Neighbor has left their WAP wide open...

[Thoreau]

So I go out to Fry's to pick up my own wireless router since I have a laptop with a nice little Cisco 802.11b nic in it. I get home and boot up the laptop just to make sure I have all the drivers installed and working. Just for kicks I run Net Stumbler to see if my own new WAP shows up. Luckily mine was defaulted to NOT broadcast SSID, and even better, it shipped with the radio turned off. So obviously mine did not show up, but low and behold, two other WAPs show up. One with the SSID of 'Wireless' (Netgear MR814 to be exact.) My laptop sees this and automatically reconfigures itself to use that network. Before I have even set up my own WAP fully, i'm online through a neighbors connection (Living in an apartment of course.) Just for the hell of it, I run a speed test on broadbandreports.com and get just about the same speed I get on my own cable connection. Anyway, since then I have found that this person seems to have two other computers (showing through network neighborhood) and that they weren't too smart about setting up their WAP because it allows web admin access with the default username and password.

My question here is, should I somehow try to contact the neighbor (I have narrowed it down to 6 units that could be the one with the WAP), or be a nice guy, lock it down for them, and leave it alone, or even just ignore it and use it every once in a while if my own connection goes down?

I don't know about trying to contact them, since i'm not even sure which neighbor it is. I could always do some net send CALL ME type thing, but that may just freak them out and i'm not sure how else to find them without going door to door like a Mormon. I'd LIKE to continue to have access just because my own connection has been crappy lately (Cox HSI) but at the same time I don't want to cross any boundaries into something that may be illegal, even if it's them that are beaming their internet connection into my bedroom.

Any thoughts or suggestions would definitely be appreciated on this one.

Oh, um, I've already tried making the two connections (theirs and my own cable connection) act as one, and was rather successful. Breaking the 5mb barrier on dsl reports was NICE!)

 

[SarcasticDwarf]

stfu and stop bragging

 

[Thoreau]

Originally posted by: DeathByAnts
stfu and stop bragging

Bah, get to work or get on AIM. Don't MAKE me hurt you!

 

[isaacmacdonald]

ehh, I'd just keep using it.

 

[Lonyo]

I'd keep using it too, extra bandwidth is always nice

 

[Thoreau]

Now, should I at least *kinda* lock it down so that I still have access (as well do the owners) but they're not broadcasting the world?

 

[Lonyo]

Originally posted by: Thoreau
Now, should I at least *kinda* lock it down so that I still have access (as well do the owners) but they're not broadcasting the world?

Yes, that way no one else will leech your leechable bandwidth, you'll have it all to yourself

 

[nan0bug]

Originally posted by: Thoreau
Now, should I at least *kinda* lock it down so that I still have access (as well do the owners) but they're not broadcasting the world?

That might be a good idea.

You also want to keep in mind that, by using their connection, you are leaving yourself wide open to have blame placed on your shoulders if this guy has a thing for kiddie porn or stealing nuclear secrets or something like that.

 

[cpals]

Free internet!!!

 

[Thoreau]

Originally posted by: nan0bug

Originally posted by: Thoreau
Now, should I at least *kinda* lock it down so that I still have access (as well do the owners) but they're not broadcasting the world?

That might be a good idea.

You also want to keep in mind that, by using their connection, you are leaving yourself wide open to have blame placed on your shoulders if this guy has a thing for kiddie porn or stealing nuclear secrets or something like that.

A quick trip to the incinerator with my NIC and it's free flyin'!

Seriously tho, that's a pretty good point. Personally, so long as my own connection is working, I really don't have much use for this guys access point, it would definitely be nice to have a backup every once in a while, and this is certainly faster than the 144k/sec I can get using my cell phone as a modem.

One thing is for sure, seeing how easy it can be to access another person's WAP has made me wary of even turning the radio on in my router. This is really only the second time i've messed with wireless networking, hence why my own WAP is locked away in a DMZ far far away from my actual computers.

 

[whaleskinrug]

Originally posted by: Thoreau
Now, should I at least *kinda* lock it down so that I still have access (as well do the owners) but they're not broadcasting the world?

No. You have no right to do that, even if your intentions are good.

 

[Descartes]

Why is it every wifi neophyte feels they need to perform an ostensibly civil service of "locking down" a neighbor's wap? Who cares, just leave it alone. Do you go make sure their doors are locked too?

 

[whaleskinrug]

Maybe the neighbor is sitting in her apartment running kismet and laughing her butt off at your "wireless security"

 

[ndee]

what if he sniffs you?

 

[fatbaby]

Originally posted by: whaleskinrug

Originally posted by: Thoreau
Now, should I at least *kinda* lock it down so that I still have access (as well do the owners) but they're not broadcasting the world?

No. You have no right to do that, even if your intentions are good.

agreed. And how do you know your neighbor DOESN'T want the whole world to have access?

 

[Thoreau]

Originally posted by: ndee
what if he sniffs you?

Unless this neighbor is a demented geek with a lot of time on his/her hands, I doubt they would intentionally leave their WAP open just to 'see what people do.'

Of course, if they're anything like me, that's exactly what they would do. =)

Edit: Spelling

 

[SuperTool]

I am using some neighbors wireless access at my new apartment, also "Wireless" and also wide open
Good to have until my cable modem gets installed

 

[DOSfan]

My suggestion (which is kind of like my opinion. And you know how "flowery" those end up being. ) is to notify the neighbor.

BUT through their computers. I leave it up to you to figure out how to do that.

It will startle the hell out of them, yes.

On the other hand:

1) You educate them in an "in your face" method, which would probably do more good than harm. (Unless you cause them a heart attack or stroke or something.)
2) You "educate" them that there are *snicker* "good" hax0r5 around.
3) You keep your hands clean.

If you were to go "door to door," you could inform the neighbor, and get a chewing out about using their bandwith for your trouble. (Or worse.)

But do whatever your conscience says is right. After all, you have to live with the decision. None of us do.

 

[DannyBoy]

Originally posted by: Thoreau

Originally posted by: nan0bug

Originally posted by: Thoreau
Now, should I at least *kinda* lock it down so that I still have access (as well do the owners) but they're not broadcasting the world?

That might be a good idea.

You also want to keep in mind that, by using their connection, you are leaving yourself wide open to have blame placed on your shoulders if this guy has a thing for kiddie porn or stealing nuclear secrets or something like that.

A quick trip to the incinerator with my NIC and it's free flyin'!

Seriously tho, that's a pretty good point. Personally, so long as my own connection is working, I really don't have much use for this guys access point, it would definitely be nice to have a backup every once in a while, and this is certainly faster than the 144k/sec I can get using my cell phone as a modem.

One thing is for sure, seeing how easy it can be to access another person's WAP has made me wary of even turning the radio on in my router. This is really only the second time i've messed with wireless networking, hence why my own WAP is locked away in a DMZ far far away from my actual computers.

144k a sec on your mobile?

 

[AgaBoogaBoo]

How do you make the two connections act as one?

 

[Ameesh]

id just use his net connection

 

[Twista]

be a nice guy, lock it down for them,

 

[PowerMacG5]

My neighbor has a wide open WAP too. I can;t access it from inside, but when I'm in my driveway it's there for leeching.

 

[Thoreau]

Originally posted by: DannyBoy

Originally posted by: Thoreau

Originally posted by: nan0bug

Originally posted by: Thoreau
Now, should I at least *kinda* lock it down so that I still have access (as well do the owners) but they're not broadcasting the world?

That might be a good idea.

You also want to keep in mind that, by using their connection, you are leaving yourself wide open to have blame placed on your shoulders if this guy has a thing for kiddie porn or stealing nuclear secrets or something like that.

A quick trip to the incinerator with my NIC and it's free flyin'!

Seriously tho, that's a pretty good point. Personally, so long as my own connection is working, I really don't have much use for this guys access point, it would definitely be nice to have a backup every once in a while, and this is certainly faster than the 144k/sec I can get using my cell phone as a modem.

One thing is for sure, seeing how easy it can be to access another person's WAP has made me wary of even turning the radio on in my router. This is really only the second time i've messed with wireless networking, hence why my own WAP is locked away in a DMZ far far away from my actual computers.

144k a sec on your mobile?

All hail Sprint PCS. Actually, they dont advertise the ability to use your cell phone as a modem anymore since they switched to an unlimited 'web' model. Luckily they never put in place any type of blocks, nor anything in their terms of service which would prohibit using your phone in such a way. All you need to do (at least in my case) is pick up a USB data cable, install some drivers, and you're off.

 

[Thoreau]

Originally posted by: AgaBooga
How do you make the two connections act as one?

7 hours of googling, some trial software, and some creative routing. Knowing my luck it should be a really simple thing to do and I ended up doing it the hard way, but oh well. I actually 'turned off' that functionality about 2 hours after setting it up. No use in me sucking down the neighbors bandwidth, especially when Cox does have quotas. (30gb down, 7.5 up per month last time I checked.0