http://www.techcrunch.com/2008/03/31/whisher-metered-wi-fi-made-easy/#comment-2188200 Tai Fri, 18 Apr 2008 02:05:09 +0000 http://www.techcrunch.com/2008/03/31/whisher-metered-wi-fi-made-easy/#comment-2188200 Interesting. This seems like a simpler way to share home Wi-Fi than FON. The metered rates seem high. Boingo offers day passes and unimited monthly access at $8 and $21 respectively with no term commitment. iPass now has an unlimited access with the option of 3G card. Coverage is sparse in the US. Key airport networks are missing (Chicago Ohare, JFK, LAX, etc...) Interesting. This seems like a simpler way to share home Wi-Fi than FON. The metered rates seem high. Boingo offers day passes and unimited monthly access at $8 and $21 respectively with no term commitment. iPass now has an unlimited access with the option of 3G card. Coverage is sparse in the US. Key airport networks are missing (Chicago Ohare, JFK, LAX, etc…)

]]> By: Joe WiFi http://www.techcrunch.com/2008/03/31/whisher-metered-wi-fi-made-easy/#comment-2137138 Joe WiFi Mon, 07 Apr 2008 02:35:41 +0000 http://www.techcrunch.com/2008/03/31/whisher-metered-wi-fi-made-easy/#comment-2137138 so I am guessing Whisher sw is really a client side database of all the SSIDs of 'registered' routers and their encryption keys. It is more clever of an approach that buying new hardware, ala Fonera et al. It looks for the strongest SSID that is in it's database, and then connects to it. When it does it posts connection times and uses a packet filter to count up data sent/recvd and also posts this to Whisher server. Pretty cool. I think also a nice feature would be to let me share my 3G connections with other users in the airport, for money this time. I have 3G card... I have WiFI... Whisher should let me setup a client to client connection for this purpose, a DNCH server and do a bit of IP forwarding... all in all a nice idea, in theory. 11b and 11g just suck too bad for any useful work. But Wisher and lots of 11n/MIMO APs could be a real good thing, in a few years. What Whisher has as an edge on Fonera and others is there is no marginal cost of dsitribution... all sw, no hw, makes for a longer lasting startup. There are some real killer counter strategies that the hardware guys could bring to bear here.... nonetheless the real issue for me is can the network get to a point of critical mass to where you could build a value business. Not clear. so I am guessing Whisher sw is really a client side database of all the SSIDs of ‘registered’ routers and their encryption keys. It is more clever of an approach that buying new hardware, ala Fonera et al. It looks for the strongest SSID that is in it’s database, and then connects to it. When it does it posts connection times and uses a packet filter to count up data sent/recvd and also posts this to Whisher server. Pretty cool.

I think also a nice feature would be to let me share my 3G connections with other users in the airport, for money this time. I have 3G card… I have WiFI… Whisher should let me setup a client to client connection for this purpose, a DNCH server and do a bit of IP forwarding… all in all a nice idea, in theory.

11b and 11g just suck too bad for any useful work. But Wisher and lots of 11n/MIMO APs could be a real good thing, in a few years. What Whisher has as an edge on Fonera and others is there is no marginal cost of dsitribution… all sw, no hw, makes for a longer lasting startup.

There are some real killer counter strategies that the hardware guys could bring to bear here…. nonetheless the real issue for me is can the network get to a point of critical mass to where you could build a value business. Not clear.

]]> By: Mike Puchol http://www.techcrunch.com/2008/03/31/whisher-metered-wi-fi-made-easy/#comment-2135219 Mike Puchol Sun, 06 Apr 2008 11:10:18 +0000 http://www.techcrunch.com/2008/03/31/whisher-metered-wi-fi-made-easy/#comment-2135219 Mark: Whisher is free, unlike other similar applications - even if you only want the signal strength and encryption indicator, it's still worth having, as it costs nothing. And if one day you decide to use the WiFi sharing and WiFi Out access features, you don't need to install anything else, it's all built in. Mark: Whisher is free, unlike other similar applications - even if you only want the signal strength and encryption indicator, it’s still worth having, as it costs nothing. And if one day you decide to use the WiFi sharing and WiFi Out access features, you don’t need to install anything else, it’s all built in.

]]> By: Saving Coffeeshop Wi-Fi « Perpetual Motion http://www.techcrunch.com/2008/03/31/whisher-metered-wi-fi-made-easy/#comment-2071199 Saving Coffeeshop Wi-Fi « Perpetual Motion Tue, 01 Apr 2008 20:46:48 +0000 http://www.techcrunch.com/2008/03/31/whisher-metered-wi-fi-made-easy/#comment-2071199 [...] originated.  It now looks like there is an even more direct solution to the problem in the form of Whisher, a new software application which lets any access point owner turn their node into a pay-for-access [...] [...] originated.  It now looks like there is an even more direct solution to the problem in the form of Whisher, a new software application which lets any access point owner turn their node into a pay-for-access [...]

]]> By: Tim Breslin http://www.techcrunch.com/2008/03/31/whisher-metered-wi-fi-made-easy/#comment-2070706 Tim Breslin Tue, 01 Apr 2008 17:33:18 +0000 http://www.techcrunch.com/2008/03/31/whisher-metered-wi-fi-made-easy/#comment-2070706 Actually its called WiFind - and you can download it for free at www.tastyapps.com. Actually its called WiFind - and you can download it for free at http://www.tastyapps.com.

]]> By: Mark Schoneveld http://www.techcrunch.com/2008/03/31/whisher-metered-wi-fi-made-easy/#comment-2070701 Mark Schoneveld Tue, 01 Apr 2008 17:30:51 +0000 http://www.techcrunch.com/2008/03/31/whisher-metered-wi-fi-made-easy/#comment-2070701 This looks like a promising application, if it gets wide adoption. I've been diggin' a light-weight wi-fi plugin that does a lot of the same thing, minus the money part. Wi-Find will show you locked and unlocked networks as well as signal strength straight in the Apple wireless menu. This looks like a promising application, if it gets wide adoption.

I’ve been diggin’ a light-weight wi-fi plugin that does a lot of the same thing, minus the money part. Wi-Find will show you locked and unlocked networks as well as signal strength straight in the Apple wireless menu.

]]> By: TechCrunch Japanese アーカイブ » Whisher: 料金制Wi-Fiを手軽に http://www.techcrunch.com/2008/03/31/whisher-metered-wi-fi-made-easy/#comment-2068586 TechCrunch Japanese アーカイブ » Whisher: 料金制Wi-Fiを手軽に Tue, 01 Apr 2008 02:49:33 +0000 http://www.techcrunch.com/2008/03/31/whisher-metered-wi-fi-made-easy/#comment-2068586 [...] [原文へ] [...] [...] [原文へ] [...]

]]> By: Roger Schultz http://www.techcrunch.com/2008/03/31/whisher-metered-wi-fi-made-easy/#comment-2068515 Roger Schultz Tue, 01 Apr 2008 02:11:25 +0000 http://www.techcrunch.com/2008/03/31/whisher-metered-wi-fi-made-easy/#comment-2068515 Shane (#7): I am still using a FON router, connected to the net and sharing my bandwidth since january 07 and it works fine! And, for sure they are still on business, and growing, mostly in Japan. Shane (#7):

I am still using a FON router, connected to the net and sharing my bandwidth since january 07 and it works fine!

And, for sure they are still on business, and growing, mostly in Japan.

]]> By: Shane http://www.techcrunch.com/2008/03/31/whisher-metered-wi-fi-made-easy/#comment-2068416 Shane Tue, 01 Apr 2008 01:34:02 +0000 http://www.techcrunch.com/2008/03/31/whisher-metered-wi-fi-made-easy/#comment-2068416 What happened to that other company that was in the news all the time - Fon? Are they still around? Anybody uses them? What happened to that other company that was in the news all the time - Fon? Are they still around? Anybody uses them?

]]> By: Jorge http://www.techcrunch.com/2008/03/31/whisher-metered-wi-fi-made-easy/#comment-2068385 Jorge Tue, 01 Apr 2008 01:17:43 +0000 http://www.techcrunch.com/2008/03/31/whisher-metered-wi-fi-made-easy/#comment-2068385 Read the contract harder, Mr. Biggs. The definition sections always define "selling" to include services like this, where you are trading your internet connection for services. (Basically, a sale, with money removed because it's unnecessary). Of course, the ISP has no way of determining what traffic is from a service like this, and what traffic is permissible access granted by the customer to, say, guests and family. Read the contract harder, Mr. Biggs.

The definition sections always define “selling” to include services like this, where you are trading your internet connection for services. (Basically, a sale, with money removed because it’s unnecessary).

Of course, the ISP has no way of determining what traffic is from a service like this, and what traffic is permissible access granted by the customer to, say, guests and family.

]]> By: Mike Puchol http://www.techcrunch.com/2008/03/31/whisher-metered-wi-fi-made-easy/#comment-2068225 Mike Puchol Tue, 01 Apr 2008 00:06:08 +0000 http://www.techcrunch.com/2008/03/31/whisher-metered-wi-fi-made-easy/#comment-2068225 John (#4): What Whisher does is give you control over when and how you share - you can choose to make your signal private any time you want, and you will soon be able to see every user that logged onto your WiFi under My Account. Thus, if there was any strange activity at the time, you will be able to prove there was someone else connected. Every user that connects to your signal must have created an account with Whisher, so there is no anonymous use allowed. WEP/WPA2 is just as secure as it was before, because you, as the owner, controls the sharing. John (#4):

What Whisher does is give you control over when and how you share - you can choose to make your signal private any time you want, and you will soon be able to see every user that logged onto your WiFi under My Account. Thus, if there was any strange activity at the time, you will be able to prove there was someone else connected.

Every user that connects to your signal must have created an account with Whisher, so there is no anonymous use allowed. WEP/WPA2 is just as secure as it was before, because you, as the owner, controls the sharing.

]]> By: John Doe http://www.techcrunch.com/2008/03/31/whisher-metered-wi-fi-made-easy/#comment-2068051 John Doe Mon, 31 Mar 2008 23:05:46 +0000 http://www.techcrunch.com/2008/03/31/whisher-metered-wi-fi-made-easy/#comment-2068051 Biggs, How can I trust some random guy browsing "hic-hic-hic-hic" site from my router? If he does any "unworthy" act, I will have someone banging on my door @ 2am in the morning.... Whisher is giving the average "joe" ability to have fun at my expense..... now even WEP/WPA2 isn't secure Biggs,
How can I trust some random guy browsing “hic-hic-hic-hic” site from my router? If he does any “unworthy” act, I will have someone banging on my door @ 2am in the morning….
Whisher is giving the average “joe” ability to have fun at my expense….. now even WEP/WPA2 isn’t secure

]]> By: dave http://www.techcrunch.com/2008/03/31/whisher-metered-wi-fi-made-easy/#comment-2067989 dave Mon, 31 Mar 2008 22:46:16 +0000 http://www.techcrunch.com/2008/03/31/whisher-metered-wi-fi-made-easy/#comment-2067989 Perfect for my 3rd floor apartment right above a busy starbucks in NY Perfect for my 3rd floor apartment right above a busy starbucks in NY

]]> By: John Biggs http://www.techcrunch.com/2008/03/31/whisher-metered-wi-fi-made-easy/#comment-2067985 John Biggs Mon, 31 Mar 2008 22:44:35 +0000 http://www.techcrunch.com/2008/03/31/whisher-metered-wi-fi-made-easy/#comment-2067985 you don't have to sell it. you can "share" it for free and get access to other whisher spots around the world. you don’t have to sell it. you can “share” it for free and get access to other whisher spots around the world.

]]> By: John Doe http://www.techcrunch.com/2008/03/31/whisher-metered-wi-fi-made-easy/#comment-2067981 John Doe Mon, 31 Mar 2008 22:42:37 +0000 http://www.techcrunch.com/2008/03/31/whisher-metered-wi-fi-made-easy/#comment-2067981 Won't I be breaking laws by reselling my bandwidth? The TOS of my cable ISP clearly states that I cannot sell my connection to anyone else..... Won’t I be breaking laws by reselling my bandwidth? The TOS of my cable ISP clearly states that I cannot sell my connection to anyone else…..

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