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Routers Need an Emergency Mode

Posted on June 8, 2008 by Jeremy Toeman

Where it used to be hard to find a WiFi network, these days it’s hard to find only one.  If you live in an apartment building, you may spot dozens of networks.  And thanks to malicious jerks around the world, most of them are closed, locked down, unavailable.  This is pretty strongly advisable, yet slightly disappointing from a community angle, and often-times very frustrating from a “gotta get online to send this email” perspective.

My first piece of wishful thinking is having router manufacturers enable an “emergency mode” triggered by natural disasters or other major emergencies.  I’ll say up front I have no idea who is responsible for triggering this switch, but let’s assume local governments could determine such a method (just don’t have it over to FEMA, they apparently rarely know when or where emergencies occur).  When routers receive the “emergency signal” they provide open access to the Internet.

While I may be oversimplifying the technology impact and there’d obviously be some security implications, the purpose here is to give people an easy way to share and receive vital information.  The phone lines and cell signals may be overwhelmed with traffic, but assuming either phone or cable services are available, people with Internet-enabled mobile devices and laptops would all be able to rapidly reach out.  We could share updates, find safe havens, etc, all with simple Internet connectivity.

I don’t exactly know what it would take to make this happen.  My hunch is it simply won’t.  But when I see 23 hotspots in my surrounding region and know full well that a stranger couldn’t use a single one of them in time of need, it makes me ponder how we can better use technology to improve our community.

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Posted in Mobile Technology | 4 Comments
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4 thoughts on “Routers Need an Emergency Mode”

  1. Justin says:
    June 8, 2008 at 1:33 pm

    This is a great idea, however, like you said, very unlikely.

    I personally think a better solution would be a more widespread adoption of metropolitan area networks (MANs) that are open and available to anyone who can access them. These MANs are spreading and starting to pop-up, but not quick enough.

    Reply
  2. Dan says:
    June 8, 2008 at 9:34 pm

    Sorry to disagree, but I think this is a bad idea. If my internet connection is a paid utility, I’d like to have the final say over who uses it no matter what. If my neighbor knocks on my door and asks, sure I’d let them use it (same with the phone line). But I’d rather not give up that control to someone else to determine when it is an “emergency” situation.

    Reply
  3. Aaron says:
    June 9, 2008 at 4:44 am

    Yeah, never going to happen any time soon. (I can’t imagine how security would work, nor how triggering it would work).

    Furthermore, in many emergencies, the power is out. 🙂

    But, easier would be to install wireless access software that offers both public AND private access.

    However, many internet contracts expressly prohibit sharing of wireless signals with the public. (And then, there’s that whole responsibility issue — what if someone does something malicious via your router via public access?)

    Reply
  4. Jeremy Toeman says:
    June 9, 2008 at 7:54 am

    @Dan – just to give perspective: your town gets hit by a massive earthquake, and the cell networks are down. you are fine, and seek shelter for the evening, and as the fire department actually advises, if you find a structurally sound building thats otherwise uninhabited, you should go ahead and sleep there for the night. but you shouldn’t use their WiFi?

    @Aaron – excellent points!

    Reply

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About

Jeremy Toeman is a seasoned Product leader with over 20 years experience in the convergence of digital media, mobile entertainment, social entertainment, smart TV and consumer technology. Prior ventures and projects include CNET, Viggle/Dijit/Nextguide, Sling Media, VUDU, Clicker, DivX, Rovi, Mediabolic, Boxee, and many other consumer technology companies. This blog represents his personal opinion and outlook on things.

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