The DS/PSP WiFi and Wireless Blog.: June 2004

June 25, 2004

IEEE approves 802.11i security spec

Who knows what this means for us soon to be DS oweners. New WiFi Security Specifications check back for more info.

June 21, 2004

Basic Wireless Router Security

Here's a subject that always is passed by when an uneducated user installs a wireless router out of the box, security. Security is one thing that you should have enabled on a Wireless router unless you want people to suck up all of your bandwidth and leave you with dialup connection speeds.

Router Password
The first thing you want to do is change the Routers password, they all come set with the same password.

MAC Filtering
Definition: Short for Media Access Control address, a hardware address that uniquely identifies each node of a network. In IEEE 802 networks, the Data Link Control (DLC) layer of the OSI Reference Model is divided into two sublayers: the Logical Link Control (LLC) layer and the Media Access Control (MAC) layer. The MAC layer interfaces directly with the network medium. Consequently, each different type of network medium requires a different MAC layer.
On networks that do not conform to the IEEE 802 standards but do conform to the OSI Reference Model, the node address is called the Data Link Control (DLC) address

All wireless devices come with a long number usually tattooed on the back of the device itself usually its on a sticker or something like that, your DS will have one on it. This number is called the MAC address, you can filter out devices by MAC addresses. For example your DS has the MAC Address 000009898989898 and your buddy has 000009898989899 on his DS if you put your MAC address into your wireless router database your buddy wont be able to use your internet connection. Say you've got a bunch of friends and you want to be a loser and charge them for internet access you could use their MAC address to control who can and who can't access your router. Oh by the way MAC addresses can be spoofed meaning faked so MAC filtering isn't foolproof.

SSID
Definition: Short for service set identifier, a 32-character unique identifier attached to the header of packets sent over a WLAN that acts as a password when a mobile device tries to connect to the BSS. The SSID differentiates one WLAN from another, so all access points and all devices attempting to connect to a specific WLAN must use the same SSID. A device will not be permitted to join the BSS unless it can provide the unique SSID. Because an SSID can be sniffed in plain text from a packet it does not supply any security to the network.

Usually out of the box the SSID is set to the name of your router mfg and its also set to broadcast that it is ready to send and receive traffic. It is also a good practice to change the SSID to something other than the one it came with, dot use a persons name, social security number or a street address.

W.E.P.
Definition: Wireless Encryption Protocol:
Short for Wired Equivalent Privacy, a security protocol for wireless local area networks (WLANs) defined in the 802.11b standard. WEP is designed to provide the same level of security as that of a wired LAN. LANs are inherently more secure than WLANs because LANs are somewhat protected by the physicalities of their structure, having some or all part of the network inside a building that can be protected from unauthorized access. WLANs, which are over radio waves, do not have the same physical structure and therefore are more vulnerable to tampering. WEP aims to provide security by encrypting data over radio waves so that it is protected as it is transmitted from one end point to another. However, it has been found that WEP is not as secure as once believed. WEP is used at the two lowest layers of the OSI model - the data link and physical layers; it therefore does not offer end-to-end security

W.E.P. gives you more security than no security, think of enabling WEP as having a door with locks on it that are locked and not having WEP enabled as having a door with locks on it that aren't locked. A determined hacker could break WEP but it would take some time and most likely not worth it.

If you enable all of the recommended security locks a Hacker may not even notice your little corner of the world.

Some of my favorite links

Here are a few of my favorite WiFi links that I thought that you would like.

Vicomsoft.com

wirelessethernet.org

Linksys

pctel

wifinetnews.com

If you've got questions please post them

I'll be glad to try and help you with my knowledge of the Internet and WiFi I'm sure I've got your question answered.

here's a link to the Nintendo Forum that lots of people have been posting their WiFi and Wireless questions to Nintendos WiFi and Wireless Topics

June 18, 2004

Wireless Routers Security Risks

Netgear
Netgear Security Problems

Linksys
Linksys Router Hacked

The way the DS will connect to your Wireless Router

WiFi Gameplay
Although this is purely speculative this is the way I the DS will connect to the Internet via a Hotspot or your WLAN. Lets say you've got your DS powered on and your wireless router is broadcasting. Your DS will notice the signal and attempt to connect to it. The DS may ask you if you want to connect or not and you may have the option to say yes or no. If you say yes depending on the game the software may ask if you want to find other players, if you say yes it may tell the other user that there is a player waiting to play. That's my version of the way I think things will work, I could be wrong though lol.

or

you've got your DS and you're at a Hotspot connected to the Internet and your DS searches for other DS's playing the same game (or something like that). You may have a screen on your DS saying "3 players available or waiting" you would the send an invite to play with the other players they would accept or deny the request, if they accepted then you would start playing.

Short Range Wireless Gameplay
The way I see the I see the DS doing short range wireless is that from what I've heard is that if your DS is on but not being used it'll wake up from Sleep mode. It will know that there are other Nintendo DS's within range ot it and try to communicate with the others.

More to come.

June 17, 2004

Hotspots for Dummies

You've heard of them on TV and read about them in the newspaper, your friends told you how they hooked up to the Internet for free now that you're planning on buying a Nintendo DS you want to do the same.

Basically a Hotspot is a Wireless Internet signal that is broadcast in the surrounding area. Most people think WiFi broadcast in a straight line but it actually broadcast in sort of a bubble.

Hotspots are found throughout the world and are very popular in large metro areas like New York, Chicago and L.A. Most local Hotspots are free and are usually located in parks such as Bryant park in New York City on a sunny day you can find hundreds of people connecting to the Internet via their laptops.

Local establishments now have WiFi in their stores, Starbucks. McDonald's and other places also have WiFi. Some places charge for WiFi others don't, I know for a fact McDonald's does charge for WiFi access but Starbucks well I guess they don't charge as long as you purchase a Vente mocha Bean Dip Frap or something like that.

There are other locations for Hotspots, I've seen some Verizon telephone booths that advertise Hotspots on the side of them. Open personal Hotspots are very common. When people set up their wireless connections at hot they don't turn on WEP (Wireless encryption Protocol) which is one of the basic steps a user can perform to secure their network.

So you need to locate a Hotspot who do you ask your local geek down the block, no go here Find me a Hotspot

Nintendo DS WiFi and Wireless Specs

Here are the Nintendo DS specs direct from Nintendos DS site.

Dual Screens: Two LCD screens offer one of the most groundbreaking game-play advances ever developed: experiencing a game from two perspectives at once. Imagine the possibilities. In a racing game, drivers might see their own vehicle's perspective on one screen and an overall track view on the other. In a role-playing game, the action could take place on the first screen while the second provides a reference for a player's tools inventory. Game play also could use both screens at once, offering a giant boss for heroes to defeat. In the future, games could be created allowing users to play games on one screen while text messaging other DS users on the other. Each 3-inch screen can reproduce a true 3-D view and is backlit to assure comfortable play in any lighting condition.

Touch Screen: The lower screen will offer something never before provided by any game device: PDA-like touch capabilities. Players no longer have to rely on just buttons to move characters or shift perspectives. They can navigate menus or access inventory items simply by touching the screen with stylus or fingertip. A software-based keyboard might even allow the screen to be used as an input center for games and messaging. The possibilities are limited only by developers' imaginations. The screen will have a tougher film cover for durability, and will come with a stylus.

Microphone: An available microphone port means that in the future, players might need only to tell their games what to do. DS software could identify everything from voice commands to hand-clapping. Players might be able to move their characters simply by telling them which way to go. The voice capabilities also could allow gamers to chat with one another over the Internet while playing.

Wireless: DS users will be able to connect with a local wireless network of up to 16 players. Nintendo's guaranteed range is 30 feet, but will extend far beyond that depending on circumstances. It assures high response rates required for real time game play, and will make use of both IEEE 802.11 and Nintendo's proprietary communication protocol, which provides low battery consumption. Players will be able to chat and play games without any connecting cords, completely untethered. The DS technology also provides for a wireless LAN connection, which could allow a theoretically infinite number of players to connect at a hot spot and compete at a central game hub on the Internet, even if they're thousands of miles apart.

Wireless Game Sharing: If software developers desire, multiple players can compete in wireless games, even if only one person has a game card inserted. Players could also test-play games for themselves as long as they stayed connected.,

3-D: With the newly developed graphics engine, DS can reproduce impressive 3-D renderings that can surpass images displayed on the Nintendo® 64. Games will run at 60 frames per second, and allow details like fog effects and cel shading.

Sound: The 16-channel sound allows for greatly expanded use of voices and music, and a richer, more immersive game experience. A plug for headphones transmits stereo sound.

Battery & Power Management: The battery is rechargeable and the unit features a low-energy-consumption design. The DS also has Power Management functions of Sleep mode and Standby mode. In Sleep mode, players can stop and resume game play whenever they like. If the user receives a message from a friend or user nearby, DS activates itself from Standby mode.

Processing: The unit will run on two processors, one ARM9 one ARM7.

New Media: For its compact cards, the unit uses newly developed semiconductor memory, which allows for lower cost, shorter manufacturing time and memory capacity of more than one gigabit of information.

Dual Slots: Nintendo DS makes a vast library of Game Boy® Advance games readily available. Developers could find ways to make new connections between GBA games and DS games. The GBA port could be used for new hardware, enormously expanding the functional expandability of the DS.

Wireless 101

Ok so you're getting a DS and you want to do WiFi on it where do you start. First there are several ways of doing WiFi with a DS. The first is to have a Hi Speed Internet connection like DSL (Digital Subscriber Line) a modem connection wont cut it.

Now you need a wireless Router, what's a wireless router you ask, well a Wireless Router is a box for a lack of a better word that turns your wired DSL connection into a Wireless connection that your DS can connect to.

What kind of Wireless Router should I get, there are dozens of company's that make Wireless Routers. The ones that come to mind are Linksys, Netgear and Dlink they are all reputable makers of wireless routers.

Wireless Router Range
This is the most asked question about WiFi and Id thought I'd make a special link to it.
WiFi Range

The next important step in choosing a wireless router is which standard to use. There are three standards right now A,B & G. I'm going to link to the Linksys site on their reasoning on which standard is right for you , I hope this doesn't confuse you even more. Nintendo adopted the recongised standard 802.11 which is compatable with the A,B & G standards. To tell you the truth unless you have some super fast internet connection Im talking T1 speeds you wont notice the difference and you will save yourself some money by going with B thats my personal opinon.

Wireless Standards

The Bugeyed1 Blog

Like I mentioned this blog wasn't going to be about the DS itself but about the Wireless and WiFi portion of the DS. I wanted to highlite a Blog of another DS enthusiast Bugeyed1 and his REALLY informative Blog on the DS

The Bugeyed1 DS Blog

Welcome to my DS Blog

I wont bore you with the old Nintendo DS stuff, I'm going to look at this from the Wireless side and the WiFi side

The DS/PSP WiFi and Wireless Blog.