POLL: How do you feel about "stealing" wifi?

[loic2003]

Originally posted by: OrganizedChaos
my router is wide open for anyone.

just because you don't have permision dosen't mean your not welcome to use it.

Exactly, so I assumed my g/f's neighbour had the same idea as you when I cracked his WEP key and got the missus on his broadband....

 

[j00fek]

i just use it for a minute than im out

 

[Savij]

I opened mine up, let the people moving in (college apt) use it for a week, grabbed their music then shut it down again.

 

[RadiclDreamer]

Originally posted by: adairusmc
I am a network engineer for the only broadband ISP in the area. If I find an unsecured AP, 99% of the time it is going to be one of our customers. I shut off their service entirely until they secure it, it is a violation of our TOS to have an open AP. If they still want it unsecured, they waive their right to tech support.

You have nothing better to do with your time?

 

[torpid]

I have no problem with it. The only real argument against it is if the person hopping on your network does not have up-to-date security patches and virus signatures. But, even then, you can always just secure it. Preferably with something other than the default password.

 

[Raduque]

I used the wireless from some real estate company for a long time at my last job. It was wide open and I detected it quite easily in the basement..... as far as I'm concerned, if you don't secure it, you're sharing it.

And don't compare unsecure wifi to leaving a door unlocked or something - it's more like leaving a door, all the windows open, and a sign in your yard that says "Everything's open!". The doorway is the connection, the door is the security... closed is WEP, locked is WPA.

 

[Thraxen]

Originally posted by: Savij
I opened mine up, let the people moving in (college apt) use it for a week, grabbed their music then shut it down again.

LOL... :thumbsup:

Anyway, I agree with most people here. I've used other people's connections before, but I've never done anything illegal on them.

 

[compnovice]

You mean all that free internet floating around in the air isn't free

 

[acemcmac]

Originally posted by: lyssword
so, I'm guessing you guys are talking about apartments? because if you own a house it would be impractical to try to leech (cause you'd have to drive close to the house)

I live in attached housing. What my infrastructure bridge sees.. I have been known to get even more. Needless to say, it's outside of my firewall.

 

[lightpants]

I have my wireless network open with just the ssid changed. I let the tenants in my apartments use it as well as a neighbor who is in nursing school and can't afford high speed internet. None of them use excessive bandwidth and I was always taught that sharing is a good thing to do. The way my property is situated, no one else could use it unless they were sitting in my front yard.

 

[amdskip]

I borrowed it for 1 month + until I could finally get cable installed at my new place, took them forever. It wasn't a reliable connection at all and very slow at that. I had to use my laptop with ICS setup to borrow it.