Wireless Internet

MichaelT

Well-Known Member
Joined
Sep 7, 2007
Location
Charlotte
Ok, so I am not the best with computers. I have been living in a rental house for the past year or so and I have no cable, phone, or internet. I had to type up something on my laptop yesterday and when I turned it on I noticed that it said that it had a wireless signal for internet. I guess my neighbors have it and I can still reach it. Is this wrong to use it and can I get in trouble for it b/c I am obviously not paying for it? But this is awesome though, I found it yesterday and now I can watch movies online and not have to go to blockbuster. I am so pumped about this, best thing since sliced bread.
 
I say go for it, until they notice that you're killing their bandwidth(by watching movies) and put a password on their network. I share my wireless with my neighborhood. Of course they're all family.
 
Ok, so I am not the best with computers. I have been living in a rental house for the past year or so and I have no cable, phone, or internet. I had to type up something on my laptop yesterday and when I turned it on I noticed that it said that it had a wireless signal for internet. I guess my neighbors have it and I can still reach it. Is this wrong to use it and can I get in trouble for it b/c I am obviously not paying for it? But this is awesome though, I found it yesterday and now I can watch movies online and not have to go to blockbuster. I am so pumped about this, best thing since sliced bread.

The truth is, unless they are tech savvy, they probably will never even know you are connected to it. The fact that it is just "open" suggests this is indeed the case.
That said, for the sake of being a good neighbor, I'd go over and just ask them if they'd mind. Even better, offer some onthly cash, or beer, or some other return service for them.
I think most people really do not care and are willing to share -as lon gas they feel you are bein gresponsible andn ot sucking up their bandwidth, or cruising sites that bring them trouble etc (e.g. kiddie porn, Al-Queda.com...).
 
Yes, it is illegal. IF they are doing something illegal, they can come back and claim it was you, and that you hacked their system. FWIW, you are technically hacking their system now (even though it is unlocked). I'd get permission if possible.

J

PS. If they are savvy at all, they can sniff your packets and spy on anything that is not encrypted.
 
A guy in Florida went to jail over using someone else's wireless.. no kidding.

But as was said, if they aren't smart enough to even put a password on it, they'll never know you're using it.

The wife and I did a little war driving in Austria because I wasn't willing to spend $16 so she could check her e-mail.. ;)
 
X16 on everything everyone said. Use it man. They wont know. But be a good neighbor, who knows, they might have a hot daughter you could use as well.... :lol:
 
Ah, I talked to my neighbors and they didnt even know it would reach that far but they said It was cool. They don't even go on the internet, they are older people and just have it for their grandson, thanks for the input guys:beer:
 
neither am I tech savvy but my internet does not have me put any password or anything so I would assume that it is unlocked as were putting in a password or secret code or so would make it locked unles i had that code :beer:
 
Slight thread jack here, but how do you know if your internet is locked or not? I am not computer savvy at all.
If you're running a wireless router and you set it up yourself, you'd definitely know if you set it up with a secure connection. If you don't remember doing this step, you didn't do it.
 
If you're running a wireless router and you set it up yourself, you'd definitely know if you set it up with a secure connection. If you don't remember doing this step, you didn't do it.


...but probably should go back and do it now!

there's normally just a radio button for enable/disable WPA or WEP security...then it gives you a passcode to input when you log in (and should only have to input the code once)...

Greg
 
The wife and I did a little war driving

While not as prevalent today as it was way back when wireless was first introduced... if you start seeing some cryptic symbols in front of your house... :lol:

FWIW, mines wide open, BUT I don't broadcast the SSID... took too long to reset the router (several NAT/PAT settings) when we all forgot the @#$%! passphrase :rolleyes:
 
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