Posted on 01/07/2008 10:46:22 AM PST by SubGeniusX
Whether it's stealing solely depends on your intent, and it's up to the other person to determine that. Leaving WiFi open for your neighbors is getting popular, and routers have been made that have two firewalled sides for your security, one for you and one for the free WiFi you're providing, both using the same broadband connection. I believe the British phone company is even encouraging people to have open WiFi so there will be more coverage for mobile devices.
This will drive the RIAA and others nuts when it gets more popular, as going by the IP address (if using NAT) would mean nothing anymore.
But when that's popular we will have to have a shift in thinking and law to what the author thinks: leaving it open is implicit license to use it. We already do this for the private property most of us visit every day, such as stores and restaurants. If we don't do this you could accidentally break the law 20 times by driving down the road with your iPhone.
Not only that, but the router may only support a small number of different IP addresses and you may be denying the rightful owner of the router from attaching all the devices that he/she wants to at any time.
I understand that and indeed the FCC regs are what they are, but they also make it quite LEGAL for anyone to use those frequencies AS IS.
I understand the idea of ethics and no, *I* wouldn’t use someone’s WiFi without permission, but others have used mine....
Of course.
On some popular non-Windows platforms, the radio can be configured to automatically find and connect to the best signal without notifying the user. I typically use that mode.
The burden belongs to the access point operator to take affirmative steps to limit access with encryption, password protection, MAC filtering, etc. If the access point is wide open on an unlicensed frequency, it should be considered a public-access connection.
At home, I get “linksys” and something called “2wire186” as WiFi possibilities. Can you maybe shed some light on what this means - I used to have a 2wire router on my DSL connection but now have Comcast, and my laptop at home is WiFi ready. Could it be the 2wire186 is actually my home WiFi connection?
This discussion is absolutely intriguing.
Don't ever leave your house unlocked , I might just help myself, after all, it's not really stealing, is it?
If someone comes into your house and uses your wi-fi, that's trespassing. To a lesser degree, it's also trespassing if they walk onto your lawn and log on. But if you send a signal out to the public sidewalk or the street with no password protection, that's your carelessness. It's not stealing.
That’s way I protect mine and do not open it to public access.
You shouldn’t be scared to use it. Just take a little time to figure out the security and turn it on.
jw
Wrong. Radio and TV are over the air broadcast intended for a receive-only application. Wi-Fi traffic is fed from an internet connection that exists because someone is paying for that connectivity. The Wi-Fi thief is transmitting traffic into the stolen connection and consuming incoming bandwidth...both to the detriment of the victim whose equipment is illegally being accessed.
In addition, IMHO if a neighbor doesn't see fit to encrypt his WAP, he is giving his permission for anyone in range to access his connection.
That “stolen connection” is actively broadcasting “I’m here! I’m free! Connect to me!” and hands out access codes (to wit DHCP auto-assignment of IP addresses) to anyone who asks for one. Hardly “theft” when it’s being advertised and actively supported.
Want to prevent “theft” or otherwise make it clear outsiders are not welcome?
- shut off SSID broadcast (the “Hey! I’m here! I’m free!” thing).
- turn on WEP encryption (the lock-on-your-front-door thing).
- turn of DHCP assignment (the here’s-your-visitor-card thing).
- enable MAC filtering (the “who are you?” thing).
If you’re telling the world they can connect, and make it trivially easy to do so, and thus make it look exactly like it’s deliberately open for public use (like mine), then it’s not tresspass/theft/whatever.
You can do more. Turn off broacast SSID, turn off DHCP, apply a MAC filter to accept only MAC addresses from devices you have authorized, employ WPA2 with AES crypto. Internal directional antennas to keep your Wi-Fi signal on your own property also helps. A filtered range of IP addresses associated with specific MAC addresses can ward off the clown who tries to clone the MAC address of one of your authorized devices.
That “stolen connection” is actively broadcasting “I’m here! I’m free! Connect to me!” and hands out access codes (to wit DHCP auto-assignment of IP addresses) to anyone who asks for one. Hardly “theft” when it’s being advertised and actively supported.
Want to prevent “theft” or otherwise make it clear outsiders are not welcome?
- shut off SSID broadcast (the “Hey! I’m here! I’m free!” thing).
- turn on WEP encryption (the lock-on-your-front-door thing).
- turn of DHCP assignment (the here’s-your-visitor-card thing).
- enable MAC filtering (the “who are you?” thing).
If you’re telling the world they can connect, and make it trivially easy to do so, and thus make it look exactly like it’s deliberately open for public use (like mine), then it’s not tresspass/theft/whatever.
If you buy a CD put it in your stereo, open your windows, turn your stereo up so it can be heard from the street, then someone walks by and hears your CD and stops to listen you paid for the CD and the stereo.
You going to have them arrested for stealing stereo and listening service?
Yea didn’t think so, or at least I would hope not.
I agree, and I use windows and linux on my systems at home. I use a wireless broadband provider and I’m not SUPPOSED to give away access. It’s against their rules, but not against the law.
I agree, and I use windows and linux on my systems at home. I use a wireless broadband provider and I’m not SUPPOSED to give away access. It’s against their rules, but not against the law.
” “ pay for my service. I do not think it is ok for someone to steal it.” “
“Then why is your router broadcasting its name, telling everyone it’s unlocked, and actively handing out access codes to anyone who asks?”
I am not unlocked. I am protected with both hardware and software. I was addressing the viewpoint that states... if it is not locked, then it is fair game for theft.
” “ pay for my service. I do not think it is ok for someone to steal it.” “
“Then why is your router broadcasting its name, telling everyone it’s unlocked, and actively handing out access codes to anyone who asks?”
I am not unlocked. I am protected with both hardware and software. I was addressing the viewpoint that states... if it is not locked, then it is fair game for theft.
” “ pay for my service. I do not think it is ok for someone to steal it.” “
“Then why is your router broadcasting its name, telling everyone it’s unlocked, and actively handing out access codes to anyone who asks?”
I am not unlocked. I am protected with both hardware and software. I was addressing the viewpoint that states... if it is not locked, then it is fair game for theft.
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