5 ms·
LoRa is just a transport layer. You can do whatever encryption you want and LoRaWAN has some basic encryption built in. It's hard(er) to triangulate if you don
by jrexilius 2y ago
LoRa is just a transport layer. You can do whatever encryption you want and LoRaWAN has some basic encryption built in. It's hard(er) to triangulate if you don't have constant traffic (like route updates in mesh, or heavy concentrated users like at a concert or protest), but be aware that AWS sidewalk (and all the alexa devices fielded in peoples homes, etc.) run LoRa antennas and traffic. So in the US, Amazon could do a reasonable job at triangulation of frequent emitters. In China and EU there is infrastructure in place (5G/SDR stuff overtly) that can do a pretty good job at triangulating a wide band of RF emitters.
Meshtastic is not really designed to avoid that, but more for resiliency and off-grid type scenarios. Your best bet of really avoiding triangulation by state or telco level infratructure is to get creative with frequency and even transport layer hopping. None of which is really consumer friendly.
[edit-to-add] another tactic to for low probability detection is to hide in noise on high traffic channels. basically figure out what their filter sensitivty is and see if you can go below that threshold and still maintain coherent channel, etc.
- immibis 2y agoOn the subject of hiding in high traffic channels, I wonder if I can even mention satellite piracy without getting on more watchlists. It's a thing that exists. Many satellites are relatively unsophisticated signal repeaters, and the antenna that receives their uplink signal isn't very directional, either. Or so I heard. Some companies have been known to go crazy trying to find out who's transmitting to their satellite that shouldn't, because they could be almost anywhere. Of course, if caught, they go to prison for a long time.
- jrexilius 2y agoYeah, it's also worth noting that Starlink and a few other commercial companies are offering text-based services to _unmodified_ cell phones (no special sat hardware), which means they can get signal, IMEI, etc. LoRa is also used as transport layer for some cube sats and edu type sats. A new company just tested Bluetooth-to-sat. So even on the commercial side there are overhead sensors that you may need to be concerned about on the triangulation front. It's a hard problem to crack...
- immibis 2y agoStarlink satellites are not dumb signal repeaters. They also use relatively localised spot beams. But yes, anything you transmit through one probably can't be localised to within more than about a hundred km, if the only available information is which beam you're in at which time. You'd need to avoid providing information about the time the beam crosses over your position, which means you'd only activate your connection sporadically, at carefully planned times. You might pick a location relatively near you and down-orbit from you, and connect when that location comes into view of a new spot beam, and disconnect when it's directly over that location, perhaps.
- blantonl 2y agoThe United States military has legacy UHF satcom satellites that are essentially bent-pipes that operate on UHF frequencies. There is an entire subculture of South American and European pirates that uses these transponders for everything from clear voice to encrypted data. and they do this right alongside active, legit meant US military users. It’s wild.
- localfirst 2y agogood god...please dont tell me theres a subreddit for this
- ClumsyPilot 2y ago> Of course, if caught, they go to prison for a long time. I can’t imagine how that would work, I could be in a foreign country or international waters. Who would have your jurisdiction? I don’t think it’s forbidden to send radio waves into space
- immibis 2y agoAnyone who can acquire physical access to your body. Don't think that being in lawless places means you can avoid the law - it means they don't have to follow the law either when catching you.