North Pole Gets Wi-Fi Hotspot

Torrey Clark writes "Two Moscow-based Intel employees have setup a Wi-Fi hotspot near the North Pole, according to Intel. The hot spot was built in the Arctic region at the Barneo ice camp, a tent complex used by scientists, researchers and rescue crews during the month of April, when ice conditions are safe. Still, the camp environment is never ideal for computer devices, as the air temperature rarely rises above -30 Celsius, according to Intel. The hotspot uses Intel's Centrino equipment and the Iridium satellite phone system as backhaul. The company said in its statement that the installation shows that the equipment can be used in extreme circumstances. It said that those at the camp use the hotspot access for chores ranging from e-mail to getting real-time weather conditions and for taking care of matters at home, including, potentially, financial transactions."

Misnomer

[jawtheshark]

Shouldn't that be a coldspot, then?

Re:Misnomer

[Delta2.0]

I don't care what its what its called... Anyone up for a little warsleding?

Re:Warsledding

[Taladar]

I don't think a Laptop with a polar bear sitting on it is able to steal much bandwidth.

Re:Misnomer

[ShaniaTwain]

Boy! its a good thing they didn't put one under the sea.. I dont know if intel would want to take responsibility for a wetspot.

Don't put one in the Senate

[Mr. Underbridge]

Boy! its a good thing they didn't put one under the sea.. I dont know if intel would want to take responsibility for a wetspot.

Rather have a wet spot than a Santorum [rotten.com]-spot. Then you really have to change the sheets.

Re:Misnomer

[nEoN nOoDlE]

Or in space, where they would have had to call it a zero G-spot

Re:Misnomer

[The-Bus]

And all this time we thought it was the greenhouse effect melting the ice caps...

*ducks*

Nope

[hawk]

They're using intel chips. It may be -30 outside, but it sure isn't inside the case . . .

:)

hawk

Re:so,

[B3ryllium]

Finally, a use for the yellow snow!

"Ohhhhhh yeah, that's the spot!"

Perhaps it will be used for

[ClosedSource]

warmth.

Re:Perhaps it will be used for

[bersl2]

Nah, they would be using a Prescott for that...

(couldn't resist)

Re:Perhaps it will be used for

[hyc]

I suppose a Centrino could get comfortably warm up there. A Prescott would probably run down their generators too fast, but I suppose they might have used that instead of other space heaters.

I know what you are thinking...

[Greg Wright]

Pretty cool, but I know what you are thinking, "-30 Celsius, so what,
we have wireless communications and electronics operating out in deep
space where it is only 3 degrees kelvin!"

Well, it is a lot colder for sure, more difficult and expensive, but not as bad as
you might think. It is actually kind of hard to get space craft electronics down
to a very low temperature that is needed for items like x-ray telescopes and the
like. Space craft that don't want any heat radiation at all affecting them. From a
tutorial on extreme temperature electronics:

"Far from anything (in intergalactic space, for example) a passive object would
cool to a few kelvins (a few degrees above absolute zero). However, spacecraft
are not in such an environment during their useful life; most spacecraft are near
bodies such as the Earth and also receive energy from the Sun. In addition,
spacecraft usually incorporate power sources (chemical batteries, solar cells,
or nuclear generators), and the resulting heat must be dissipated. [snip]

Cooling a spacecraft down to a few kelvins passively (without refrigeration or a cryogen)
in the inner Solar System is probably impossible. However, quite low temperatures can
be attained by using well designed thermal shielding and insulation combined with
large heat radiators. For example, major parts of the James Webb Space Telescope
(JWST) (Formerly the Next Generation Space Telescope, NGST) are planned to be
operated as cold as about 35 K (about 240C) by these techniques."

Still 240C is pretty impressive. However, At the low end, operation of
semiconductor-based devices and circuits has often been reported down to
temperatures as low as a few degrees above absolute zero, in other words as
low as about 270C. This includes devices based on Si, Ge, GaAs and other
semiconductor materials. Moreover, there is no reason to believe that operation
should not extend all the way down to absolute zero.

You can learn more here:

Re:I know what you are thinking...

[Anonymous Coward]

Damn, why can't I get links right....For more info
try here:

http://www.extremetemperatureelectronics.com/tutor ial1.html [extremetem...ronics.com]

Learn more where?

[CSMastermind]

Heh well if we're on the topic of intersting places to put wireless, why didn't we stick a network on Antartica? I mean if I remember correctly there's no body of land at the north pole...just a whole lot of water and ice.

Re:Learn more where?

[fm6]

I imagine there already is a lot, given all the scientific work that goes on in Antarctica. Except at the south pole itself. Why not there? Because it's a prime location for radio astronomy [harvard.edu].

Re:I know what you are thinking...

[brunes69]

Moreover, there is no reason to believe that operation should not extend all the way down to absolute zero.

Isn't there a limit as to the speed increase you can achieve by cooling electronics? Surely as you approack 0k, the speed of the electrons themselves must be being reduced.

Re:I know what you are thinking...

[Anonymous Coward]

lol, actually as you approach 0 Kelvin all mass melds into a solid glob called the Bose-Einstein condensates. Its part of quantum mechanics because it is impossible to determine where and how fast the electrons are on any given atom or the Heisenberg uncertainty principle. By finding its location you affectively move it and thus it is impossible to pin point the electron. Originally people thought that by cooling it down to 0 kelvin that you would freeze the electrons in place however Bose and Einstien t

Re:I know what you are thinking...

[nihilogos]

Moreover, there is no reason to believe that operation should not extend all the way down to absolute zero.

Except that, by definition, a device at absolute zero wouldn't be doing anything.

Re:I know what you are thinking...

[Anonymous Coward]

That's okay. Most of the people on wireless networks aren't doing anything, either.

WRONG! Thermal Velocity != Current Velocity

[Anonymous Coward]

That's patently false. Absolute zero is the temp at which thermal velocity (vibration, rotation of particles) stops. There is no reason why it would prevent ELECTRICAL fields from inducing electron flows.

An electron at absolute zero is still fully capable of moving in response to an electrical field. Now, granted, when the electrons start moving, you can talk about them having a temperature. However, that's just a manifestation of the transfer of energy (electrical potential -> kinetic/temperature). Onc

WRONG? Thermal Velocity != Current Velocity

[Dolda2000]

However, that's just a manifestation of the transfer of energy

Considering how no energy transfer I've ever seen has been possible to carry out with 100% efficiency, I find it hard to believe that any device doing anything would actually be able to be at absolute zero.

Re:WRONG! Thermal Velocity != Current Velocity

[jacksonj04]

We obey the laws of thermodynamics in this house.

Re:WRONG! Thermal Velocity != Current Velocity

[nihilogos]

Now, granted, when the electrons start moving, you can talk about them having a temperature.

Well, that was my point.

Re:I know what you are thinking...

[Junior J. Junior III]

Moreover, there is no reason to believe that operation
should not extend all the way down to absolute zero.


Um, doesn't everything stop at absolute zero, which is an unattainable and theoretical temperature to begin with?

Re:I know what you are thinking...

[Feyr]

im sure you meant -240C and -270C there. we don't want those telescopes boilings :)

Kelvin start at -270...

[puregen1us]

I think you need to put in a minus sign or two...

-240 Celsius = 35 Kelvin

0K = absolute 0 = -273 C or thereabouts.

0C = 273 K

240C = 240 + 273...

Alex

Re:I know what you are thinking...

[Anonymous Coward]

I stand corrected sir.

Three temperature scales are in common use in science and industry. Two of those scales are SI metric:

The degree Celsius (C) scale was devised by dividing the range of temperature between the freezing and boiling temperatures of pure water at standard atmospheric conditions (sea level pressure) into 100 equal parts. Temperatures on this scale were at one time known as degrees centigrade, however it is no longer correct to use that terminology. [In 1948 the official name was changed f

I always wanted to WiFi there

[ErebusNT]

Glad they solved this problem. I always wanted to wirelessly connect there.

Re:I always wanted to WiFi there

[pete19]

Would it have been posible for them to connect before this was set up? If it's running through a satellite phone I wouldn't have thought it too difficult to do technology wise... Not that I've ever tried it or anything!

That's funny

[CSMastermind]

The north pole? Intersting but wouldn't it be great to place a wireless node on every telephone pole? Just a public accessable wireless network that was free to use. Maybe included wireless networks in every government building. I really do feel wireless is the future of networking. We should take steps now to set up a huge coast to coast wireless network.

Re:That's funny

[XpirateX]

"Spend billions now, or thousands later." After manufacturing costs become a fraction of what they are now; after standards and protocols change for the nth time, maybe you'd be second guessing a massive governmental rollout of a nationwide wifi blanket.
Besides, our money is being better spent...wait no, scratch that last bit.

smashing

[SuperBanana]

Intersting but wouldn't it be great to place a wireless node on every telephone pole? Just a public accessable wireless network that was free to use.

Smashing idea! Because after all, it's cheaper to put two electronic boxes on top of two poles than to run a wire between the two poles. Geez, those silly phone companies, what were they thinking.

It's being done

[mg2]

Say hello to Ricochet [ricochet.net].

They're doing what you proposed - wireless nodes on telephone poles. Streetlights, too.

"Potentially"

[NitsujTPU]

including, potentially, financial transactions

Also including, potentially, browsing for porn and hot online cybersex.

Re:"Potentially"

[pete19]

Also including, potentially, browsing for porn and hot online cybersex. The word 'hot' being used loosely!

Mods

[northcat]

Informative? INFORMATIVE?!?

Re:Mods

[NitsujTPU]

Yeah, it was really more intended to be funny. I just hate when people use a concept that is impossible to prove as fact. They use it loosely, so you can't say "you don't know that".

Nice.

That hotspot could also, potentially, be used to launch nuclear weapons and online hunting [live-shot.com].

Mail your wish lists!

[Anonymous Coward]

So now we can mail Santa Clause?

Great :D

Re:Mail your wish lists!

[Lapsed Catholic]

So now we can mail Santa Clause?

From: [e-mail]
To: [e-mail]
Subject: Filthy Communist!

Dear Santa,

You are no longer welcome in our home. I have been distressed to learn that a public access point exists at the North Pole, which means you must be a Communist [slashdot.org] who hates the American way of life.

We should have known, with the RED suit, and the commune of little elves!

Financial Transactions

[Anonymous Coward]

Looks like somebody forgot to prepare their taxes before going to the north pole, and now has to file electronically huh? There's no escaping taxes.

X-max list

[wyckedone]

Now Santa can get those emailed Christmas wish list a lot faster. He was getting tired of dial-up.

Re:X-max list

[grozzie2]

Take a close look at the article, they are using irridium for the backhaul. Irridium is 2400 baud dialup on a satellite phone.

-30 degrees celcius!

[Winckle]

Imagine the overclocking!

But.. but..

[Raleel]

Do they have hot mochas and hot chics? No? worthless hotspot :)

maybe they should try an amd system

[squarefish]

s the air temperature rarely rises above -30 Celsius, according to Intel.

but those suckers would probably melt the ice instead.

Silent computing

[lakeland]

I bet that at -39 you wouldn't even need a heatsink!

Depending on their security settings...

[The Hobo]

This could give a whole new meaning to wardrivng.

I think you mean...

[alienmole]

...warskiing.

Re:Depending on their security settings...

[hawk]

So if you connect the antenna to the skin of your nuclear sub, does it increase the range for this?

And is the the range the same in the z axis as fofr x & y?

hawk

Municipal wi-fi KILLS Competition

[Anonymous Coward]

Kills any chance of an elf-based ISP startup.

oh boy

[The_Ubergreek]

Great, Now I can play Halo2 online when I'm bringing my mail to Santa.

Business Opportunity

[DyslexicLegume]

I can't wait for Starbucks to start setting up shops there...it's like they can just grow them wherever they want to...or they're like the cheaply constructed buildings in Monty Python that only stand up if the owner wills them to.

News headlines for 2005.4.16

[showardkid]

New phishing scam originates in Barneo ice camp

Sources say that the scammers set up a wireless hotspot and commenced hosting a web page on an Apache web server.

TLD?

[harmonica]

Antarctica has .aq, but what about the north pole?

Re:TLD?

[BrainSurgeon]

domain.nope

:-)

Re:TLD?

[Toba82]

Nothing for itself - it's not land (last I heard, there isn't a .po extension for the Pacific Ocean). I *would* like to know the IP range they're serving up there though... maybe they DO have a webserver.

Isn't it obvious?

[PetoskeyGuy]

The North Pole is .ic

Penguins

[Anonymous Coward]

OF COURSE PENGUINS LIVE IN THE ARCTIC CIRCLE!! [yellow5.com]

Lameness filter encountered. Post aborted!
Reason: Don't use so many caps. It's like YELLING.

I can see it now...

[BrainSurgeon]

Prof Tom: "Damn it Bob! Quit tying up the satellite phone! I need to get online!"

Prof Bob (on the Phone): "No, I love you more!...No, you hang up first.."

Prof Tom: "Damn it Bob! My "online" girlfriend goes to bed at 11! HURRY UP!"

Definitely not broadband

[jessehager]

Iridium [iridium.com] satellite data services:
Dial-up-data: 2.4 kbps
Direct Internet Data: 10 kbps (when the compression is working)

Re:Definitely not broadband

[Reaperducer]

Would they use Iridium phones up there? I'd think something along the lines of Inmarsat would be better suited for the task.

Re:Definitely not broadband

[rdl]

Geostationary satellites don't have coverage at the poles, as you'd need a negative elevation angle (it'd work if you built a many hundred mile high pole for the satellite dish)

Only LEO constellations (Iridium being the only commercial one which does comms operational today) or polar orbit satellites are suitable.

Inmarsat is almost entirely GEO-based. Their high speed data service, RBGAN, is only available in certain regions, too. (roughly the same as Thuraya coverage area, since they use the same satel

Re:Definitely not broadband

[EvilNecro]

You beat me too it... I have done some work transferring data over Iridium in the past. Agonizingly slow and huge latency issues. Only appy if you've used a 1200 baud modem before, just so you can have flashbacks!

Huh?

[Leomania]

those at the camp use the hotspot access for chores ranging from e-mail to getting real-time weather conditions

Folks... you're in a tent at the north pole... you don't need an internet connection to check on weather conditions! Just open the tent flap, for goodness' sake.

- Leo

Re:Huh?

[MrNonchalant]

Folks... you're in a tent at the north pole... you don't need an internet connection to check on weather conditions! Just open the tent flap, for goodness' sake.

Submitter omitted information, they're checking real-time weather for Mexico City, the Bahamas, and Morocco. And trying desperately to pretend that they are there.

Re:Huh?

[Leomania]

Submitter omitted information

Well, yes, this is Slashdot, after all...

But seriously, I assumed that... but I couldn't think of any angle to be funny that way. I gots to take my yuks where I can gets 'em.

- Leo

Re:Huh?

[MrNonchalant]

I was actually attempting be funny. I have no idea where they're checking weather for. But yeah, your idea was better as indicated by the +5.

Re:Huh?

[Tim]

I realize that you're joking, but there's a serious point here: when you're miles away from civilization, with only a tiny shack or a bit of nylon protecting you from the elements, it is very useful to know what kind of weather is heading in your direction.

As any serious camper/hiker/climber knows, a few hours' notice of a storm is enough to save your life.

Re:Huh?

[arose]

Where would they go?

Re:Huh?

[GigsVT]

Doesn't much matter, snow is a good insulator, once their buildings get buried in, it should be pretty easy to keep warm.

Re:Huh?

[Tim]

They don't necessarily have to go anywhere. Preparations could be as simple as reinforcing their shelter against strong winds, or tying down supplies.

Of course, I would imagine that these guys could be rescued by air, should they have advance notice of any really serious weather.

Re:Huh?

[MoogMan]

Hehe, I can see it now:

Monday: Very Cold.
Tuesday: Very Cold.
Wednesday: Very Cold.
Thursday: Very Cold.
Friday: Get your shorts out!... Nah, only kidding. Very Cold.

That's Just Great.

[Goo.cc]

Now my spam can find me anywhere on earth. Thanks!

OC anyone?

[stm2]

Some thoughts about IT in the poles:

- It should be easy for overclockers to play there.
- Computers must be very silent, since they don't need coolers.
- You could put use the heat grid at the side of the notebook to warm your hands (I do it sometimes without living in the north pole).
- IceWM must be default desktop manager.
- ??

That be COMMIE-NISM! Outlaw it now!

[Cryofan]

verizon and comcast will "fund" the legislation....

Re:That be COMMIE-NISM! Outlaw it now!

[Cryofan]

satire == beyond_you;

If there's a hotspot...

[Ruprecht the Monkeyb]

there'll be a Starbucks there within a week.

Let the Soviet jokes begin...

[blueadept1]

"Two Moscow-based Intel employees..." In Soviet Russia, Wi-Fi hotspots get the North Pole! err...

The Geekiest job at the North Pole

[barfy]

Used to be Dentist... Now it's IT Guy...

Pfft, the northpole is only NOW getting wifi...

[Anonymous Coward]

We've already got hotspots at Concordia station and Amundsen-Scott. Had 'em for years.

Bandwidth leeches of the North Pole

[willith]

This oughta give the elves a good chance to try out his w1r3l355 sk177z! All they gotta do is hook up that wireless adapter up to bigred.santa.org, set it to promiscuous mode and fire up with Ethereal. They'll be through the WEP in no time, and then the way will be cleared for them to download as much hot elf-on-reindeer action as they can handle!

I bet Santa haX.

Don't tell this guy...

[IronChefMorimoto]

Keep this to yourselves, folks. Otherwise, those poor Russians will have this guy just randomly showing up in a parka he found in a dumpster wanting to set up his abandoned CPU and monitor:

http://www.engadget.com/entry/1234000263038617/

IronChefMorimoto

If this were an American -30F hotspot...

[IronChefMorimoto]

...tonight (April 15) they'd all be huddled around waiting for turns with TaxCut.

for taking care of matters at home, including, potentially, financial transactions.

IronChefMorimoto

HOORAY!!!

[atomm1024]

Pokey and his pals can now enjoy fun and learning with wireless UNTERNET [yellow5.com]!!!!

(Authentic Pokey all-caps type omitted because of the lame lameness filter. Apologies for any lack of fun happy this may have caused.)

-30 C, eh. So I'm guessing ...

[fygment]

... CPU and case cooling isn't a problem. It runs totally quiet. That peristent deafening blowing sound? That'd be the WIND!

ASL

[Rie Beam]

27/m/NPole

Weather?

[kniLnamiJ-neB]

getting real-time weather conditions

You mean they don't already KNOW the weather at the NORTH POLE?

Come on guys...

[macintoshguy]

I refuse to call it the north pole; it is henceforth known as the ice-planet of Hoth!

Son of a....

[KipCas]

No WiFi where "I" live, but the frikin Island of Misfit Toys has a hot spot. That's just great.

RIAA files new wave of lawsuits against Santa

[Kylere]

Los Angeles, 2009. The RIAA today announced that they have filed 9 "John Doe" IP based lawsuits against file sharers abusing the North Pole Hot Spot to download evil MP3 files. Using their powers under the CAN-RIGHTS law, they lauched a ICBM with 10 MIRV based 20 Megaton nuclear warheads.

This meets their new slogan, "The RIAA - Megatons for Megabytes!"

Safe from WEP cracking!

[antsquish]

I guess they don't have to worry too much about anyone trying to crack their WEP keys... :-)

Does it run Linux?

[Ph33r th3 g(O)at]

I assume it would support ELF binaries?

Re:

[account_deleted]

Comment removed based on user account deletion

Stressful Conditions?

[LordoftheFrings]

Why would the extreme cold be stressful for computing parts? While it would sort of suck if condensation got everywhere and shorted out stuff, that's not a possibility at arctic-cold temperatures because water couldn't get hot enough to form a liquid, I wouldn't think. Unless some components get hard enough to cause the cold air around them to condense, I don't see extreme cold as being a problem.

Re:Stressful Conditions?

[Detritus]

Thermal coefficients of expansion. Changes in physical and electrical properties of materials. Reductions in chemical reaction rates.

Materials become brittle. Batteries don't work. Lubricants congeal. Differing thermal coefficients of expansion cause poor contact or mechanical failure from stress. Parameter shifts in electronic components can exceed design specifications.

It's a real problem. That's why a lot of equipment is installed in an insulated box with a thermostat and an electric heater. Extreme

Oh noes!

[ErZo]

Gee, Now WHO take the blame of melting the polar caps?
Intel of course!

Basterds with those hotspots!

WEP Key already cracked

[StuffJustHappens]

It was 3030303030

Re:WEP Key already cracked

[MHobbit]

You're wrong. It was DEADBEEFDEADBEFDEADBEEF.

(Ok, if you don't remember that article about the FBI cracking into a WEP network in 3 minutes, then you don't know what I'm talking about. Otherwise... yeah.)

Re:I wonder what its SSID says...

[antdude]

Or warsledding that someone mentioned earlier. Heh. :)