Guest Levy Posted November 13, 2007 Share Posted November 13, 2007 Is it illegal to use a neighbor's unsecure wireless connection to access the internet? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Meeptroid Posted November 13, 2007 Share Posted November 13, 2007 I'm honestly unsure about that. However, when my connection sometimes goes out sometimes and I try to reconnect, other wireless connections appear. So really, I'm not sure if they want you to connect to them, or it just picks up the signals. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Levy Posted November 13, 2007 Share Posted November 13, 2007 I want to quote a post from some other forums I found and I like how this person says it. Using someone's wireless is like looking over their shoulder on the subway and reading their newspaper. It does not take anything away, although it may slow them down. But if they do not like it, just cover your reading (encrypt your wireless). If someone gets onto your network and hacks your computer, that is like being pickpocketed. Easily preventable by simply securing yourself (using firewall and anti-virus). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
antiaircraft Posted November 13, 2007 Share Posted November 13, 2007 That's pretty much correct. I think it differs between countries/states, but it shouldn't be illegal unless your neighbour specifically doesn't want it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Levy Posted November 13, 2007 Share Posted November 13, 2007 If they didn't want it then they would make their network secure. <_< Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
antiaircraft Posted November 13, 2007 Share Posted November 13, 2007 Well not everybody knows how to do that - and really really old routers/wireless network cards might not be compatible with encryption. Plus encrypting your wireless actually slows it down. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Xepha Posted November 13, 2007 Share Posted November 13, 2007 Living in an apartment... I'm caching signal from people living all around me (very low), but they are all secure, and so is our wireless network too. As if it's legal to steal a signal, I don't think it is... and even if it's legal, I don't think it's moraly acceptable. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Big Cheese Posted November 13, 2007 Share Posted November 13, 2007 Its only bad if you get caught :yes: So if your sitting on your couch and happen to be able to pick up the signal, I don't think it would really matter (unless they can tell if someones accessing it and stop it... then you better be sure to have everythingn saved :P) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Matt Posted November 13, 2007 Share Posted November 13, 2007 In the UK it has recently been made illegal to 'steal wireless'. Like that reading over the shoulder analogy before, apart from more like hanging onto the back of some old guy walking down the street. You haven't asked to do such a thing, it slows the person down and causes unnecessary jip. There's an article about it on the BBC website here and as far as I can see, "It is a bit like reading your book from the light coming out from someone's window" puts it in a... well... different light. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Loc Posted November 29, 2007 Share Posted November 29, 2007 We have such a secure wireless connection that the neighboors can't really do anything if they choose to steal our connection. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
antiaircraft Posted November 30, 2007 Share Posted November 30, 2007 How exactly do you secure your connection? As far as I know, encryption is tough enough. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest HBK Posted December 1, 2007 Share Posted December 1, 2007 How exactly do you secure your connection? As far as I know, encryption is tough enough. I use WEP (Wireless Encrypted Protection). Sure, it can be broken in like, 2 seconds, but it's the primary and essential protection for any wireless router. I use it because the DS isn't compatible with WPA, otherwise that would be my choice. I'm lucky I'm the only computer-savvy guy around my block, and there isn't anyone with a router around, as far as I know (I did a search with my wireless adaptor on my laptop :P). It's illegal to steal somebody's Wi-Fi here, but I've seen people do it (especially in the big cities), as the hotspots here are paid and the portuguese love any opportunity to steal. Oh well. I've personally "piggybacked" in my hometown, but it was an open wireless connection and they blocked my MAC address so I gave up the next day. Which made me lose 2 days of Yooyuball playing. -.- I mainly used it to play YYB, so there wasn't any illegal action involved - many people use open networks to scam people online and so on, but I just want to use their Internet, 'cos if I really wanted to hack someone, it wouldn't be too hard once I had access to their router - but I'm not that immoral. This was just a one-off case. :P Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
antiaircraft Posted December 2, 2007 Share Posted December 2, 2007 Hmm... our router is supposed to be able to block MAC addresses, but something inside it was damaged and that doesn't work properly anymore. Plus it overheats all the time. *Glares at router* Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest HBK Posted December 7, 2007 Share Posted December 7, 2007 Hmm... our router is supposed to be able to block MAC addresses, but something inside it was damaged and that doesn't work properly anymore. Plus it overheats all the time. *Glares at router* Do you still have its guarantee? Mine just broke down and it went for repair (the Internet light wouldn't switch on), but it came back yesterday with a 'No Detected Fault'. Stupid guys, and they even printed out an Opera screenie with it connected to the Internet. Ok, so I go home. I plug it all in, enter my details. It DON'T WORK! (typo on purpose) The Internet light wouldn't switch on. I go back to the shop, they test it there and confirm that it really isn't working. So they give me a new one. I go back home, connect everything, and voilá, it all just connected. Magnificent. :) Stupid repair guys don't know what they are doing. -_- Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
antiaircraft Posted December 8, 2007 Share Posted December 8, 2007 Agreed. My router is extremely, extremely old. I should probably get a new one sometime. Everybody in my neighbourhood now encrypts their wireless, so it's not really worth the trouble to piggyback. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.