CNN Article on 'stealing' wireless bandwidth...

[Fingolfin269]

STEAL THIS BANDWIDTH

I'm still kind of in the middle on this issue. On one hand I feel like people should lock their internet down. You don't leave your door unlocked so don't leave your wireless internet unlocked and floating into my home. On the other hand I wouldn't want anyone 'borrowing' my bandwidth.

BTW, I find it interested that the author of the article pretty much states his/her opinion in the title. I guess since CNN calls it stealing it must be stealing!

 

[acemcmac]

Before this month is over I will have a wifi 802.11G antenna farm and server cluster for this purpose.

 

[bonkers325]

the house next door had wireless internet and we could use their internet. :Q

 

[GasX]

It is stealing. If I leave a hose running in my front yard and you trespass and take a drink, you are stealing my water. I might not care that you are doing it, but that doesn't change the fact of the matter...

 

[Spike]

Well, it's not as if CNN is actually unbiased. Still, if the wireless has penetrated the walls of my home and is unsecured then it's up for grabs in my opinion.

-spike

 

[Spike]

Originally posted by: Mwilding
It is stealing. If I leave a hose running in my front yard and you trespass and take a drink, you are stealing my water. I might not care that you are doing it, but that doesn't change the fact of the matter...

But it's in your house. If you had that same hose running on the neighbors lawn then he should be able to take a drink as you are impossing on HIS space.

-spike

 

[Lonyo]

Overhanging trees, who has the rights/responsibility to deal with them?

 

[ruffilb]

Originally posted by: Spike

Originally posted by: Mwilding
It is stealing. If I leave a hose running in my front yard and you trespass and take a drink, you are stealing my water. I might not care that you are doing it, but that doesn't change the fact of the matter...

But it's in your house. If you had that same hose running on the neighbors lawn then he should be able to take a drink as you are impossing on HIS space.

-spike

Winnar

 

[Fingolfin269]

Originally posted by: Mwilding
It is stealing. If I leave a hose running in my front yard and you trespass and take a drink, you are stealing my water. I might not care that you are doing it, but that doesn't change the fact of the matter...

That would require me to actually walk onto your property. If you walked into my house and left the water hose on the ground would I be able to use it then?

 

[MrChad]

Originally posted by: Mwilding
It is stealing. If I leave a hose running in my front yard and you trespass and take a drink, you are stealing my water. I might not care that you are doing it, but that doesn't change the fact of the matter...

Except in this case you're leaving a hose running in my front yard, not yours, and without my permission, and I don't have to trespass to take a drink.

Still, I agree that it's stealing.

 

[BigLouis]

Originally posted by: Spike

Originally posted by: Mwilding
It is stealing. If I leave a hose running in my front yard and you trespass and take a drink, you are stealing my water. I might not care that you are doing it, but that doesn't change the fact of the matter...

But it's in your house. If you had that same hose running on the neighbors lawn then he should be able to take a drink as you are impossing on HIS space.

-spike

QFT

It isn't nearly as obtrusive so the hose argument holds no water.

 

[ruffilb]

Also - Anyone using ALL their bandwidth is tech-friendly enough to follow a tutorial and lock down their network.

I have used my neighbor's connection before (I asked first), but they only use it to check email, anyway, and it sure doesn't do them any good when they're asleep.

 

[labgeek]

Originally posted by: Spike
Well, it's not as if CNN is actually unbiased. Still, if the wireless has penetrated the walls of my home and is unsecured then it's up for grabs in my opinion.

-spike

For reception... once you transmit back into thier house and use the connection there, you stealing.

 

[ruffilb]

The mere DETECTION of the network means you're transmitting data to and from the router, correct?

 

[BigToque]

Originally posted by: Spike

Originally posted by: Mwilding
It is stealing. If I leave a hose running in my front yard and you trespass and take a drink, you are stealing my water. I might not care that you are doing it, but that doesn't change the fact of the matter...

But it's in your house. If you had that same hose running on the neighbors lawn then he should be able to take a drink as you are impossing on HIS space.

-spike

These analogies are stupid. Wi-Fi is not a god damn hose or anything else you can try to compare it to.

No matter what you say, using someone elses service without their permission is wrong. Nobody cares if you think you're entitled to it because it came through your walls. If you want a connection, pay the service provider and they will gladly let you use their service.

 

[Atomicus]

If your bandwidth just so happens to cross into my property, how the hell is it considered stealing? It's like losing a ball in a neighbor's yard.
Tough luck there, kido.

 

[GasX]

Originally posted by: Spike

Originally posted by: Mwilding
It is stealing. If I leave a hose running in my front yard and you trespass and take a drink, you are stealing my water. I might not care that you are doing it, but that doesn't change the fact of the matter...

But it's in your house. If you had that same hose running on the neighbors lawn then he should be able to take a drink as you are impossing on HIS space.

-spike

And this is where it gets complicated... Ultimately, this is something that will have to be defined by law. It either is or it isn't and the decision could be logically made either way. However, I think we can agree that if you abuse the connection to do horrible things to the person's computer, then you are committing a crime.

 

[alphatarget1]

It's not stealing, anyone can put a 60bit WEP encryption on their router. (not that it does any good, but better than nothing) By having an open network they're essentially giving people consent to use their network.

Now if you go out to crack all those weak 60bit 2wire networks then it's a little different :evil:.

 

[So]

Originally posted by: Spike
Well, it's not as if CNN is actually unbiased. Still, if the wireless has penetrated the walls of my home and is unsecured then it's up for grabs in my opinion.

-spike

I agree. CNN put it well actually --

"By not restricting access it could be argued that you're implicitly making that available."

In my opinion, if it crosses the line onto my property, I'd feel no guilt leeching off you. I, personally actually COULD do so, but I don't, mostly because I like my wired connection for security/reliability. I have my OWN wireless router, but it's secured by 'mere' 128bit WEP encryption. Just enough to tell potential leechers "No, this is not free for the taking" Since my neighbors make easier targets, I'm not concerned.

 

[Fingolfin269]

Originally posted by: Mwilding

Originally posted by: Spike

Originally posted by: Mwilding
It is stealing. If I leave a hose running in my front yard and you trespass and take a drink, you are stealing my water. I might not care that you are doing it, but that doesn't change the fact of the matter...

But it's in your house. If you had that same hose running on the neighbors lawn then he should be able to take a drink as you are impossing on HIS space.

-spike

And this is where it gets complicated... Ultimately, this is something that will have to be defined by law. It either is or it isn't and the decision could be logically made either way. However, I think we can agree that if you abuse the connection to do horrible things to the person's computer, then you are committing a crime.

I definately agree with that.

 

[labgeek]

With that same argument, the DTV signal is "up for grabs" too?

 

[alphatarget1]

Originally posted by: labgeek
With that same argument, the DTV signal is "up for grabs" too?

DTV signals are licensed I believe and they're also encrypted.

 

[Ausm]

That is one reason I don't go wireless...so jobless little douchebag can't steal my bandwidth.


Ausm

 

[StormRider]

Originally posted by: Fingolfin269
STEAL THIS BANDWIDTH

I'm still kind of in the middle on this issue. On one hand I feel like people should lock their internet down. You don't leave your door unlocked so don't leave your wireless internet unlocked and floating into my home. On the other hand I wouldn't want anyone 'borrowing' my bandwidth.

BTW, I find it interested that the author of the article pretty much states his/her opinion in the title. I guess since CNN calls it stealing it must be stealing!

Well, if you go by the golden rule (treat others as you would have them treat you) then you pretty much answered your own question.

 

[blackdogdeek]

let's say you move into an apartment. you plug your tv into the cable outlet and you get a signal.

are you stealing cable?