Skyhook uses WiFi to track your stolen laptop

Only works if whoever stole your laptop or WiFi-enabled handheld logs on to one of the WiFi hotspots in their database, but Skyhook Wireless is offering a new positioning system that uses WiFi to help you get your hands on your stolen electronics. What they've done is compiled data about 1.5 million public and private wireless access points and then tagged them by geographic location so that when the thief tries to check his or her email they can get a pretty good idea of where they are (whether you feel like delivering some rough justice on the perp is entirely your call).

[skype_fan @ Dec 19th 2005 12:17AM]

And what if this person disables the built in Wifi Adapter and instead of this uses a USB one ?

[Chris Gregg @ Dec 19th 2005 12:17AM]

This must have been what that professor from Berkeley was using on his stolen laptop. Maybe the beta version...

-Chris

[A-Pow @ Dec 19th 2005 12:17AM]

How about they just add in a GPS module and have that switched on when the unit is powered up? I know it is costly, but just an idea.

[Ari @ Dec 19th 2005 12:17AM]

What kind of thief would use the laptop on public wifi? I guess it could happen, but doubtful - check out this laptop security device thats being implemented at some universities:

www.laplocker.com

maybe this can stop the laptop from being stolen in the first place.

[lupinstel @ Dec 19th 2005 12:17AM]

This guy with his fucking Dell coupons is getting really annoying.

[lupinstel @ Dec 19th 2005 12:17AM]

Obviously my opinion is important to Engadget because 2 minutes after I posted my previous comment the spammer was removed.

[Peter Rojas @ Dec 19th 2005 12:17AM]

Yep, we're deleting this guy's spam as soon as it comes in. We're already working on a new way to block his stuff. If you spot any more, let us know via the feedback form and we'll zap it immediately.

[Ari @ Dec 19th 2005 12:17AM]

Anyone hear anything else about this laplocker device? I'm looking for some reviews - from the demo, it looks pretty secure.

[lnk @ Dec 19th 2005 12:17AM]

This is assuming the thief doesn't wipe the laptop and potentially flip it on eBay.

Also, assuming SkyHook doesn't use just one IP address (or network) for its servers that one can easily remember to block (open command prompt, route add 1.2.3.0 255.255.255.0 1.1.1.1).

[Mike Cohen @ Dec 19th 2005 12:17AM]

You can also use Computrace ( http://www.absolute.com/ ) which can survive a hard drive wipe on many machines.

[mike @ Dec 19th 2005 12:17AM]

"Only works if whoever stole your laptop or WiFi-enabled handheld logs on to one of the WiFi hotspots in their database"

The above statement from the article is not true.

The Skyhook system only needs to detect"(not "connect") an access point (not "Hotspot") in the Skyhook database in order to produce location information. The device itself can be connected to any access point or can actually be connected to the Internet with a wire.

[Peter Rojas @ Dec 19th 2005 12:17AM]

That is seriously the most nitpicky response I've ever seen from a company PR person. Regardless of how you parse it, they have to be online and within range of one of the access points in your database.

[Paul Meeks @ Dec 19th 2005 12:17AM]

Trackion (http://www.trackion.com) works much better then this.. You can only trace thru wi-fi hotspots? The system I have installed can trace thru, according to the website, any time the machine is connected to the internet. So that means mine will be tracked at wi-fi hotspots, dsl, cable, dial-up, T1, etc. etc. etc..

[mike @ Dec 19th 2005 12:17AM]

Peter,

Maybe we are saying the same thing (I was not trying to nitpick!). I was only trying to clarify the fact that while there a only few thousand hotspots in the whole country, there are literally millions of access points in the Skyhook database that can be used to determine location. To highlight this I have attached a link to a map that shows density of our database in one part of LA.

http://www.skyhookwireless.com/images/santamonica.jpg

PS: For me Comment #13 indicates that a clarification was in order.

[NB @ Dec 19th 2005 12:17AM]

I know The CyberAngel already tracks via dsl, cable, dial-up, T1, etc. and this is just an additional way to locate the machine. Regarding Trakion and Computrace, they do not offer encryption and I believe Computrace only survives a reformat on Windows 95/98 or just on one type of IBM. Does anyone know?
As you can tell, we are a customer of The CyberAngel. We tested quite a few and found the tracking to be a coin flip, but the data protection (encryption) sold us on it.

[Adam @ Dec 19th 2005 12:17AM]

"What kind of thief would use the laptop on public wifi? I guess it could happen, but doubtful"

Why the hell wouldn't a thief (or more likely whoever buys it) use the laptop on public wifi. You'd have to be pretty damn paranoid to anticipate this kind of response even being possible!

[Jen @ Dec 19th 2005 12:17AM]

Someone stole my PSP(and I had to buy a new one)... think these guys can track him down?

[yem @ Dec 19th 2005 12:17AM]

So how does this work anyways? MAC address?

[Josh @ Dec 28th 2005 4:15PM]

Like Jen said 2 boxes up, my psp got stolen as well. I may have to go and buy a new one. But I don't want to waste my money if I can track the person down. So is there anyway that I can do this skyhook. Please reply back. Thanks much.