Some questions on the legality of Wifi

Competition Rules/Strategy
1

I’ve heard that Wifi isn’t permitted at competitions, but I’m somewhat unsure as to the exact limitations of it.

I want to put a hotspot in our pit at competition this year so that pit scouting can be done on mobile devices and uploaded to a central server. Then, ideally, we can do some statistical analysis to look at our best matches.

I was wondering if 5ghz APs are allowed in the pit area? If not, are there any other IP-over-RF encapsulation methods that are compatible with most mobile devices and tablets?

I do realize that we could upload data over cellular, but it wouldn’t work very well for us this year because we’re traveling to Canada and roaming data is expensive.

2

we’ve got the same issue when we go to worlds in the US.

I’m considering using bluetooth, but the range goes down a lot

3

Let’s start with T4. Anything in violation of that will most certainly be shut down by field staff. So your hotspot and your 5GHz AP are both non-starters.

Bluetooth may be an option, but it’s rather short-range.

4

As a programmer, working with bluetooth is really hard compared to hosting something like a webserver. That’s why I wasn’t too interested in it…

I’ve looked into options to have a wired connection to the device, but most tablet-compatible ethernet connections are pretty bulky. The other option is to buy some kind of alternate RF module and then write a custom stack to handle comms, but that would be way more work than we need this season.

5

The field uses 5g. Any use of that spectrum in the pits will be frowned upon.

6

In conjunction to what everyone else on this thread has said in regards to the violations. Your best bet, at the regional or even before, speak with the Head Regional Director or the field guys to see if they have a spectrum you may borrow while at the competition whether its at a certain time or not.

7

The FTA is the person to speak with. With all the pressures of keeping the event on schedule, he (she) is the one running around with his head on fire. Safe bet his answer will be no. Aside from not having the time, how can he fairly give one team access, in violation of games rules, without opening it up for other teams?

8

Frank speaks the truth. T4 is very clear. Don’t set it up at the venue. Plan for something else.

9

Our team has been using a scouting app for the past 3 years, and we have tried many different ideas for data transfer. We have stuck to the tethered transfer, so that we don’t break any rules, and it’s a quick transfer for a lot of data.

10

I saw this during CES: http://cassianetworks.myshopify.com/products/5656008e9ac51803009fe0b5

It could be a very good solution since it can handle up to 22 devices and a 1000ft radius.

If any teams end up using it, they should post their results here or somewhere. I’m really curious about this product.

11

T4 is completely unambiguous.

T4: Teams may not set up their own 802.11a/b/g/n/ac (2.4GHz or 5GHz) wireless communication (e.g. access points or ad-hoc networks) in the venue.

A wireless hot spot created by a cellular device is considered an access point.

Don’t set up access points. It doesn’t matter if in your opinion you think it won’t mess with the field. It doesn’t matter if you really, really want one for scouting to work. The rule says, and means, don’t set up access points in the venue. The pit is in the venue.

12

Even though you’d still be dealing with the issues of range, you could create a Bluetooth PAN network between your tablets for sync up. Bluetooth PAN gives each device an IP address that you could use to run a web server on. To solve the distance issue, have your pit scouters take down data and save it locally to their tablet/phone/device (via the app YOU make), then have them meet with the head scout (during lunch or a match break) and connect to the head tablet/computer via Bluetooth PAN. From there, use your app to sync the stored data and send it to the web server in whatever fashion you like.

EDIT: If you plan on using all Android tablets, make sure they are running 4.0 or later, and do the following for each:

On the PAN host: Enable bluetooth tethering in the settings (If the host is a tablet, you may not find this feature. Try an app like BlueVPN if you’re setting it up on a tablet.)
On each device: Pair with the host and enable “Internet access” in the bluetooth device’s tab. (This will allow LAN communications between devices).

Credit to ce4 on StackExchange for the answer.

If you so choose, you can also use this method to share Web access from the PAN host (if it is a cell phone) to your PAN devices.

13

It was pointed out to me that the FTA and anybody else for that matter does not have the authority to allow teams to violate the rules. T4 is pretty clear. The answer will not be T4 does not apply to you.

14

There is a time to think outside the box. Then there is a time to think inside the box.

15

Could you use a Farady cage instead?

16

Perhaps a Faraday cage can be place over the robots from the teams who keep insisting on setting up a WiFi network each year.

17

If other teams can find workarounds for not having wifi you can too! You just need to be…
CREATIVE!

P.S I’ve always wanted to do that…

18

Not if you use T-Mobile.
It doesn’t cost me anything extra to use my T-Mobile data plan in Toronto.

19

Yep thats the word I was looking for. I agree they will more then likely say no of course.

20

FrankJ knows what’s up!

In my years working with field setup and the FTA’s on Thursday and Wednesday night, we will often have a end of night wifi hunt, where we track down the rogue wifi hotspots in the pits and shut them down. ::rtm::