Members Anderton Posted March 16, 2007 Members Share Posted March 16, 2007 I'm helping out my mother for a few days, and am using her cable modem to connect. But tonight the cable connection is really spotty, going in and out, making it really difficult to send out the articles I HAVE to send (maybe all the rain outside has something to do with it). Well, she lives in a townhouse kinda place, so I inserted a wireless card into my notebook, checked for networks in the area, and sure enough, there were a couple of weak signals from unsecured networks (presumably neighbors). So I connected and now I can actually send off my work. I realize this is probably a breach of etiquette to say the least, but it's late here, the neighbors are probably asleep, and I assume I'm not causing any problems with their system...or am I? Is this a Really Bad Thing to do, or...? It's not like I'm trying to hack into their systems and retrieve bank account numbers or anything. Then again, maybe they're hacking into my computer now that I'm connected.......... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Ryst Posted March 16, 2007 Members Share Posted March 16, 2007 I'm helping out my mother for a few days, and am using her cable modem to connect. But tonight the cable connection is really spotty, going in and out, making it really difficult to send out the articles I HAVE to send (maybe all the rain outside has something to do with it). Well, she lives in a townhouse kinda place, so I inserted a wireless card into my notebook, checked for networks in the area, and sure enough, there were a couple of weak signals from unsecured networks (presumably neighbors). So I connected and now I can actually send off my work. I realize this is probably a breach of etiquette to say the least, but it's late here, the neighbors are probably asleep, and I assume I'm not causing any problems with their system...or am I? Is this a Really Bad Thing to do, or...? It's not like I'm trying to hack into their systems and retrieve bank account numbers or anything. Then again, maybe they're hacking into my computer now that I'm connected.......... Nah, I wouldn't feel the slightest bit guilty. I have done the same thing to my neighbors when my internet has dropped. Just tell yourself this and you will be fine: "It takes a village to surf the internet" Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Rabid Posted March 16, 2007 Members Share Posted March 16, 2007 If you were sitting in their driveway using their signal to download porn you could be arrested. Most likely, you could be arrested even if you were not downloading porn. At that point you are going onto their property to steal their signal. If you are in your mom's apartment and their signal is coming to you, unsecured, that is their problem. It is nice that you did not use up their bandwidth during the day. But really, unsecured wireless is the responsibility of the owner. Sadly too many people do not understand this, or that signal does carry outside of the building. Last week I busted one of my employees for buying a wireless hub and installing it in an office without my knowledge or permission. He did it so he could get Internet on his PC after I denied his request. I found out after a laptop from that office came in for repair and my tech found it set up for wireless access. When I went to bust them I was able to connect from the hospital next door. Robert Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members blue2blue Posted March 16, 2007 Members Share Posted March 16, 2007 Well... on a handful of occasions I've been somewhere and needed info from the web and, with only a hint of guilt hit the Wireless Networks Available message, grabbed the info off the web and flitted back into the eternal night of cyberspace... But I always kind of wished there was some (nonscary) way of giving my unknowing benefactor a heads up on their WiFi security. I did tip off a neighbor who had named her network after her dog (so I knew it was her) and didn't have security enabled. Later, when my cable broadband went out (very, very rare compared to my old Verizon DSL) I sorta regretted that for a few seconds as I searched for an unencrypted WiFi in vain... I've actually had a few people (not in my neighborhood) say that they purposefully didn't encrypt their WiFi because they know their neighbors don't have much money and they didn't mind sharing... but I wouldn't necessarily insult my own intelligence by assuming EVERYONE was so genrous and trusting. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Jeff da Weasel Posted March 16, 2007 Members Share Posted March 16, 2007 I wouldn't have a huge moral crisis about it, Craig, but like Robert says, when it's done purposefully, it's actually illegal, even if you're just innocuously riding their signal rather than doing anything malicious. People have been arrested for purposefully stealing WiFi bandwidth from neighbors and public institutions like libraries and such. At the same time, in some places it's totally common, and (also like Robert said), it's partially the responsibility of the neighbor to try and protect their signal from being accessed by you in the first place. Here's a pretty good article about this. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members temnov Posted March 16, 2007 Members Share Posted March 16, 2007 Craig, on my circle we have at least 9 wireless networks and half of them are unsecured. We were talking with neighbors and almost everybody said that at one moment almost everyone was connected to somebody else network. No big deal they were saying. I can see two problems. One is your computer could be scanned when it is on the open network and the bad guy could get some information that would be enough to actually hack your machine. Another one is it Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members alphajerk Posted March 16, 2007 Members Share Posted March 16, 2007 they dont secure their wireless... thats their problem. it sometimes pisses me off with a client of mine has a neighbor who hasnt and they sometimes calling me because they cant get on the server and they had accidentally connected to this other network. first thing i have them check. last time i was in NYC i was hopping WiFi's everywhere i went. LOTS of wireless networks there. they even make WiFi detector keychains now for those on the move needing to find a free connection. sure you might slow them down, but again.... their fault for not sealing it up. the funniest thing is when they havent even bothered to change their SSID from teh defaults..... you KNOW their network name is MSHOME. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members John Sayers Posted March 16, 2007 Members Share Posted March 16, 2007 A kid here recently was jailed for tapping into someone's wireless network - I think they are making him an example. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members alphajerk Posted March 16, 2007 Members Share Posted March 16, 2007 didnt san fran go freeWiFi? not like you cant pick up the starbucks on every corner anyway. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Anderton Posted March 16, 2007 Author Members Share Posted March 16, 2007 Well my internet is back, so the point is now moot...total elapsed time of immoral activity, under 5 minutes. I didn't realize it was illegal, guess I won't do it again...actually, for all I know, it may have been a public network; I just assumed it was neighbors. Thanks for the comments! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members alphajerk Posted March 16, 2007 Members Share Posted March 16, 2007 the reality craig is they probably had no idea you were ever on it... or would even know if you still were.... unless they monitor their DHCP list, which they probably have NO IDEA what that even is, especially considering they are broadcasting an unsecured WAP. OR, maybe they know and are just generous for people who need it like in your case... i think the cable company knows when i MUST have something uploaded. they always go down EXACTLY THEN! everytime.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Beck Posted March 16, 2007 Members Share Posted March 16, 2007 It depends Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Mo6 Posted March 16, 2007 Members Share Posted March 16, 2007 Well my internet is back, so the point is now moot Hopefully. It probably is but those who think that it is harmless should know that unless you encrypt your data (Tunneling VPN) while on an unsecure network, anyone else on it could have a packet sniffer running collecting all you data as it travels thru the network. Most of the time you might be safe, good luck if you are doing banking or reading your email. Someone else probably is also. As far as scanning your machine why not, when I connect to my laptop on my (secured) wireless network, I do have to supply a password to get in but nothing looks unusual on the laptop. Which is to say that while somebody surfing with their machine on a public network, even if a badguy needed a password to access your machine, the longer you stay on the more time they have to try and crack the password with whatever tools they have. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Cry Logic Posted March 16, 2007 Members Share Posted March 16, 2007 Well my internet is back, so the point is now moot...total elapsed time of immoral activity, under 5 minutes. I didn't realize it was illegal, guess I won't do it again...actually, for all I know, it may have been a public network; I just assumed it was neighbors. Thanks for the comments! Oh Craig you badass mofo you..... Stealing bandwidth and you didn't know it was illegal? I am quite surprised that you of all people didn't know that. I hope you have a firewall on your laptop that is set to block intrusions.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Billster Posted March 16, 2007 Members Share Posted March 16, 2007 I wouldn't have a huge moral crisis about it, But your a weasel! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members ultravibe Posted March 16, 2007 Members Share Posted March 16, 2007 I have friends who live in apartment buildings who, when they find unsecured neighbor networks, hack in and send a sheet to the person's printer basically saying "I can do this since your network is unsecured. Think of what someone with no morals could do. Secure your network!" Apparently works out very well. People secure soon after. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Joey Ace Posted March 16, 2007 Members Share Posted March 16, 2007 Though illegal, there's no chance of being caught and doing time, as long as you don't do something foolish, such as confessing to your crime on a public forum, using your real name. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members jackpine Posted March 16, 2007 Members Share Posted March 16, 2007 Though illegal, there's no chance of being caught and doing time, as long as you don't do something foolish, such as confessing to your crime on a public forum, using your real name. Now that is funny.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members temnov Posted March 16, 2007 Members Share Posted March 16, 2007 Ace, before you said something like that you better provide some kind of Miranda warning More is here - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Miranda_warning And - come on - we are all good people here! Craig didn't do anything wrong -he was checking the public opinion on this topic, that's it! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members kurfu Posted March 16, 2007 Members Share Posted March 16, 2007 Thanks for letting me know that I need to keep my doors locked around you guys, otherwise you might stroll in and help yourself to my stuff. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members the stranger Posted March 16, 2007 Members Share Posted March 16, 2007 I'm helping out my mother for a few days, and am using her cable modem to connect. But tonight the cable connection is really spotty, going in and out, making it really difficult to send out the articles I HAVE to send (maybe all the rain outside has something to do with it). Well, she lives in a townhouse kinda place, so I inserted a wireless card into my notebook, checked for networks in the area, and sure enough, there were a couple of weak signals from unsecured networks (presumably neighbors). So I connected and now I can actually send off my work. I realize this is probably a breach of etiquette to say the least, but it's late here, the neighbors are probably asleep, and I assume I'm not causing any problems with their system...or am I? Is this a Really Bad Thing to do, or...? It's not like I'm trying to hack into their systems and retrieve bank account numbers or anything. Then again, maybe they're hacking into my computer now that I'm connected.......... The airwaves/netwaves should be free and equal to access to all people. If you have the equipment, you be able to log on. I think there should be public access to dial-up, wireless networks, lo-power fm, and the TV spectrum. Thanks for letting me plug that bull. They already have us paying out our rears for everything else. Phones, cable, tv, etc. Why not open up a few to the public? Subsidize it with some of my wasted tax dollars. It almost doesn't make logistic sense to try and control these wireless networks. I think they could compromise and not suffer some insufferable profit loss. _~ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Jeff da Weasel Posted March 16, 2007 Members Share Posted March 16, 2007 The airwaves/netwaves should be free and equal to access to all people. Hold up there, communist boy. Someone's gotta foot the bill. There ain't no such thing as a free lunch, as the old saw goes. If you're picking up a wireless signal today, someone's paying for it. If you envision a future where all citizens have free high-bandwidth internet access, I appreciate your vision. But I'm also aware that the equipment, electricity, and other considerations will cost money, and the expectation would be that you and me, as taxpayers, would be footing this bill (as we do for road maintenance, police and military, and other elements of life today). I mean, I'd like free stuff too. I just don't expect anyone to walk up and give it to me. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Hard Truth Posted March 16, 2007 Members Share Posted March 16, 2007 Is it even possible to get into someone's computer from a Wifi internet connection? I have jumped on many stray wifi signals over the years, I haven't made an effort, but there is no obvious way to then get access to a connected computer. It seems to me that the manufacturers could and should design the router/transmitters so that it would not be possible. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Cry Logic Posted March 16, 2007 Members Share Posted March 16, 2007 Another point to remember:If you can get in to their network,more 'n likely they can get into yours...... Secure your wifi folks. There are some "real" badass mofos out there in LALA Land.... Here in Adelaide (South Australia ) I've heard of people roaming the suburbs in cars with wifi laptops, searching for unsecured wifi bandwidth and then using it to D/L whateverthey want.... at the the expense of whoever they are stealing it from. WiFi is not cheap down here so it can be quite a seriousthing to have your bandwidth stolen.... Robert Cringely wrote an article on this a while ago,let me see if I can find it ..... Yeah... here it is .... wow! this was in 2005!How time flies!I'm sure things have moved on since then..... I just googled "stealing wifi bandwidth" and got some interesting results.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Hard Truth Posted March 16, 2007 Members Share Posted March 16, 2007 Alphajerk wrote: didnt san fran go freeWiFi? not like you cant pick up the starbucks on every corner anyway. The Mayor of SF is pushing for a "free" advertising supported wifi network with Google, but it is not a done deal yet. Not too surprisingly, Starbucks is one of the few cafes that always charges for wifi access. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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