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For some reason I get weary when I see cheap Chinese products that connect directly to a DC source. Mostly because of the stories of cheap phone chargers catchi

by donkeyd 11y ago

For some reason I get weary when I see cheap Chinese products that connect directly to a DC source. Mostly because of the stories of cheap phone chargers catching fire, or electrocuting users.

542458 11y ago
I'm also a little weary of cheap Chinese products that connect to my network... I'm always a little worried that they'll be doing something malicious, and I don't have the network know-how to prevent that. That said, I'm not entirely sure the risk is that much greater with off-brand Chinese products than "American" (designed, programmed and made in China) ones.
- frandroid 11y ago
  Since we can't install firewalls on cheap Wi-Fi IoT devices, it would be interesting to have a Wi-Fi router that handles that for you, isolating every device on the network by default. Just have every device have a web control interface so that you don't have nasty surprises from devices starting to communicate on ports they aren't expected to be operating on. Or just close all outbound ports from devices by default, and just open those that are needed to operate the device. Requests to communicate on closed ports could trigger a message to the Wi-Fi admin who could decide what to let open. A smart interface would pre-generate Web searches for the device ID and port trying to open up so you can read up about it.
  - 542458 11y ago
    That's a really cool idea. I've actually considered having a second "guest" network for everything I don't trust my ability to secure, like windows machines and cheap IOT stuff.
  - mh- 11y ago
    this would be really useful. I think with a nice UX it could be rather popular.
StavrosK 11y ago
True, but since everything is made in China these days, probably half the products in your house that connect to a DC source are cheap and Chinese.
- schwap 11y ago
  Yes, but they've probably been at least UL (or CSA) certified to not burn down your house.
nkrisc 11y ago
Well, if they do catch fire, at least they still provide illumination even when they fail!
- verbify 11y ago
  Graceful degradation in action.

by donkeyd 11y ago

For some reason I get weary when I see cheap Chinese products that connect directly to a DC source. Mostly because of the stories of cheap phone chargers catching fire, or electrocuting users.

542458 11y ago

I'm also a little weary of cheap Chinese products that connect to my network... I'm always a little worried that they'll be doing something malicious, and I don't have the network know-how to prevent that. That said, I'm not entirely sure the risk is that much greater with off-brand Chinese products than "American" (designed, programmed and made in China) ones.

frandroid 11y ago
Since we can't install firewalls on cheap Wi-Fi IoT devices, it would be interesting to have a Wi-Fi router that handles that for you, isolating every device on the network by default. Just have every device have a web control interface so that you don't have nasty surprises from devices starting to communicate on ports they aren't expected to be operating on. Or just close all outbound ports from devices by default, and just open those that are needed to operate the device. Requests to communicate on closed ports could trigger a message to the Wi-Fi admin who could decide what to let open. A smart interface would pre-generate Web searches for the device ID and port trying to open up so you can read up about it.
- 542458 11y ago
  That's a really cool idea. I've actually considered having a second "guest" network for everything I don't trust my ability to secure, like windows machines and cheap IOT stuff.
- mh- 11y ago
  this would be really useful. I think with a nice UX it could be rather popular.

StavrosK 11y ago

True, but since everything is made in China these days, probably half the products in your house that connect to a DC source are cheap and Chinese.

schwap 11y ago
Yes, but they've probably been at least UL (or CSA) certified to not burn down your house.

nkrisc 11y ago

Well, if they do catch fire, at least they still provide illumination even when they fail!

verbify 11y ago
Graceful degradation in action.