[Luke Skyfreeper]

I'd say that about sums it up.

[Yo-Yo]

You get what you pay for, and I wouldn't be surprised to find that more and more people are setting up unsecured WiFi ports near very public places in order to do just that, captore passwords and other personal information.

You want free, don't go to your banking site when you're stealing service.

[Dan Nunn]

Yes, they could access your Windows shared folders if you have it enabled over TCP/IP (and most everyone does).

However, normally you'll need your Windows password for that, provided you have one.

And yes, they can write a proxy server which will capture all incoming traffic.


BUT... few will do this. Few even know how. If you connect to a router named "netgear" or "linksys" or "default," 999 out of 1000 of them will be a basic, unconfigured, unsecured router where the owner doesn't know enough to enable security, let alone steal passwords.

[FreePaul]

...is there a danger...

The danger is always there when you are "connected." Somewhat depends on what protection you normally use.

[conservative in nyc]

Then, there's the legal issue, if you're borrowing wireless Internet service in Florida:
Wi-Fi cloaks a new breed of intruder

[Jo Nuvark]

Change your accounts now. Your identity has already been stolen.

[SubMareener]

And once they have captured the MAC address of your computer's wireless card, they will be able to tell each time you come back.

[HAL9000]

I believe it depends on your connection mode. Wifi encryption is decoded at the access point and could be intercepted, but secure web pages (https) and VPN connections should be relatively safe.

[conservative in nyc]

We also discussed the issue here before:
Hey Neighbor, Stop Piggybacking on My Wireless (NY Times March 5, 2006)

[PUGACHEV]

I set up a little wireless network so I could roam around the house with my laptop and enjoy the Internet on the front porch & etc. When I got to the part in the manual about encryption keys, I figured I was out of my depth and just left the network unsecured. I live in a densely populated area, however, and after awhile, I noticed that my IP service was getting very slow, and odd messages about IP conflicts would pop up from time to time. It finally occurred to me that perhaps I was providing Internet service to the whole neighborhood, and so I bought a "wired" router" (I had to look hard to find one) and set up ethernet connections in the various rooms and on the porch, then I bought a variety of cables in assorted lengths.

I have to say this has been a big success: my IP service is once again blazing fast, and no more do I get those odd pop-ups. Oh yeah -- and this is the truth -- over the next few weeks I noticed the Cox Cable truck making several visits to my neighbors.

[Poser]

Stop stealing. It isn't right.

[Michael.SF.]

One of the reasons I went with hard wire in my house was to avoid these possibilities.

[wolfcreek]

You could stop by Starbucks, Micky D's or any number of establishments that offer it for free. That way no one could accuse you of theft.

[MotleyGirl70]

...such as accessing my files or capturing passwords when I enter them in on the browser.

Go to Tools...Delete Cookies...Delete files...Delete history, but if you're sharing with another person I'm not sure--at least delete your cookies.

Your FR user name and p/w can be hanging out there.

Just my .02. :)

[wesley_windam-price]

Thanks to all who replied. It's a probably not a good
idea to piggyback on someone else's network, esp. when
passwords and personal info are involved. Have a good
weekend.