Wifi in Police Cars

[play]

Hi, I was wondering if anyone had any information on the wireless technology the police and highway patrol use for the laptops in their patrol cars. I have heard from some people that they use CDMA. What would a person need to sniff the packets coming to and from the police car? (It would be need to see what the cop finds out about me when i get pulled over)
-play
play@x-mafia.com

[blackwave]

about six months ago there was a news article that talked about northern california sheriffs beta testing ipaq+wifi cards instead of using their usual writing tablets... they had explained that they had the security all covered (laugh here)... but have yet to find more information on where these beta sites are and whether they are still active, or if they have shot this bad idea down... I haven't heard any updates on this.

[highwizard]

Re: Wifi in Police Cars

Originally posted by play
Hi, I was wondering if anyone had any information on the wireless technology the police and highway patrol use for the laptops in their patrol cars. I have heard from some people that they use CDMA. What would a person need to sniff the packets coming to and from the police car? (It would be need to see what the cop finds out about me when i get pulled over)
-play
play@x-mafia.com

Why would you want to do that?

[ck3k]

I would love the police to have wifi, it would be netstumbling to avoid tickets.....;)

[murakami]

some of them do

[highwizard]

Originally posted by murakami
some of them do

More then "some".

What would a person need to sniff the packets coming to and from the police car? (It would be need to see what the cop finds out about me when i get pulled over)

They would need to be very careful. While stumbling isn't illegal, accessing those networks will get you quite a deal of time. And they do prosecute people on things like this.....

[murakami]

Originally posted by highwizard
More then "some".

Not wifi, most likely CDMA or GPRS.

You are right, these transmissions are probably defined as "priveleged comunications" like radar detectors and digital radios. Whole lot of hurting for listening in.

[astcell]

One company has a police detector. Not a radar or laser, but police. It relies ont he fact that the cars have mini-repeaters in them to relay signals to the radio the officer may carry on his belt when out of the vehicle. Also I suppose police cars generate other RF, all you have to do is watchout for that....

[blackwave]

Originally posted by murakami
Whole lot of hurting for listening in.

if astcell stands naked in a forest, can you still imagine it?

[murakami]

Originally posted by blackwave
if astcell stands naked in a forest, can you still imagine it?

Bigfoot's love child.

[lucifex]

Once upon a time, I was sitting on a park bench, and a little bird flew overhead and dropped a note on my lap that said:

A few years ago I worked for a local government, which included some work with the police department. I was part of a project which included the installation of laptops and CDPD modems, with a direct connection to the CAD (computer aided dispatch), NCIC, and other police systems. I'm not sure if they're still using CDPD, but it occured to me at the time that the traffic would be pretty easy to sniff with the right equipment. A sample product is here.

That was the end of the note, so I threw it away and went home.

[blackwave]

I recall either 2600, blacklisted!411, or thud coming out with a little howto make your own police sniffing-type modem a few years or so ago... I don't have the issue handy or recall the specifics of the article... of course it was for educational and informational purposes only.

[highwizard]

Originally posted by murakami
Not wifi, most likely CDMA or GPRS.

You are right, these transmissions are probably defined as "priveleged comunications" like radar detectors and digital radios. Whole lot of hurting for listening in.

yes, wifi

[murakami]

Originally posted by highwizard
yes, wifi

really? that's quite interesting ...

[highwizard]

Originally posted by murakami
really? that's quite interesting ...

I know of over 12 departments who use it.