The Techno-Chic of Wallpaper

I guess I spoke too soon. It looks like some smart folks are devising ways to secure their wireless networks from wi-fi bandits, like yours truly.

STEALTH WALLPAPER PROTECTS WI-FI NETWORKS
British firm BAE Systems has developed a type of wallpaper that prevents stealth users from connecting to a company's unprotected Wi-Fi network while still allowing cell phones and other desirable signals to pass through. Wi-Fi networks are a boon to companies that want to set up inexpensive wireless access within their buildings, but
many such networks are installed without adequate security to prevent roaming hackers from easily connecting to networks and gaining access behind a company's firewall. BAE's wallpaper is made from a sheet of kapton plastic with copper on both sides in patterns of crosses. The particular placement of the copper crosses determines which frequencies are able to pass through and which are blocked. The company is working on a transparent version of the technology to be used on windows.
New Scientist, 8 August 2004
http://www.newscientist.com/news/news.jsp?id=ns99996240

Yes, not only can modern-day desk jockeys like myself work in tiny cubefarms, but we also enjoy the homey comforts of office wallpaper!

I must be a geek, because when I first glanced at the headline, I thought they were talking about my desktop background photo. And if you must know, it's a image of my favourite internet cartoon character, Homestar Runner!

Homestar Runner... enemy to wi-fi bandits!