Stealing your neighbor's Net

[rpm]

http://money.cnn.com/2005/08/08/technology/personaltech/internet_piracy/index.htm?cnn=yes

"Forty bucks for high-speed Internet access? Not a bad deal. But how does free sound? To a growing number of Internet piggy-backers, it's the sweet sound of pirating their neighbor's wireless network."

 

[bwana]

Probably shouldnt say this but my mom always does this when she's staying with friends in the states. The apartment building she visits has so many open wifi networks that she hasnt used her modem in ages.

Occasionally the SID will be the apartment number of the connection she's using so she'll go and ask the person and they're always cool about it.

If ADSL didnt cost so much here I'd leave mine open too.

 

[PeeVee]

I have a situation that I have set up a Wireless Lan at home. However when I try do a scan for the available networks I pick up one of my neighbors wireless Lans, Totally unsecured. And yes, I can get to the Internet through him.
Looks like an ADSL connection?

The Question is? Should I try to find out who it is and tell them to secure, or should I just use it when I get capped?

Course this hasn't happened yet

 

[thisgeek]

The "proper" thing to do would be to try find out who he is and help him to secure it. Who knows, if the guy is willing, you might be able to join your WLANs.

 

[craigsa]

Well if i was in the USA and this happened to me , i would not be upset. Who cares when its unshaped , uncapped and for $40 ?

 

[bwana]

Assuming it is uncapped and unshaped and $40 - a wifi connection can be on anything from dial-up to cable.

 

[craigsa]

ah yes you are right. When i lived in the usa i had a fractional T1 1.5mg line and it cost me $39.95 and unshaped uncapped so i wouldnt mind if people were sharing with me at all.

 

[bwana]

Whenever I go to some hotel that makes me pay for broadband access it I always try to open it up so anyone can use it. Its particularly easy when they have ethernet access - just plug in my airport express and away we go.

 

[The_Right_Honourable_Brit]

Well if i was in the USA and this happened to me , i would not be upset. Who cares when its unshaped , uncapped and for $40 ?

I would actually care.

If I was playing an online game, it would be very irritating for my ping to spike - also if I wanted to d/l a big file such as a demo, movie trailer etc, I would like my MAXIMUM speed to be going to that d/l...not 80% or whatever.

But if I'm not using it, then sure, do whatever you want

 

[ettubrute]

also if I wanted to d/l a big file such as a demo, movie trailer etc, I would like my MAXIMUM speed to be going to that d/l...not 80% or whatever.

With that kind of connection I'd rather download the whole movie!

 

[craigsa]

I swear the connection i had was awesome and never had a problem and i was sharing with a couple of people at my complex in Los Angeles. (Our service provider was Ontera Broadband.)

 

[bwana]

I would actually care.

If I was playing an online game, it would be very irritating for my ping to spike - also if I wanted to d/l a big file such as a demo, movie trailer etc, I would like my MAXIMUM speed to be going to that d/l...not 80% or whatever.

But if I'm not using it, then sure, do whatever you want

Then I would presume you'd read the manual and tighten up the security during the times you needed the speed.

To me the threat would be if someone used my connection to do something illegal - even unbeknownst to me - would I be liable? Say someone used my connection (and therefore shared my IP) and send hate mail to Telkom . . . .