17 thoughts on “Receipt FAIL

  1. Why is this a failure?

    In my neighbourhood, a lot of shops have a private parking facility. They require you to enter a code in order to leave, which you get when you buy stuff from them, and they print that code onto the receipt.

    Why can’t this pub do the same for the “free” WiFi access to *customers*. Once you buy your coffee, the WEP key is printed onto the receipt so you don’t need to ask around what’s the password of the day.

  2. I call shenanigans. Looks like a reciept from a place that offers free wireless with purchase. Like, intentionally. The original post doesn’t provide any details, but the 64 bit WEP part seems like a giveaway.

    I can see “accidently” printing a username and password. The encryption settings though? That’s gotta be intentional.

  3. There is a small coffee shop in my town that does exactly like this. You have to buy something to have the wifi password. The password is even randomized every day.

    I’m sure this works well as regular costumers have internet and the shop attracts people because the internet.

    The failure here could be the 64bit encryption that will allow you to crack the network key in a matter of minutes. But maybe its easier just enter the shop and buy some coffee than bringing your laptop with your super charged Atheros card or your hacked linksys router running at batteries.

  4. nothing wrong with this. there’s a cafe around here that does the same thing. they want to provide free wifi to customers, while locking out people in other shops or on the street. it’s obviously not meant to be very secure, just prevent casual freeloaders.

  5. My favorite coffee shop also reverted to this style, but the barista has a sticker he/she places on your reciept with the WEP key. It’s 64-bit as well, which makes for a short key.

    The reason for WEP? Daytime clientele use this coffee shop as a mobile office. I was there daily for almost a month when seeing if I could get a startup off the ground. The owner of the tae-kwon-do gym next door was downloading lots and lots of stuff, making the WiFi unreasonably slow for patrons.

    The neighboring tenants are not savvy enough to crack 64-bit WEP, and the coffee shop employees know not to give the key to employees of neighboring shops — not that it matters much these days, in a matter of weeks, the Tae-Kwon-Do guy got his own Internet connection.

  6. I think this may very well be the lamest hack-a-day post ever. Congrats on not really hacking your local pub.

    It’s not like this local pub needs super uber security or something. Also, WEP is the most compatible and, really, they are just trying to keep people who aren’t paying out. It’s perfectly fine in this situation.

  7. I agree with Rick.

    I did the reverse thing. I put a sticker on the door, and my wifi is 100% open, no key no nothing. (actually i have two wifi’s, one open, one closed)
    All our guests can use it for free, as well as those passing by.

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