4 ms·

>These Wi-Fi MACs are broadcast (the 802.11 BSSID) and captured by wardriving databases that also record their physical location. I am not sure to understand,

by jaclaz 4y ago

>These Wi-Fi MACs are broadcast (the 802.11 BSSID) and captured by wardriving databases that also record their physical location. I am not sure to understand, while this is in theory doable, do these "captured by wardriving" databases exist? And do they cover "everywhere"?

veonik 4y ago
A long while back now Google came out saying[0] they did use their Google Maps Street View cars to also collect wifi+location information. It wouldn't surprise me if they augmented this info with data they receive through Google services running on Android phones too. So my bet is, yeah, they do exist and they do pretty much cover everywhere. [0]: https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2010/may/15/google-admits-storing-private-data https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2010/may/15/google-ad...
- jaclaz 4y ago
  I see now, thanks. Though I believe that if Google is the adversary, they have ways (only a guess, but some kind of correlation between GPS location on mobile while connected to Wi-Fi and http requests could be one) that make the "wardriving database" unneeded, I mean, there should be a constant updating of this database, or it would turn out pretty much obsolete soon.
  - toast0 4y ago
    The database may have originally been filled by wardriving, but it can be updated by their distributed agents (phones with location services turned on).
- Lukas_Skywalker 4y ago
  Google even has a geolocation API [1] where you can send the BSSID and signal strength of the access points in your range and it calculates your position. [1]: https://developers.google.com/maps/documentation/geolocation/overview#wifi_access_point_object https://developers.google.com/maps/documentation/geolocation...
  - megous 4y ago
    Mozilla offers a similar API. Kinda funny for a "privacy" company.
h4waii 4y ago
Wigle.net
hnbear 4y ago
It’s called Wi-Fi Positioning System: https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wi-Fi_positioning_system https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wi-Fi_positioning_system There are both open and proprietary versions. I think early iPhones used it (with cell site data too), before they had GPS. Can’t remember their name for it. But, all big populated areas are mapped and understood. See Hybrid Positioning too, which is combining all available data, including Wi-Fi, to aid in rapid and accurate location information: https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hybrid_positioning_system https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hybrid_positioning_system

by jaclaz 4y ago

veonik 4y ago

A long while back now Google came out saying[0] they did use their Google Maps Street View cars to also collect wifi+location information. It wouldn't surprise me if they augmented this info with data they receive through Google services running on Android phones too. So my bet is, yeah, they do exist and they do pretty much cover everywhere. [0]: https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2010/may/15/google-admits-storing-private-data https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2010/may/15/google-ad...

jaclaz 4y ago
I see now, thanks. Though I believe that if Google is the adversary, they have ways (only a guess, but some kind of correlation between GPS location on mobile while connected to Wi-Fi and http requests could be one) that make the "wardriving database" unneeded, I mean, there should be a constant updating of this database, or it would turn out pretty much obsolete soon.
- toast0 4y ago
  The database may have originally been filled by wardriving, but it can be updated by their distributed agents (phones with location services turned on).
Lukas_Skywalker 4y ago
Google even has a geolocation API [1] where you can send the BSSID and signal strength of the access points in your range and it calculates your position. [1]: https://developers.google.com/maps/documentation/geolocation/overview#wifi_access_point_object https://developers.google.com/maps/documentation/geolocation...
- megous 4y ago
  Mozilla offers a similar API. Kinda funny for a "privacy" company.

h4waii 4y ago

Wigle.net

hnbear 4y ago

It’s called Wi-Fi Positioning System: https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wi-Fi_positioning_system https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wi-Fi_positioning_system There are both open and proprietary versions. I think early iPhones used it (with cell site data too), before they had GPS. Can’t remember their name for it. But, all big populated areas are mapped and understood. See Hybrid Positioning too, which is combining all available data, including Wi-Fi, to aid in rapid and accurate location information: https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hybrid_positioning_system https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hybrid_positioning_system