ACMESkydiver 0 #26 February 7, 2008 Quote I would not do my taxes over an unsecured wireless connection but I think you have about the same odds of winning the lottery and getting struck by Lightening on the same day as you do as you of someone happening to be in your neighborhood, Sniffing your packets at that moment and extracting personal info. When I am taveling for work and need to check my email between visits to client sites, I have been known to pull into the parking lot of randon hotels and do just that on thier unsecured wireless signals. -Who's sniffing my wha...? What if my husband finds out?! I better stop! My hubby is kinda fond of my 'packets' and I doubt he'd be pleased to know that somebody else is sniffing them. ~Jaye Do not believe that possibly you can escape the reward of your action. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
billvon 2,396 #27 February 7, 2008 > Kind of like taking advantage of people who do not know how to set it up secure. Eh, I leave mine open and I use other people's when I have to check email somewhere. It all works out in the end. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
champu 1 #28 February 7, 2008 QuoteQuoteit is bad. It is theft and criminal. Sorry, It's neither. FCC says that broadcasters are responsible for governing what they put out, not receivers. With Wi-Fi networks, you're both broadcasting, so that standpoint doesn't really mean much. That said, people... secure your networks. And if you run across a network that isn't secure, well... If the person doesn't know enough about a wireless router to setup WPA2, they probably don't know enough about their internet connection and/or the workings of their computer to notice you using it to check e-mail or browse the web for a bit. But remember to at least be courteous about it, and use application-layer security to protect your own information as applicable. (this holds true for any communication over the internet though) Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
bigway 4 #29 February 7, 2008 well, i use my limit every month. if someone used my wireless signal once my limit was up i would go and slash their tyres if it was possible to know who it was. I had a guy use my singla before i secured it. They went 2 0 gb over my limit while we were away. That cost me $3000. No, it does not all work out in the end. .Karnage Krew Gear Store . Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Richards 0 #30 February 7, 2008 QuoteQuoteMy wireless is secured, but I have unlimited. So what would be wrong with one of my neighbors using it? Other than me leaving myself open on an unsecured network.... Simple. The more people can pirate someone elses service the fewer that have to pay for the service and the internet provider falls even shorter of their intended revenues. They respond by raising the prices for those that are paying hence it is not a victimless crime. My biggest handicap is that sometimes the hole in the front of my head operates a tad bit faster than the grey matter contained within. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
misaltas 0 #31 February 7, 2008 QuoteWith Wi-Fi networks, you're both broadcasting, so that standpoint doesn't really mean much. In one technical sense, yes, but not in the way we're talking about. Meaning, chances are the person who's broadcasting a wifi internet connection cares more about its misuse than the person who's 'broadcasting' (in a sense) to tap into that connection. Beyond that I agree with you about securing it.Ohne Liebe sind wir nichts Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
misaltas 0 #32 February 7, 2008 Quoteif someone used my wireless signal once my limit was up i would go and slash their tyres if it was possible to know who it was. I'm feeling your pain here, but think of it this way. I take a couple thousand bucks out of the bank and decide to store it in a shoebox sitting in the middle of my street. It's my money and my box. If someone takes that money I'm going to slash their tyres.Ohne Liebe sind wir nichts Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
bigway 4 #33 February 7, 2008 Yeah, i can see my mistake, however if you take something that is not yours you need to be prepared for the consequences of that desicion if you are found out or if it is karma that bites you in the ass. .Karnage Krew Gear Store . Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
kelpdiver 2 #34 February 7, 2008 Quote I had a guy use my singla before i secured it. They went 2 0 gb over my limit while we were away. That cost me $3000. two problems here: 1) very unfriendly policy - doesn't cap out soon after you hit max 2) obscene rates - 150$/gb? WTF? Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Twoply 0 #35 February 7, 2008 QuoteThe answer to your questions depends on one factor: How ugly are the babies you are watching? Greatest reply ever! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
billvon 2,396 #36 February 7, 2008 >if someone used my wireless signal once my limit was up i would go and >slash their tyres if it was possible to know who it was. Then secure that thing! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
bigway 4 #37 February 7, 2008 it is secure. .Karnage Krew Gear Store . Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
ACMESkydiver 0 #38 February 7, 2008 Quote Then secure that thing! That's EXACTLY what I used to have to tell my hubby after a long night of drinking when we were still in the army! Leaving it out and stuff...sheesh. ~Jaye Do not believe that possibly you can escape the reward of your action. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
riddler 0 #39 February 7, 2008 QuoteSurprisingly, only about 15-20% of my neighbors leave their AP's open. The advantage of leaving your access point open is then you can blame wireless pirates when the RIAA says you illegally downloaded music. Seems like they'll have to prove you actually did it, and the evidence it pretty easy to erase from your hard drive. The WEP encryption is getting much easier to setup, even 128-bit, so more and more people are into encrypting their systems. But a lot of people are forgetting to change the default password on their wireless router, making them susceptible to pharming. WEP kinda sucks for security, WPA2 is quite a bit better, but WEP is so common these days - even the iPhone can use your WLAN with WEP. I shut off my SSID broadcast as well, just so drive-by pharmers won't try to hack it.Trapped on the surface of a sphere. XKCD Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
misaltas 0 #40 February 7, 2008 Quoteif you take something that is not yours you need to be prepared for the consequences In a situation like that, I agree with you. But I guess what I'm saying is that if someone broadcasts an open connection on the public airwaves, I'm not taking it from them, they're giving it to me.Ohne Liebe sind wir nichts Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
nigel99 143 #41 February 7, 2008 In the UK it is classed as theft and not legal. It is also against the terms and conditions of use from most ISP's here to allow uncontrolled access to your WiFi.Experienced jumper - someone who has made mistakes more often than I have and lived. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
normiss 622 #42 February 7, 2008 It's still kind of up in the air here over whether or not it's illegal. A few have been arrested for using someone else's wireless without authorization. I don't believe the case in St. Pete has been settled yet...guy stops on a residential road, pulls out his laptop and wah lah! internet...he was arrested and charged with theft...and given the Patriot Act and the DMCA, it can be viewed as a more serious crime. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
blackout 0 #43 February 7, 2008 If you are just checking email, its not like you would be sending tremendous amounts of data and maxing out their limit. Anyway around here we pretty much only have unlimited service. At the same token though, I love above a convenience store and once logged 13 users on my network at one time. So it was obviously time to secure it Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
gemini 0 #44 February 7, 2008 QuoteSurprisingly, only about 15-20% of my neighbors leave their AP's open. I have the reverse situation. Out of the 4-8 networks I can see on any given day at best only 2 are secured; mine and a corporate site. When I set the network up the first time, I hosed the security without realizing it. Not only could no one else use it, neither could I, but I didn't realize it at the time. At the end of the first year when the neigbor moved, I realized I had been on their network the whole time! Boy did I feel like a dumbass!!! Blue skies, Jim Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
ryoder 1,381 #45 February 8, 2008 Quote Quote Surprisingly, only about 15-20% of my neighbors leave their AP's open. I have the reverse situation. Out of the 4-8 networks I can see on any given day at best only 2 are secured; mine and a corporate site. When I set the network up the first time, I hosed the security without realizing it. Not only could no one else use it, neither could I, but I didn't realize it at the time. At the end of the first year when the neigbor moved, I realized I had been on their network the whole time! Boy did I feel like a dumbass!!! ROTFLMAO!!!My first AP was a Cisco. The good thing about Cisco AP's is there are lots of variables that can be tweaked; The bad thing about Cisco AP's is there are lots of parameters to be tweaked.The first time I set it up and connected my laptop, I was really happy...until I ran some diagnostics and found my AP was telling me it had no connections. Then I realized I was connected to a neighbor's AP."There are only three things of value: younger women, faster airplanes, and bigger crocodiles" - Arthur Jones. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Zenister 0 #46 February 9, 2008 Quote the risk over an unsecured wirless network is huge - especially given that you're doing your taxes...ALL of your most valued personal information is floating around the air waves available for the taking... now the odds of someone actually capturing that data....whole 'nother story. ^this... odds of it happening? very low. possible damage to your life if it does? doing taxes? are you nuts? is the extra time really worth the possible risk? how much time will you waste cleaning up if/when it does happen. Quote Note to everyone; I can't begin to count the number of times I've been on a public network and been able to browse other computers. Secure your laptops, folks... its actually quite the game for bored geeks...____________________________________ Those who fail to learn from the past are simply Doomed. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
