Get Ur Geek On Special Edition -- Warbussing EssEff
We decided to take a day trip on the Muni. And now that we have our wireless card, we decided to warbus the city. Live blog updates after the jump. Ever since we found out 94110 is the most saturated WiFi zip, we had to see how the other neighborhoods fared. We know it's geeky, and we know you love it.
We're rolling with a 12" G4 PowerBook and an Airport Extreme. We've also got 'Lil SFist and our IM-enabled SMS phone for kicks. Of course we don't have our memory card reader, so pictures will have to wait until we return home.
Update: Okay, we're done, pictures have been added. Quite an adventure. We have to say that The City is a WiFi paradise. Three out of five transfer points had access for us to upload, and we passed dozens and dozens of hotspots along the 5, 9, 21, 22 and 27. Thanks for the folks who commented on the post and the folks who asked us what the hell we were doing on the bus -- it definitely gave us the energy to keep on warbussing!
Unattributed photo of Muni Bus from Presidio.gov.
4:59 - 24th and Potrero. Same routers and better reception than in our apartment. About to board the 9 San Bruno.
5:01 - A single to sit in! Stop after the walgreens and no signal.
5:04 - At the gates to the hospital a password-protected 2WIRE530. Time to review our copies of The Broken.
5:06 - Horizons Upstairs appears outside of Horizons. Somebody has an admin. Couldn't connect, though.
5:08 - Somebody else on the bus has a WiFi device! We love this city! We have no idea how to use the connection, though...
5:10 - The Lone Star has a router and an admin. Gay geek western fetishists!
5:11 - BELLAMY outside the Costco. Password protected (bastards).
5:12 - Oh, now we're in SOMA. KRAD All-Hit Radio, Radium 01-g, CD, linksys, Apple Network #####, the hits keep coming...
5:13 - Another Apple Airport, suginami - man, we need to configure our router.
5:15 - We're on Market, in slow enough traffic to be useful, and now nothing. Also, our WiFi friend got off the bus, proably back where there was signal.
5:17 - 2WIRE328 at Fox Plaza. And tmobile.
5:19 - We're off the 9, transferring and grabbing cash.
5:22 - At the Wells Fargo ATM. We've connected to tmobile, which is totally unsecured. Suh-weet! We're a little concerned about that phone we bought last year, though.
5:25 - We have to stand on the 21. Damn. Bus just got dinged by a tourist in a U-Haul.
5:29 - Symphony Public 1 is open for business.
5:30 - Protected NETGEAR_11g at Hayes and Gough.
5:32 - Laguna IS DEAD. What gives? Oh, here's home, jbce, WSR-100.
5:35 - Finally, a seat, and just in time to pass Alamo Square. Holding your laptop in one arm, typing with the opposite hand and hanging from the strap is a pain in the ass.
5:36 - Nothing at Hayes and Fillmore. Doesn't bode well for the ride on the 22.
5:37 - 2WIRE312, linksys and lagniappe (best name so far) by the Painted Ladies. Linksys is suitably whorish and open to the public.
5:38 - Diggins and dublin at the bottom of the hill. 2WIRE228 and electricladyland (another great name) at Hayes and Diviz.
5:40 - Told you so and WONG-HOME at Broderick. So far three intersections in a row are gold. Baker's center makes that four.
5:41 - We're at our destination. The return trip in a few moments once we get this posted...
You are now joining this Warbussing the Muni live blog in progress.
5:57 - Getting all this up at Central Coffee, who have a WEP-protected router but are more than happy to give you the encrypted key if you purchase a delicious snack or beverage. Hey trimethyldioxypurist, you should drop by! In a bit we'll post a picture of the "Dorks Rejoice" banner below...
6:00 - Okay, just got the post up from in the field. This is what it must have felt like to have money for hardware in 2001! We're going to sip our coffee and then hit the 5 Fulton back to Fillmore.
6:03 - Hey, nothing like having a klatch over coffee. In the absence of friends in our meatspace, we're IMing and we love it. Can you tell we're virgins?
6:07 - Just got email confirmation from the Billionaires for Bush that they'll be at the mock inauguration tomrrow. Can't wait!
6:08 - Gothamist Jen just caught wind of the Golden Gate Suicide Film. Doesn't anybody scroll down?
6:10 - Okay, back on the move. Next update when we can find deliciously vulnerable router.
6:18 - Still waiting for the 5. Henry's Hommies at McAllister and Central is open for biz (unlike 2WIRE203 and ????).
6:26 - On the bus, and we need to pee. That long wait for the 5 may have killed our battery's chances for survival. 2WIRE809 at Broderick.
6:28 - jammybugger and SPORTE at Pierce. Beee's Network at the next corner.
6:30 - Got off to transfer. One thing to say about 2WIRE's -- they seem to come pre-configured with WEP keys. 2WIRE089 and 2WIRE525 at Fillmore and McCallister are no exception.
6:32 - About to wander around the intersection like a jackass with the laptop.
6:34 - No luck. Just a jackass.
6:42 - These cross-town, mid-route transfers are killing us.
6:43 - Fillmore and Hayes is a target-rich environment for sure. Six routers in a block.
6:44 - Almost updated via Motorola A22, but the bus moved.
6:45 - Four hotspots outside the Key Food Market.
6:46 - Four on Haight, all locked. We thought hippies would be a bit more giving!
6:48 - Almost posted again via NETGEAR. Bus driver must be behind -- he's really rolling. Our friend is IMing via the phone...arrrrgh!
6:51 - 16th St. Catz, CREATIVENORTH, rex and NETGEAR all give us the WEP nay-no at 16th and Church.
6:54 - elixir5hrhappyhour is on top of KRAD's advertising-through-router-name-meme.
6:55 - Approaching our next transfer point. Pray for us to get a signal!
7:02 - Success! Apple Airports -- not so secure. Sketched out at 16th and Mission, carrying the laptop. We don't think the people staring are jealous geeks.
7:05 - That's right -- now we remember going to an 'anarchist commune party' at the place next door to Casa Thai Market. God bless them.
7:09 - Battery...running...low. Next update from home, with picture, within the hour. Thanks to everyone for your support!
7:12 - Advocate at 16th and Shotwell.
7:13 - Fueling-Station at 16th and Harrison.
7:14 - Change of plans. Hopping the 27 to check the saturation on Bryant. May be another lengthy transfer...hopefully we can squeeze in one more update.
7:16 - HOME at 16th and Bryant password protected. We'll keep walking because we know there's a Starf**ks next to KQED and BAVC.
7:21 - Success! tmobile at Starf**cks, Bryant and Mariposa. Three bars! w00t!
7:25 - Spoke too soon. Three bars apparently doesn't mean three bars. Still waiting.
7:29 - Finally figured it out. T-Mobile wants to charge us to connect. And profit off the notoriety surrounding the recent death of Ray Charles buy selling us a compilation CD. Rat bastards.
7:30 - Finally on the 27 in the home stretch. 21 minutes of juice remaining.
7:31 - 2WIRE889 at 20th and Bryant. Polo at 21st.
7:34 - Galeria De La Raza Ribity for Claudine.
7:46 - Home sweet home. Three bars and it's free and clear. Cold beer and warm burrito await. Pictures in a few minutes.
