Janice R. Andrews
Software programmer Robert Heaton revealed all the details of his open-source PySkyWiFi project earlier this week, including how he laboriously circumvented the firewall in place to provide free Wi-Fi on an aircraft. Although the idea is intriguing, the outcomes are far from ideal, so most users will probably choose to pay for Wi-Fi aboard airplanes the old-fashioned way.
The Adventure Started
Heaton’s procedure started when he saw that the Airmiles account page was still linked to the general Internet even though the firewall had not blocked it. Identifying a vulnerability, he set out to get around the firewall. Equipped with a pair of computers, one for normal Wi-Fi connectivity and another for prototyping and testing, Heaton embarked on a mission to develop PySkyWiFi.
Progress and Difficulties
Currently, PySkyWiFi can load any webpage, however early versions could only load plain text content, such stock prices, instant messages, and even football scores. Heaton leveraged Python (hence the “Py” in the name) to work with the restricted connectivity and produce a basic Internet access method.
The outcomes, though, are not at all user-friendly. Heaton’s lengthy blog article claims that the entire PySkyWiFi configuration runs at “several bytes per second.” Actually, bytes, not kilobytes. Given the bandwidth limits, it is reasonable that the earliest prototypes were limited to plain text endeavors due to this severe limitation. It is unrealistic to expect users to watch videos or load complicated websites; even simple text documents take a very long time to load.
Usability and Real-World Applications
Although PySkyWiFi is technically impressive, Heaton himself suggests against using it frequently. Even though the majority of the work is already completed for followers, the setup effort is just not worth the hassle. The minimal price to pay for the convenience of working Internet access while in flight is usually associated with airplane Wi-Fi.
Heaton advises travelers to think about doing other productive offline activities, including reading a book, napping, or doing other things, during their flight. When you have to deal with slow loading times and restricted functionality, the allure of free airline Wi-Fi quickly fades.
The Wider Consequences
Although PySkyWiFi shows that existing firewalls can provide ubiquitous, free plane Wi-Fi, there is obviously a lack of practical implementation. Although it may seem like a good idea to freeload past a firewall, the experience is poor and not really worth the trouble.
The best option for most passengers is still to pay for Wi-Fi on airplanes. A flawless and reliable Internet experience while in the air makes the slight expense worthwhile. As demonstrated by Heaton’s initiative, there are situations when the hassle just isn’t worth the “free” price.
Final Thoughts
A remarkable experiment in bypassing firewalls to achieve free plane Wi-Fi is Robert Heaton’s PySkyWiFi project. But for the majority of users, it’s an unworkable solution due to its severe speed and feature constraints. Although the technical accomplishment is impressive, passengers would be better served by shelling out for dependable Wi-Fi and taking pleasure in a stress-free journey.
