RSSGoogle Testing Out Free Wi-Fi Service
By Nate Mook | Published September 20, 2005, 4:40 PM
UPDATED Google is testing out a free wireless hotspot service in two locations, company officials acknowledged Tuesday. News of Google Wi-Fi spread following a new download called Google Secure Access that lets users connect to Google's VPN, or virtual private network, in order to keep their Internet connection secure from prying eyes when using Wi-Fi.
Google's wireless plans have been the center of much speculation over the past few months, with the company buying up fiber optic lines and expanding its portfolio with Google Talk and through the purchase of wireless start-up Android. However, Google itself has remained mum on its future plans.
Now, the company says it has begun a limited beta test of a Wi-Fi service near Google's Mountain View, California headquarters. Google spokesman Nate Tyler said the service is part of a "community outreach program." Tyler said the company would collect feedback from users and determine its next steps.
According to a frequently asked questions page, "Google Secure Access allows you to establish a more secure connection while using Google WiFi. By using Google Secure Access, your internet traffic will be encrypted, preventing others from viewing the information you transmit."
"The program can currently be downloaded at certain Google WiFi locations in the San Francisco Bay Area," the FAQ reads.
Google acknowledges that users may have privacy concerns with routing all of their traffic over Google's network.
"Your internet traffic will be encrypted and sent through Google's servers to the Internet. The data that is received will then be encrypted and sent back through our servers to your computer. Your privacy is important to us," the company says, pointing users to its privacy policy.
Google spokesperson Sonya Boralv explained to BetaNews that Google Wi-Fi was started by a company engineer as a "20 percent time project." Google lets its employees spend 20 percent of their time working on independent projects, which have previously planted the seed for Google News and AdSense.
Boralv noted that the Google Wi-Fi program actually began several months ago.
802.11x is a joke. I know it can and is setup successfully, but it's driver implementation across platforms is a joke, it's reliability in high traffic areas is nil, and it's security is a joke. Hence why google and every other provider out there encrypts over it.
wimax, to the rescue?
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|"wimax, to the rescue?"
Boy I sure hope so. Wireless tech just isn't meeting today's demands anymore.
Although WPA-PSK does provide a good level of security, but not many devices support it =(
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|802.11g w/ wpa2 is fine, all of the vendors drivers are pretty pathetic across platforms though.
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|It may be fine, but it took about 4-5 years of wireless to get there.
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|Hmm... while it sounds good in theory, there's bound to be problems. It sounds a lot like the situation with the Google Web Accelerator. It was cool, but it caused problems on websites that relied on referrer information, etc.
I wonder what Google's done to counter those problems in this product. Or maybe I just have no clue what I'm talking about, and those problems don't exist for this service.
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|The service seems fast, though I had to modify the VPN connection in XP to include my ISP's nameservers....
I'm in Phoenix on Cox.
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|I love Union Square. Because it has been built to such exacting standards, you can almost row a boat through some flooded sections after it rains a lot. All this whilst using your Google Secure Access Wi-Fi hotspot. Now that's what I call surfin' the 'Net!
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|It IS available, it's free, but it's only in the SF Area.
Here's the FAQ: http://wifi.google.com/faq.html
Here's the app: http://wifi.google.com/download.html
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|It's available to anyone who wants to download it. It works pretty decent. I am using it here in Indiana with out problem.
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|http://www.hagrin.com/forums/viewtopic.php?t=108
I compiled some information from a few random sources. It looks like you can choose the type of VPN connection you want to use (PPTP, L2TP) and some other information.
I personally can't get it to work, but I do live in NY.
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|Bah.
Hints at nothing. They've made a secure client in their spare time. Yippee!
I've recently created a new script for greasemonkey that makes my browser easier to use...guess that means I'll be releasing my own browser soon?
/me exasperated.
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|Ok. I'm probably making myself look like a n00b, but what is greasemonkey?
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|Google can be your friend.
http://greasemonkey.mozdev.org/
Alter websites you visit frequently on-the-fly. Want a delete button in GMail? Done. Want slashdot easier to navigate? Done.
Basically, if it can be done with Javascript, it can be done, by you, to any site you visit. It's the ultimate in site-personalization.
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|...nice...
I just found my new favorite object of procrastination.
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|Except it's not setup for *any* of the sites I want. But other than that it's completely worthwhile!
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|lol. Kinda like a bald guy buying a comb right?
"Oooh... nice comb"
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|Better run home to your mama.
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|Attitudes like this is why alot more people don't get involved in technology. Tech "geeks" are seen as arrogant "know it all's", and your not helping that stereotype.
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|What a really clever way to show just how pathetic you are. But of course, you knew the answer to everything from the moment your mother evicted you from her womb, didn't you?
Perhaps YOU are the one who should be running home to mama.
I hope you get the same kind of response next time you ask a question.
The amount of time you expended on your idiotic response to a genuine query could have been better spent actually pointing him in the right direction. But no, it suits you more to act like a jerk, clearly.
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|Perhaps if you posted less and read some docs you could write your own...javascript ain't that hard, ya know.
You must've missed the 'by you' portion of my comment.
'sokay. I've skimmed once or twice myself.
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|Glad I could help.
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|Have you guys *never* been to slashdot?
Please ignore the troll behind the thread.
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|"I gave it to the peach...cuz he's got hair...."
-Bob, the tomato.
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|ROFL
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