SHARING CABLE CONNECTION - ILLEGAL OR UNETHICAL?

[brunell8]

I've got one system at home, but I'm considering adding two more for my oldest kids. Roadrunner tells me I have to have any IP for each PC, which will also increase my monthly cost. My question is - is it illegal or just unethical to setup my home network using one IP?

 

[iluvdeal]

You don't need an IP for each computer to share you cable connection. Just get a router, it's perfectly legal. Don't worry, the FBI will not come knocking at your door and you still get to go heaven.

 

[brunell8]

Thanks. Not worried about the FBI, just didn't want to get cable taken away.

 

[bsr]

I use a router ,, and no its not illegal. Acually the cable company recommended it to me (because its better than a hub or additional modems/IP's)

 

[Paulson]

I wouldn't worry about it.. you're not getting any more bandwidth, you're just make it so you can distribute the bandwidth over more computers...

 

[gaidin123]

Exactly what the others have said. By "sharing" your internet connection you really are just using one computer or cable/DSL router to do all of your surfing for you and then distribute it to your internal machines. Only 1 computer/router is actually using the net connection.

The place where sharing gets illegal is when you charge others access for it or, say, you and a neighbor split the costs. I've read articles recently of cable ISPs threatening to shut off users who provide public wireless access points for anyone to use but yeah in your case, none of that will apply.

Thousands or maybe even millions of people are using a linux box, winroute, or any number of switch/cable/DSL/router switches to share their net connections.

Gaidin

 

[spyordie007]

as far as they know there will still be traffic only comming from once IP if you use a router, so even if RR had some awefully written user agreement stating that you will get shutdown if you have more than one computer they would have no way of knowing that you did, or any way of enforcing it without just shutting everyone down.

-Spy

 

[dexter333]

Originally posted by: brunell8
I've got one system at home, but I'm considering adding two more for my oldest kids. Roadrunner tells me I have to have any IP for each PC, which will also increase my monthly cost. My question is - is it illegal or just unethical to setup my home network using one IP?

Well, they're correct in one sense. You do need an IP for each machine. But that doesn't mean that they have to be 24.x.x.x ip's if you know what I mean. Just get a router.

 

[JackMDS]

Legal or Illegal, depends on the small letters in the contract, read it.

Can the ISP detect Entry Level Router Sharing? Yeah if they want to?

Intercepting and analyzing few hours of traffic can reveal the multi usage.

Some ISPs define sharing as illegal, most don?t care but they would not support your connection if it does not work, i.e. if you are in trouble you have to connect your Cable Modem directly to one computer with the original NIC and start from there.

BTW: The lack of support in this case makes sense it is not fair to expect an ISP to support any Network concoctions that any of us can come with.

 

[ojai00]

Technically, you can't. But everyone does. You can hook up a router, but like JackMDS said, RR won't support it. If anything happens with the router connected, you'll have to solve the problem yourself, or call the makers of the router.

 

[Kingofcomputer]

Sharing cable connection is legal and ethical.
This is same as sharing a phone line with your roommate. The phone company will suggest you to open another phone line, so you 2 don't need to share.

 

[Nutz]

As far as illegal and unethical goes. No. Even if sharing is against their policy, its still not illegal-Its just against their policy. For some reason people have a hard time making that distinction. If smoking in my store is against my store's policy, I can't just up and have you arrested for smoking. There would have to be more to it, like say, breaking an actual law. The best I could do is have the person thrown out of the store. In the case of the ISP they could just disconnect your service.

Unethical? Hell no. In fact, by conserving IP space you're actually doing the world a favor

 

[owensdj]

brunell8, it's within the rules of most broadband Internet providers like Roadrunner to allow more than one computer to share your connection using a router with NAT ability as long as all of the computers are in the same house. Roadrunner won't give you any technical support on a setup like that, but they don't mind if you do it yourself.

It would be a violation of your Roadrunner Acceptable Use Policy to allow your neighbor to have Internet access through a wireless LAN connection, for example.

 

[Rilescat]

I used to work for a large Cable Internet provider. They have no problems with you using a router. You will only use a single IP, and that is the majority of what they are concerned with. The bandwidth is spliced and monitored before it even gets to you.

 

[heartsurgeon]

get a router - they won't care

as long as you pay the monthly bill - they make money. they don't care if you have 10 computers hooked up, you will only get a limited amount of bandwidth from the service provider, which you can divide up anywhay you want behind your router.

if they disconnect you - they lose the revenue - ain't gonna happen - no cable modem/router police out there!!! relax.