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4G Modem Disabling Instructions:

Rapid Red

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The question is, how would the mustang have the security key for your Wi-Fi network. Every device must have a key to connect to your local or any Wi-Fi network.


"G LTE mobile coverage areas of the nation’s four largest mobile wireless carriers: AT&T Mobility, T-Mobile, UScellular, and Verizon."

If you have not paired the cell phone with the car, snooping is avoided.

You can use the phone navigation without paring it.

Seems without one of the methods active above, one will be riding free of unwanted snooping.

I am sure most have noticed the software updates, all want to connect, sync all the devices ............. SO THEY CAN SHARE what BS.

Isolation is the best firewall, each device having its own preferences login/pw. Might be worth the trouble.

Without the modem powered it's like not having an engine, in the car it ain't gona go.

I've not looked or seen the modem so I don't know if the input is a coaxial cable or not. It should be a shielded type of wire for sure, pull that and you will kill the Wi-Fi.
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Tomster

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The question is, how would the mustang have the security key for your Wi-Fi network. Every device must have a key to connect to your local or any Wi-Fi network.


"G LTE mobile coverage areas of the nation’s four largest mobile wireless carriers: AT&T Mobility, T-Mobile, UScellular, and Verizon."

If you have not paired the cell phone with the car, snooping is avoided.

You can use the phone navigation without paring it.

Seems without one of the methods active above, one will be riding free of unwanted snooping.

I am sure most have noticed the software updates, all want to connect, sync all the devices ............. SO THEY CAN SHARE what BS.

Isolation is the best firewall, each device having its own preferences login/pw. Might be worth the trouble.
Some wifi networks are open. This is the problem. It was discussed before that ET will find whatever connection it can find to phone home. If anyone wants to test this, the process is simple. Locate your modem in the left rear trunk area (behind all the plastic trunk liners) and pull the modem harness. If your car is in reception of an open wifi network, attempt a fordpass connection.

It is believed the 4g modem and wifi module are not the same. If you disable the 4g modem, the wifi module isn't necessarily offline.

Test it. I would do it, but I long since cancelled my Ford pass and deactivated it all.
 
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drummerboy

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Yes, without the password it will not be able to connect. I have not specifically sought it ought and tested, but I have never noticed any transmissions with Wi-Fi turned off. If it were turned on, I wonder if it would attempt to connect to public networks...
 

Rapid Red

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My view of a public network is, at the donut shop. You ask the counter what is the name of the network & then get a login donuts/ pw eatmoredonunts.

I don't think anyone can just walk into a public place and sign on to the internet, and go surf. Without a login/pw

A cell works like what you maybe think is a public network. But that is cause there are cell towers, your cell being a registered device of a carrier allows web access. Wi-Fi networks are different, need user/pw for access.
 

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My view of a public network is, at the donut shop. You ask the counter what is the name of the network & then get a login donuts/ pw eatmoredonunts.

I don't think anyone can just walk into a public place and sign on to the internet, and go surf. Without a login/pw

A cell works like what you maybe think is a public network. But that is cause there are cell towers, your cell being a registered device of a carrier allows web access. Wi-Fi networks are different, need user/pw for access.
While not necessarily applicable in this case that isn't entirely true anymore. There are sub network sharing devices out there that are beginning to blur that line. Comcast and Amazon both have devices that will allow other "partner" devices to connect and share bandwidth from their connected networks. These BS features are on by default so even if you turn them off Joe Schmoe nextdoor has his connecting to anybody that comes along.
 

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Rapid Red

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sub network sharing devices out there that are beginning to blur that line. Comcast and Amazon both have devices that will allow other "partner" devices to connect and share bandwidth from their connected networks.
If wrong, correct me this reads as if Amazon sniffing traffic over Concast. Will be able to load a browser or an inbox with ads?

More direct than the algorithm?
 

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If wrong, correct me this reads as if Amazon sniffing traffic over Concast. Will be able to load a browser or an inbox with ads?

More direct than the algorithm?
Hes not saying Comcast and Amazon are working together he's using both companies as an example.
 

Jaymar

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Hes not saying Comcast and Amazon are working together he's using both companies as an example.
Yes, that is correct. Both are examples of products that open an access point for traffic through your network that you don't control or even know are there.
 
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drummerboy

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Since this is so old and I had to refresh my own memory, here are a couple reminders:

https://www.mustang6g.com/forums/threads/4g-modem-disabling-instructions.146860/page-12#post-3022165

That top picture shows two orange circles where a guy could look (from underneath the car) to find a couple of antennas. I don't remember if these are Wi-Fi or 4G/LTE antennas. There is an antenna in the rear package tray that is 100% a 4G/LTE antenna (you can tell what sort of transmission/data is broadcast by the sound the RF meter makes) The two antennas in the trunk need to be identified and checked. They are shown in the diagram in the link below to be in a different location from where I have circled. I will check and test all this this weekend.

https://www.mustang6g.com/forums/threads/4g-modem-disabling-instructions.146860/#post-3004218

Pulling the fuse disables item #6 from that diagram, referred to in various manuals/diagrams as modem, TCU, telematics, etc. and contains at least the 4G/LTE modem as there is a sticker with an IMEI printed on it.

Item #5 is the 4G/LTE antenna as confirmed by my RF meter spiking (and audibly confirming 4G/LTE) in the center of the rear package tray.

Items #8 (splitter) and #9 (antennas) are confusing, because they are labeled "cellular" but I want to make it very clear that I remember these antennas only transmitted when I turned on the in-car hotspot. I do not remember if they were transmitting 4G/LTE or Wi-Fi, but I will check again.

I will attempt this weekend to isolate where the Wi-Fi transmissions come from.
 

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drummerboy

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Also, the recent activity in these threads lead another forum member to ask for assistance in locating the correct fuse on another Ford vehicle, and in that manual it was labeled "Embedded Modem Module" so when looking for the correct fuse, I would search for telematic, modem, tcu, embedded, etc. and perhaps scan through the chart and note anything else that sounds suspect.

While searching different terms/phrases found in that manual to identify possible culprits, I came across many other online conversations where people are disabling this spy device on their cars, not limited to Mustangs and Fords, investigating and helping each other figure out how to do it, and linking back to these conversations we started here on 6G, and I think that's pretty cool. :thumbsup:
 

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Here's some additional data on where different antennas are located:

Thanks to previous diagrams, I was quickly able to locate very strong signal from two antennas (circled). They are below the sheetmetal, so access would be from below the car:

4.jpg


When vehicle hotspot is turned on, these two above are pulsing to beat the band. I do not know what purpose they serve other than creating the in-car Wi-Fi hotspot network, if any. I was unable to detect any RF from these locations except when hotspot was on.

______________________________________________________


2.jpg


In the rear package tray is clearly the 4G antenna. When refreshing FordPass data or locking/unlocking doors, it sounds exactly like a mobile phone sending/receiving a text.

It phones home precisely every 2min 5sec with a packet of data that sounds to be the size of a large quantity of text or small photograph. I can't really tell the quantity of data, but it isn't terribly difficult to discern small amounts such as text and large amounts such as many pictures or a video.

I pulled the fuse during one of these transactions and the signal stopped immediately. It is at this time that I'd again like to assert that pulling the fuse is the easiest way to kill the 4G communication (presuming your car has the TCU on its own circuit like my 2019 GT350).

______________________________________________________


1.jpg


Disregard the arrow for now.

Circled is the location of possibly two antennas, one almost certainly being the bluetooth antenna and the other one communicating with the key fob. There is chatter coming from this location that I previously interpreted as Wi-Fi scans, which is in fact the key fob comms.

The arrow points to another possible location where different chatter is heard, but I am not 100% confident, it's a little confusing. Here it is circled:

3.jpg


______________________________________________________


I will be happy to do any further testing, though I can't think of anything else at this time other that the Wi-Fi antenna location. I would need to connect to Wi-Fi and attempt to update the unit to identify the location of the Wi-Fi antenna, which is something I'm not going to dive into at this time.
I can offer 2 cents here. My Fiesta ST (rip) had a weird issue I was trouble shooting. The keyless remote lost a tremendous amount of range. I work at a body shop and had a buddy in a related field send me component locations. There are TWO systems that interface with the key. There is the transponder for the ignition button and if you have smart entry the trunk and door handles. It reads a very low power signal from the key. When you push the button on the fob to lock or unlock the car, the fob transmits a signal to that is received by a different set of antennas. I'll bet the circled mystery area on the right of the center console is where the antenna for that system is. It was in the center console near the gear shift on my fiesta. My wife's edge... if you remote start with the key fob, the led on the fob lights up red if the car turns off or fails to start, and lights up green if the car successfully starts. The key fob antenna is sending and receiving when you push buttons on it. I'll bet that's what that is.
 

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Does anyone know how much data could be stored in the unit and transmitted? If you pull the fuse and drive for a month and put it back in, i wonder how much data they would get. All of it, or only the last 5 minutes. It would be easy to design it to retain the data in massive quantities if they suspected someone would unplug the transmitter. I'm wondering if they just assume most of people have no clue and never would disable the modem, would they just have it every 2 minutes and 5 seconds send up what ever it has and not have a lot of information stored/buffered to transmit. If i knew that were the case i might put a switch on the fuse so that i could let them have what evert they want, use the remote features and scheduled starts, but turn the modem off if I went to track day.
 

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Is it possible to get data from TCU for yourself? I mean get all speed/acceleration g-force, steering wheel turns and position from gps? I'd like to know how well I perform on track...
 

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Mines under warranty. I will just short the #10 fuse and put it back. What? Who? I have no idea.
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