Other people's wireless

[longlinergirl]

I just got a new laptop with the wireless connection. I don't have fancy stuff like that here, but apparently someone close by does and I can get online from theirs. My question is; Is this bad/wrong? Would you mind if someone were doing this to you? I don't want to be messing with someone else, but this is awesome!!!

[ladyparrothead]

I have wireless in my house, but whenever I try to use it on the laptop, it goes to the neighbors! So at home I still "plug in"

[Prthd119]

Personally...I wouldn't care..I am allowed 5 hookups in my house and only utilize 2...so I could care less....

If I go over 5 I am charged...I say , if you can get it free...go for it...but that's just me..

I like the concept of bartering and sharing.....

[longlinergirl]

Personally...I wouldn't care..I am allowed 5 hookups in my house and only utilize 2...so I could care less....

If I go over 5 I am charged...I say , if you can get it free...go for it...but that's just me..

I like the concept of bartering and sharing.....

I don't know whose it is though...will I know if I am costing them money???

Thanks for the answers though

[ToplessRideFL]

After the OJ incident...with Direct TV..you might want to re think this...

[sy]

I just got a new laptop with the wireless connection. I don't have fancy stuff like that here, but apparently someone close by does and I can get online from theirs. My question is; Is this bad/wrong? Would you mind if someone were doing this to you? I don't want to be messing with someone else, but this is awesome!!!

That is actually highly illegal and dangerous. You are essentially connecting to their network (Think of it as walking into their house and plugging your laptop up to their router in their house) or stealing their cable, it's essentially the same thing. While it is their ignorance and their fault (not meant in a condescending way, most people just don't know any better), it is still not good. Chances are, you'll be able to browse right into their machines, and if your machine is not secure, they would also be able to connect into your machine and browse what you have.

Sorry to be a real bummer, but I would advise not doing that

You can always go to some of the hotspots around that offer free wireless and use it there, though.

[sy]

Let me revise a little about what I just said, too. There is no federal law that I know of that makes it illegal, but there are varying state laws against it. Not to mention if the person has a logger (not likely if they're leaving their network open unless their trying to bait), they can figure out who you are as well.

Here are some articles that deal with this presenting different scenarios of what can happen. There is far more danger present for the person with the unsecured wireless than for you, but it's still probably not a good idea, unless of course, you're friends with them and they'd let you slide

http://www.dba-oracle.com/t_unauthorize ... _crime.htm

http://www.eweek.com/article2/0,1895,1834967,00.asp

[longlinergirl]

Well I'm a lil worried, but not enough to stop using it...yet Once the newness of it wears off I guess

[sy]

Well I'm a lil worried, but not enough to stop using it...yet Once the newness of it wears off I guess

all said and done, I don't blame you

[Prthd119]

Don't listen to me...

I'd give away anything I had if I thought it would do someone else good....

[longlinergirl]

Don't listen to me...

I'd give away anything I had if I thought it would do someone else good....

I do all the time...

[Sam]

I just got a new laptop with the wireless connection. I don't have fancy stuff like that here, but apparently someone close by does and I can get online from theirs. My question is; Is this bad/wrong? Would you mind if someone were doing this to you? I don't want to be messing with someone else, but this is awesome!!!

That is actually highly illegal and dangerous. You are essentially connecting to their network (Think of it as walking into their house and plugging your laptop up to their router in their house) or stealing their cable, it's essentially the same thing. While it is their ignorance and their fault (not meant in a condescending way, most people just don't know any better), it is still not good. Chances are, you'll be able to browse right into their machines, and if your machine is not secure, they would also be able to connect into your machine and browse what you have.

Sorry to be a real bummer, but I would advise not doing that

You can always go to some of the hotspots around that offer free wireless and use it there, though.

Personally I don't have or want a wireless connection...but it seems to be the "wave" of the future....The security issues of it while getting better, still seem more vulnerable to me, I will grant nothing is 100% safe or secure over the internet. One can only do what one can to protect themselves a firewall and a good antivirus and anti spyware...is about all that one can do maybe use a proxy server or a router.... There are no firewalls for wireless connections....
It won't cost your neighbor's any money, but what you are doing is "accquring" their bandwith.... How well do you know your neighbors??? They have to live within 500 ft of you or less.
If you want you know your neighbor you can have a talk with them ..I don't know your neighorhood but you could do a little "war driving" (see below) around the block within a 1000 ft radius and probably figure out who it is...and think about approaching the person....
NOW think about it BEFORE you do approach them, as to how they witll react.... Will they be mad and upset at you and accuse you of spying, etc on them ??? or will they be glad that you let them know and maybe tell you it is ok and thank you??? that is your choice to make......

People/hackers drive around with their laptops looking for such places ... it is called "War Driving"..... And yes there are free spots set up specifically for people to use.
I am not quite sure about the legality of it... as there are arguments for both sides of the issue.... Here is an article from C/NET that disusses what you asked: http://news.com.com/FAQ+Wi-Fi+mooching+ ... ag=nl.caro

It seems most that have been caught and arrested, were doing illegal acts such as hacking, identity theft, or involving child p***....
And try this one, it is a report about it from KCBI news:
http://www2.kbcitv.com/x5154.xml?Parent ... upID=x5154

Kim Komando had an article about it not long ago.... www.komando.com and check the archives.
You can check out www.wardriving.com for other articles about it.

There are two types of wireless systems.... The latest wireless system debveloped is more secure....and the older one is not secure is... as ( to paraphrase ) what sy said, like letting people into your home....they can monitor anywhere you go and anything you do on the web...and they can do ALOT more too!!! You can think of it like a "bug" (microphone) inside your house....if the person has any wireless webcams ....guess what???

One more about the security of the systems...:
http://www.newsfactor.com/story.xhtml?s ... y_id=36539

I hope this helps....and is not too confusing....

[Sam]

Let me revise a little about what I just said, too. There is no federal law that I know of that makes it illegal, but there are varying state laws against it. Not to mention if the person has a logger (not likely if they're leaving their network open unless their trying to bait), they can figure out who you are as well.

Here are some articles that deal with this presenting different scenarios of what can happen. There is far more danger present for the person with the unsecured wireless than for you, but it's still probably not a good idea, unless of course, you're friends with them and they'd let you slide

http://www.dba-oracle.com/t_unauthorize ... _crime.htm

http://www.eweek.com/article2/0,1895,1834967,00.asp

This is from the C/NET link I posted above....

Is it legal to use someone's Wi-Fi connection to browse the Web if they haven't put a password on it?
Nobody really knows. "It's a totally open question in the law," says Neal Katyal, a professor of criminal law at Georgetown University. "There are arguments on both sides."

That doesn't make much sense. Is there a specific law that regulates Wi-Fi access?

Sort of. The primary law is the federal Computer Fraud and Abuse Act.
( http://www4.law.cornell.edu/uscode/html ... -000-.html )

You can read it for yourself, but the important part (check out paragraph (a)(2)) covers anyone who "intentionally accesses a computer without authorization or exceeds authorized access." Nobody knows exactly what that means in terms of wireless connections. The law was written in 1986 to punish computer hacking--and nobody contemplated 802.1x wireless links back then.

So yes there is a Federal Law HOWEVER.......it is so vague it is useless as far as wireless connections go...

[12vmanRick]

Personally...I wouldn't care..I am allowed 5 hookups in my house and only utilize 2...so I could care less....

If I go over 5 I am charged...I say , if you can get it free...go for it...but that's just me..

I like the concept of bartering and sharing.....

WE LOVE YOU MAN!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Karin]

Wow. . impressive Sam!

It sounds like the neighbors have not set up any security. I would not be happy if someone was using my wireless. . at the very least, the potential of slowing down my connection, to leaving a traceable IP address (mine) to websites that I would never venture. , and the possibility of sharing viruses, spyware or other crap!

That being said. . you are leaving your PC open to the same thing. How well do you know your neighbors? Or their neighbors who might be thinking the same thing? Or their neighbor's neighbors. . .

Free is nice. . but not always right.

[Brown Eyed Girl]

War driving is huge around here, and it p*** me off, frankly. Why should I have to pay for something so someone else can use it for free? I equate it with the yuppie kids who panhandle in places like Portland and such. They think people should give the money just because. As my friend Breeze would say....BULLSPIT.

Also, the security issues are huge...

Let me put it this way. What if the situation were reversed? Would you want someone doing that to you?

[ph4ever]

IMHO using someone else's wireless is just plain WRONG. When I got my new notebook, I cold pick up someone's network but never used it. To me that would be like being a thief. When my cable company came up to set up my wireless router when I told him I was already picking up someone's network he was shocked because we're quite a bit off the road with tons of trees.

[sy]

War driving is huge around here, and it p*** me off, frankly. Why should I have to pay for something so someone else can use it for free? I equate it with the yuppie kids who panhandle in places like Portland and such. They think people should give the money just because. As my friend Breeze would say....BULLSPIT.

Damned hacker wanna-be's. That's exactly what they are. They are useless hacker wanna-be's trying to be cool. Unfortunately, they know JUST enough to be stupidly dangerous.

But, there are also the small percentage out there who do know exactly what they're doing, and it's malicious. It's very easy to do, and it's also very easy to cover your tracks when you know what you're doing.

It's also very disturbing that I teach classes and show people how easy it is, and I get a mixed reaction of 'oh you just set it up to be able to be hacked', and 'it can't happen to me'. I explain to them my background, and my training, and it still makes no difference. I actually had some ass say to me 'you couldn't have been a hacker, you're a girl'.

Don't know why I got off on that tangent

[Sam]

Wow. . impressive Sam!

It sounds like the neighbors have not set up any security. I would not be happy if someone was using my wireless. . at the very least, the potential of slowing down my connection, to leaving a traceable IP address (mine) to websites that I would never venture. , and the possibility of sharing viruses, spyware or other crap!

That being said. . you are leaving your PC open to the same thing. How well do you know your neighbors? Or their neighbors who might be thinking the same thing? Or their neighbor's neighbors. . .

Free is nice. . but not always right.

THXZ

Also on that C/NET site the question about sharing is answered .... it depends on the server....with the wireless connections....some allow only one per household...some don't really care....

I recccomend anyone with questions to read them.....

I was in a chat room one night long ago....I used dial up at the time .... and someone was talking about wireless connections and I told them I had the "original wireless server" connection They asked me what I thought about it ...I said well it works pretty good on a bright calm day other than it BYTES and I can't really ever rely on it anyother time....Then someone popped up and asked where I lived ...."he wanted to pay me a visit....I asked why he said he wanted to "War Drive" I said if you can find me in the boonies come on over.... I told them I would sell it if they wanted it and actually had people interested in buying it until,I then told them what I meant by the "original wireless server".... a bundle of wood, some tinder, some matches, and a blanket....( original wireless server = smoke signals)

[sy]

me in the boonies come on over.... I told them I would sell it if they wanted it and actually had people interested in buying it until,I then told them what I meant by the "original wireless server".... a bundle of wood, some tinder, some matches, and a blanket....( original wireless server = smoke signals)

Damn Sam, you even had me going through this whole thing. THAT is seriously funny!!!!