Finally! You’ve successfully modified your router and P2P configuration to maximize your active concurrent connections. You’ve even applied the Event 4226 patch to your Windows installation. With these modifications, your file-sharing download speed doubled to 500 kb/sec. But if your ISP theoretically allows 800 kb/sec downloads, why do all of your network applications like VoIP or even just regular Internet browsing suffer? Isn’t the extra 300 kb/sec enough for these speed-sparing programs?

Upstream Saturation

The unused 300 kb/sec is definitely enough. I mean, that speed is practically low-end DSL and people are happy with that! The reason for the drop in connection quality is mainly because of the upload speed. As you know, most household broadband Internet access is asymmetrical. ISPs dedicate more bandwidth for download speed than upload speed. So, even though your cable company is giving you a 6 mbps line, your upload speeds will fall below 1 mbps and most often 500 kbps.

While your download channel is a little more than half used with P2P, your upload channel is totally saturated! With VoIP, you’ll be able to hear callers but they’ll barely be able to understand you. While the downstream speeds will still be fast with your Internet browser, the initial wait from URL + ENTER to page rendering will be extended because the HTTP request takes longer upstream. What do you do? Decrease the P2P upload speed? Not a good idea. Since file-sharing programs typically increase your download speed based on your upload speed, without hacks, the lower you limit your upload speed, the lower the P2P program will decrease your download precedence.

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Update (6-27-07): I just found out that the makers of aircrack-ng just made this method easier. Two days after I wrote this article, they released a VMWare image of their entire suite of wireless penetration tools. So, instead of downloading and using the generic BackTrack ISO (step 1 and 5) head over to Aircrack-ng and obtain their version.

Update II (6-27-07): I guess packet injection under Windows is feasible after all! The same time the VMWare aircrack-ng image was released, they also revealed a new USB WiFi adaptor that lets you inject and read packets natively in Windows without the virtualization layer. What’s more, you can use the Wireshark GUI instead of the aircrack-ng command line. Personally, I would still go with the Alfa (read more below) since it has nantenna connector. But that’s just me! 🙂

“…crack a WEP enabled access point within a couple of minutes. 3 minutes to be exact.”

That Digg article piqued our curiosity in high school. My friend and I read about how the FBI publicly demonstrated a successful wireless network crack in a minuscule amount of time. Inspired, we obtained a laptop and searched around our neighborhood for WEP encrypted wireless networks. Our plan was to show these local folks how easy it was to acquire their WEP key. Then, we would convince them that we were good, hirable technicians who could upgrade their WiFi WEP encryption scheme to WPA. We spent literally three days practicing, trying to crack our own network with Windows tools. But in the end, our plan never materialized. Why? We were too “n00b” for Linux.

Crippled Windows Users

I’ll say it once and I’ll say it again, “I hate being a Windows user.” I hold great respect for computer hackers who are quick to grasp other operating systems, like Linux and OS X, without a problem. But I, having been weaned on Windows since the day I touched a computer, have a hard time operating those unfamiliar user interfaces … or lack thereof. I mean, more than half of Linux is in the shell command line!

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“I don’t have Internet access at home.” What a terrible thing to hear! It is so sad when people tell me that the only way they check their email is by visiting public, community-sponsored, unprotected venues like the library. Internet access is almost as essential as utilities. When my sister informed me that she didn’t subscribe to Internet in her apartment complex because it was too expensive, I compared that to having no running water at home. Its like she hasn’t bathed since she moved in!

Taking pity, I set out to solve her dilemma. Luckily, the great thing about living in an apartment complex is that you are usually surrounded by a neighborhood of trusting technology dummies. At least 5 open wireless signals will abound everywhere … except where you need them the most, in your room. The only place that I could detect a signal was next to the kitchen window. Sadly, it would be too cluttered (and too trashy) to move the computer in the kitchen. However, we could bring the Internet connection to us in the computer room.

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