Is this stealing?

[mrsv98]

I was sitting in the parking lot of DD's Spanish class waiting for her and working on my laptop. All of the sudden I realized I had a wireless connection. If I go ahead and use the Internet, am I "stealing" from the person who owns the wireless router or is it fair game because it is unprotected and in the "air" so to speak?

What do you think?

 

[Lisa loves Pooh]

Yes, I think so.

They had a thread posted a while back about picking up the internet via wireless modem that you didn't pay for. I don't recall the sources...maybe a newspaper article or something...but I did call my hubby in NM to tell him that their temporary usage of the neighbors wireless was in fact stealing.

 

[Lisa loves Pooh]

Here's the thread with newspaper article. This took place in Florida.

http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?t=855991&highlight="wireless+internet"+"stealing"

 

[Aidensmom]

It's actually illegal, at least where I live.

 

[MrsNick]

Illegal or not, I would not advise surfing on someone else's "wide open" wireless connection. If the connection is wide open, it also means that others can easily "see" in to your computer. This is very, very unsecure. If you don't mind that anyone would be able to see not only what you're surfing on the internet, but any private files stored on your computer, then surf away. Otherwise, I wouldn't.

 

[ducklite]

Three of my neighbors have wireless networks that are broadcasted and not secure. Ours is broadcasted, but secure.

It amazes me that two doctors and an engineer don't bother to secure their connections!

Anne

 

[helenabear]

Stealing... at least it is illegal where I live!

and I wouldn't do it... I wouldn't want anyone to be able to hack into my computer. That's also why I have issues with using some of the internet provided by hotels. I picked up a virus on one of htose (Norton caught it and dealt with it for me though)

 

[Cantw8]

somebody pass me the popcorn How do you know if you have a secure connection?

 

[Lisa loves Pooh]

somebody pass me the popcorn How do you know if you have a secure connection?

Good question.



(but why do you need popcorn....I don't think anybody has been hard on the OP. Kind of a new thing.)

 

[WatchinCaptKangaroo]

Legalities depends on your state. Most people who have an unsecured connection don't know how to see if others are using it.

It is the consensus in the group that I run with (geeks) that if you don't want people using your connection lock it down. If you don't know how to lock it down here is a good place to start.

I have double security on my network. I have MAC address filtering and an encription key.

If you are using someones open connection do not do anything that requires a password or is sensetive. And don't worry, legal or not it's unlikely the men in black will be knocking down your door.

 

[Disneyrsh]

A few thoughts...

1. If you don't know how to secure your wireless connection, you should be using dialup.

2. Local news had a guy in our city brought up on child pornography charges because he had somebody using his wireless connection from a car parked on the street to surf. People have wireless connection detectors and they'll just cruise around until BING, they get a connection, the parasites.

3. The bluecollars I know (and my family is a very successful bunch of them) think doctors in general are the biggest bunch of nincompoops when it comes to practical applications in the home. If there's a busted toilet, miswired basement, or brown pool, you can bet a doctor lives there and tried to fix it himself...

 

[Lisa loves Pooh]

So does a firewall do anything?

 

[chadfromdallas]

So does a firewall do anything?

Hardware firewall? yes.

 

[Tigger&Belle]

I've asked my DH about this recently. Not sure if it differs from state to state, but he said as long as a person is only accessing their information (not messing with whoever's wireless connection it belongs to) that it is not illegal. If a person really wants to keep others off their wireless they can easily do that.