[TriLUG] hacking vs. using

[Tanner Lovelace]

When most users use 802.11 frequencies, they do so under a rule called
Part 15 (iirc).  One of the things about part 15 is that it lets you
use frequencies
when other, licensed users are not using them, but it also says that you 
have absolutely no rights to those frequencies.  You may have seen a
message on some electronic devices that says the device may not
cause interference and must accept any interference from licensed
transmitters.  So, yes, a licensed user could cause what is effectively
a DOS to an 802.11 transmitter and the 802.11 user would have absolutely
no recourse.

Tanner


On Fri, 15 Oct 2004 20:23:49 -0400, Greg Brown <gregbrown at mindspring.com> wrote:
> Today I started to think about hacking 802.11 signals (this all came up
> during a discussion of a 802.11 design in a joking manner).  Anyway, I
> was told "do not hack this network" buy the project manager to which I
> responded "it's a public use frequency, I can do what I want".
> Obviously I was joking, because I am aware of laws against hacking
> 802.11 specifically, but then I got to thinking about the nature of
> public frequencies.  Does anyone, especially any of the HAM crew, know
> about laws that state what you can, and cannot, do on these
> frequencies?
> 
> I believe that HAM users have priority over 802.11 users in the 2.4 Ghz
> range.  Therefore, I think, that a HAM radio operator could use the
> signal in manner which could effectively cause a denial of service
> attack for the 802.11 users (which there are laws against).  Can anyone
> site a webpage with the laws about what, and cannot, be done on these
> frequencies?
> 
> At the very least it seems like the laws conflict each other.
> 
> Greg
> 
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