Hacking Is Street Pass safe to enable

[keldoggg]

I have d/l Skylanders Swap Force and it plays great on my r4i 3DS Gold cards but it seems to need Street Pass enabled to play the full game, i.e to use all skylanders and play co-op etc.

If I enable Street Pass, do I risk the Console updating the firmware from my boys current versions of 4.2 & 4.4?

If so, I'll leave it as is and leave Street Pass disabled?

Thanks

 

[Snailface]

I have d/l Skylanders Swap Force and it plays great on my r4i 3DS Gold cards but it seems to need Street Pass enabled to play the full game, i.e to use all skylanders and play co-op etc.

If I enable Street Pass, do I risk the Console updating the firmware from my boys current versions of 4.2 & 4.4?

If so, I'll leave it as is and leave Street Pass disabled?

Thanks

You run the danger of walking by a designated Nintendo hotspot like the_Cloud or attwifi and an update can download.

You aren't forced to update, but a nag screen is both annoying and dangerous (wrong button press , game over). You can reformat to lose the update nag but you lose eshop games and streetpass progress as well.

 

[keldoggg]

I don't think I'll ever want/need the eshop for anything but the thing I'm 'scared' of is the consoles updating as you mentioned.

If I enable streetpass, I take it I have to enter my wifi password then the console could get updated if my kids press the wrong buttons?

There's no way to enable streetpass without the full wifi being enabled?

 

[Snailface]

I don't think I'll ever want/need the eshop for anything but the thing I'm 'scared' of is the consoles updating as you mentioned.

If I enable streetpass, I take it I have to enter my wifi password then the console could get updated if my kids press the wrong buttons?

There's no way to enable streetpass without the full wifi being enabled?

Even with all connection settings erased, spotpass and auto downloads off, your system will download an update if it finds a free hotspot.

The only safety is wifi switch off.

 

[keldoggg]

Okay thanks. I think we will do without streetpass then.

As an aside, if I were to enable streetpass by entering our home wifi password, do you know if it is too easy for 2 x 6yr olds to accidentally download a firmware update.

i.e. how many steps does it take, or might a 'pop up' appear asking to upgrade, then one simple click and my v4.2 has gone

 

[gamefan5]

Streetpass allows you to exchange data with other 3ds, it is perfectly safe.
It is spotpass that u should watch out for as it will activate once ot finds a hotspot of any kind to download spotpass data and even updates to your 3ds.

Turn the wifi switch off and u should be safe.

 

[keldoggg]

hmmm, I'm a little confused now!

streetpass and spotpass? Never heard of spotpass

The wifi 'switch' is just the side slider button though isn't it and my 6yr olds might easily turn it on when in the pub/friends etc. Thus leaving it open to update?

So are you saying streetpass can be 'open' without fear or risk of updates

 

[Arras]

hmmm, I'm a little confused now!

streetpass and spotpass? Never heard of spotpass

The wifi 'switch' is just the side slider button though isn't it and my 6yr olds might easily turn it on when in the pub/friends etc. Thus leaving it open to update?

So are you saying streetpass can be 'open' without fear or risk of updates

There is only one Wifi switch. Enabling it turns on both streetpass and spotpass. Spotpass enables the 3DS to download things when it's near certain unprotected wifi networks, including updates. Once it downloads an update, it will give a popup every day asking you to install it. If you click yes, then Accept Terms on the touch screen, it will install it. The only way to be safe is to either tape the wifi switch down or never leave the house.

 

[keldoggg]

right!

so, even if the console's wireless is not enabled with our home password, if we are out with the boys and pass a wifi hotspot, the console might still receive a request to update it?

 

[gamefan5]

Y

right!

so, even if the console's wireless is not enabled with our home password, if we are out with the boys and pass a wifi hotspot, the console might still receive a request to update it?

Yep, that is what we call, spotpass. Just a correction for usage of terms.

 

[keldoggg]

wow, I'll have to give my little lads a good briefing on that

To clarify too, when they are racing against each other in MK7 and they need the wireless switch on, is this just activating the bluetooth between them?

I assume it as because I haven't put our home network passwords in the consoles?

Thanks for all this info by the way

 

[user64]

Just don't go to McDonalds/Best Buy or any other Nintendo zone with the wifi switch on. Playing Mario Kart 7 in your house should be fine if you turn off spotpass.

 

[keldoggg]

I've never turned spotpass on! Nothing is on, that's why I am enquiring about as to what I can and can't do, to prevent my kids updating (or automatically updating)

 

[Kippykip]

You can use parental controls which will block updates with a pin

 

[phanteon]

If you live in a country where there is no Nintendo hotspots then it is safe to turn it on

You can use parental controls which will block updates with a pin

Where is that? it wont show in my console in the parental control settings

 

[Kippykip]

If you live in a country where there is no Nintendo hotspots then it is safe to turn it on



Where is that? it wont show in my console in the parental control settings

System Settings>Parental Controls
No matter what updating will always be blocked with Parental Controls turned on AFAIK

 

[keldoggg]

Yes, I have parental controls turned on and so can't be accessed without my 4 digit pin. Does that mean therefore that I am safe from any accidental updates or requests from hotspots as a hotspot shouldn't see me?

 

[Kippykip]

Yes, I have parental controls turned on and so can't be accessed without my 4 digit pin. Does that mean therefore that I am safe from any accidental updates or requests from hotspots as a hotspot shouldn't see me?

Unless you accidentally type the correct pin when it asks you should be fine

 

[keldoggg]

okay, thanks.

my lads are playing skylanders at this moment and have already asked to turn on streetpass to see some other skylanders or something

 

[pelago]

The parental control PIN no longer stops updates. The only safe thing is to never turn on the Wi-Fi switch. You might be safe at home with the Wi-Fi switch on with the two consoles playing MK7 against each other (with no connection to the Internet) but if they ever leave the house with it still on, they might accidentally pick up an update. Or if a neighbour sets up a homepass system, you might accidentally connect to that and also download the update.