Wi-Fi Blocking Paint

Mon Mar 26, 2007 11:39PM EDT

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My wireless network is very protected, thanks to my husband who takes plenty of preventive measures that keep intruders out of our network. The Gadget Hound also taught us a thing or two about the subject in this post, in which a reader's concern prompted him to ask more about Wi-Fi scamming. If you haven't changed the default name and password on your network, you're contributing to your network's susceptibility to malicious attacks, so don't be surprised when intruders—either neighbors or strangers parked outside your home—bog down your network with spam, or illegal downloads. Like Tom said, the best way to keep those intruders out is by enabling WEP or WPA encryption on your network by changing the password on your router. Chris has a step-by-step guide on how to do this too.

SEC Technologies has another option: wireless blocking paint. One coat of this paint "creates an electromagnetic fortress by preventing airborne hackers from intercepting signals." Sounds a little too much like something the government would be interested in, and less like a technology that would benefit the average Wi-Fi user who has already ditched the landline over a cell phone. The Register thinks the RF-proof paint would be put to good use in movie theaters, or similar places where cell phones interruption is frowned upon. EM-SEC currently sells laptop inserts and phone holsters with an electromagnetic shield that restricts the detection of Wi-Fi signals, which is another option that might deter laptop thieves. What a great idea.

 

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  • 66 Posted by joicegr on Thu Sep 3, 2009 4:39PM EDT Report Abuse

    It would be a great idea for the Brazilian authorities to use in their prisons. It would prevent criminals from using their cell phones to threaten people with false kidnapping (they call random people from jail and tell them they have kidnapped a member of the family and demand money, phone cards etc, but in fact they haven't)

  • 67 Posted by uli1954 on Thu Sep 3, 2009 10:27PM EDT Report Abuse

    Guys, this is nonsense. To shield a room you have to make it a Faraday cage. As long as there are windows and doors, which a normal room always has, this product helps only the manufacturer. The openings have to be smaller than 1/10 wavelenghth. WiFi oerates at 2.4 GHz, which is 13 cm. Therefore your maximum window size is 1/2 inch. Unless you live in a mousehole, save your money

  • 68 Posted by andyatodd on Thu Sep 3, 2009 2:54PM EDT Report Abuse

    people ever hear of putting a good password on their routers? wi-fi paint, lol!

  • 70 Posted by digital_proteus05 on Thu Sep 3, 2009 3:43PM EDT Report Abuse

    Well this concept is nothing new. I mean the Air Force uses this type of paint on the B-2 Stealth Bomber to block radar detectors from picking up the aircrafts RF. Although it's probably a lot stronger and more sophisticated in design.

  • 71 Posted by romandmgz on Thu Sep 3, 2009 8:49PM EDT Report Abuse

    FREE THE NET!!! FREE THE NET!!! FREE THE NET!!! FREE THE NET!!! FREE THE NET!!! FREE THE NET!!! FREE THE NET!!! FREE THE NET!!! FREE THE NET!!! FREE THE NET!!! FREE THE NET!!! FREE THE NET!!! FREE THE NET!!! FREE THE NET!!! FREE THE NET!!! . . . . . FREE OUR MINDS!

  • 72 Posted by c_ho666 on Thu Sep 3, 2009 3:33PM EDT Report Abuse

    we have used copper and lead sheeting to block radio and electromagnetic interference for MRI machines in hospitals, at about 3 times the cost of your home you may have such protection.

  • 73 Posted by kiyoinc on Thu Sep 3, 2009 4:52PM EDT Report Abuse

    what self-absorbed, pompous baffoons. Wi-fi paint indeed. There's one born every minute. "boo-hoo, why doesn't my cell work?" "boo-hoo, I can't get a signal in the yard."

  • 74 Posted by pianoman1050 on Thu Sep 3, 2009 8:10PM EDT Report Abuse

    I bought the cheapest , crappiest router i could find and it barely transmits across the room. Good luck gettin a signal from it...hahahahahahha

  • 75 Posted by fang_stryfe on Thu Sep 3, 2009 3:58PM EDT Report Abuse

    How about you go into your router settings and set the maximum number of receivers to the number of people you WANT piggy-backing your wireless, rather than painting a whole room or even your entire house? Why didn't they just print thousands of sheets with directions on how to set the router in just such a way instead of inventing a paint to do a less convenient and thorough job? Excuse my teenage ignorance, but isn't capitalism getting just a little ridiculous?

  • 76 Posted by mrtrainernicehands on Thu Sep 3, 2009 7:28PM EDT Report Abuse

    We had lead paint untill the 70s. It was for more than durability!!!! It stuck to anything. Also sound proof the home. You just teach kids not to eat off the wall. It also slowed down a fire in the house. So how do they make this new paint to reflect out the wave??? Not just the Wfii you have to worry about. What about all the other equiptment. What are they really doing to our health issues???

  • 77 Posted by alanized on Thu Sep 3, 2009 2:49PM EDT Report Abuse

    I believe it is easier to learn how to properly configure a router than it is to paint an entire home. These people willing to paint their homes rather than crack open a manual are the same people whose VCRs flashed "12:00" constantly 20 years ago. If you want your home network to be safe, do the twenty minutes research and leave the paint-roller alone. As far as jaming, many casinos jam (or block I'm not sure which) cell phones regularly. Movies would be the best place to start jaming calls. If you aren't waiting for a kidney/heart/lung/liver, you have no business answering a phone call in a movie theater.

  • 78 Posted by rb_tech on Thu Sep 3, 2009 8:31PM EDT Report Abuse

    WEP can be cracked faster than Ohio State cracks under the pressure of a national championship game.

  • 79 Posted by tigerrrrrrrr98 on Thu Sep 3, 2009 10:10PM EDT Report Abuse

    .. or simpler and better yet: Turn OFF the broadcast of your SSID in addition encrypting your network. ya cant hack into what ya don't know is there!

  • 80 Posted by jackdunkin on Thu Sep 3, 2009 4:26PM EDT Report Abuse

    I would love to hear from the SUCKER who actually tries this at home, pleeeaaaasssseee let me know if you haven't already inhaled deadly fumes and gone to the hospital. Hey, at least you still have internet IN the house...right.

  • 81 Posted by migpics on Thu Sep 3, 2009 7:19PM EDT Report Abuse

    Our house already has wifi blocking. It's called lead paint. No but seriously. Many insulations have aluminum sheets on them and that at least reduces the signal. If you have bushes or trees that also reduces the microwaves.

  • 82 Posted by dstl702 on Thu Sep 3, 2009 3:49PM EDT Report Abuse

    So sorry, But the movie theatre line ...Umm No! I always keep my cell on vibrate rather than turned completly off, for those emergency situations.And In Las Vegas we've got quite a few different theatres....I get a full signal in all of them. So I'm not so sure how true this is.

  • 83 Posted by ecomaddness on Thu Sep 3, 2009 3:51PM EDT Report Abuse

    Thats a great idea as long as all of the computers in your house that access the network are all in the same room. Not likely though. I say keep your old paint, spare yourself a week of effort and just have a secure WEP password. Changing your password takes about 2 min. So lets compare. (2 min of work + known security) vs. (1 week of work + unknown security) Hmmm... No the paint sounds like a super dumb idea for home use anyway. For theaters and classrooms its ok though.

  • 85 Posted by cycledddy on Thu Sep 3, 2009 3:33PM EDT Report Abuse

    Perhaps TJ Max could use some of this paint to keep the hackers out of the credit card data!

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