McJumpBox - Leveraging Free Corporate WiFi for Fun and Profit

Explore the development of ultra-low cost, low-power WiFi repeaters using 802.11AH technology as a backhaul connection in this 45-minute conference talk from DEF CON 33's RF Village. Learn about the capabilities of new 802.11AH radios and chipsets entering the market, and discover what's required to build a minimum viable point-to-point WiFi repeater system. Examine the constraints of various AH modules and their software libraries, along with hardware and software considerations for the 802.11a/b/n WiFi components. Follow the speaker's journey through initial failures and stumbling blocks before reviewing commercial off-the-shelf (COTS) hardware solutions. Dive into reverse engineering processes applied to existing products that accomplish similar goals, including schematics and firmware analysis. Witness the design and development of a custom battery and solar-powered PCB running OpenWRT firmware that supports 900MHz, 2.4GHz, and 5GHz WiFi frequencies. Conclude with deployment strategies and operational performance analysis of device pairs when connected to the internet through free corporate WiFi available at retail stores and dining establishments.