Unsecured wireless access points ...

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Exterous

Super Moderator
Jun 20, 2006
20,616
3,840
126
8 around - only 2 unsecured. At least in my area this has been a big change. Just a couple of years ago it would be 8 networks and only one secured

Originally posted by: lxskllr
Originally posted by: sswingle
I can see 3 access points. Mine, a secured one called linksys, and an unsecured one called Bree. Bree also has the default password on the router. I find it amusing that someone that did figure out how to put a custom name on was not the one to figure out security.

I always thought it would be amusing to screw with a default set router. Add a password, then encrypt the connection :^D

I prefer using their shared printer to print out instructions on how to secure their network. I did that once and even gave the the appropriate information (including model number) of the netgear router they were using. To this day I wonder what the look on their face was when they read that printout
 

MichaelD

Lifer
Jan 16, 2001
31,528
3
76
I'm in an 8-apartment building surrounded by tens of other buildings like mine. I can see 9 signals. Mine is not one of them as I don't broadcast my SSID. All 9 are secured with WPA.

It's ridiculous to leave your WAP wide open these days. Never mind the "giving away your bandwidth" part; the security risks are too great.

Me = WPA/TKIP, no broadcast SSID, access restricted to MACs listed in the "allow only these" in the MAC filter AND DHCP range is limited to the exact number of addresses I need for all my devices. :cool: You ain't getting jack shit from me. :p
 

xSauronx

Lifer
Jul 14, 2000
19,582
4
81
we dont have many neighbors, so theres only 2 aps outside of mine and theyre both unsecured.

mine is using wpa aes-ccmp

i got my sister a wireless router and set up security on hers and gave her the passphrase, at her place theres 5 aps, 2 unsecured.
 

theknight571

Platinum Member
Mar 23, 2001
2,896
2
81
From my house I can see 3, including mine... all are secured.

I found it interesting recently while at a hotel in Philadelphia that from my hotel room I could see 30+, 5 or 6 were unsecured, but I was only able to attach to 1 due to weak signal (my guess) and that one was to slow to be worth the "free" access. :)
 

xanis

Lifer
Sep 11, 2005
17,571
8
0
There's probably about ~15 networks that I can see. Only one is unsecured.

I guess people take their wireless security more seriously in the city. :p
 

ZOXXO

Golden Member
Feb 1, 2003
1,281
0
76
Single family home. Rural area. My own unsecured network is the only one visible.
 

Chronoshock

Diamond Member
Jul 6, 2004
4,860
1
81
FiOS has hooked up the entire neighborhood and they give a wireless router during installation. Around 16 access points, 3 unsecured. I used one for a week before I had my own internet hooked up, got ~2.5/.5
 

TheKub

Golden Member
Oct 2, 2001
1,756
1
0
Originally posted by: MichaelD
Me = WPA/TKIP, no broadcast SSID, access restricted to MACs listed in the "allow only these" in the MAC filter AND DHCP range is limited to the exact number of addresses I need for all my devices. :cool: You ain't getting jack shit from me. :p

Its your network and you are free to configure however you want but I don?t really see the sense in that. WPA is very good protection, and everything else? is little more than a hassle for someone who wants to get in.

So if some one has the ability to defeat your 2 foot thick steal vault door do you really think the screen door behind it will be their undoing?
 

MichaelD

Lifer
Jan 16, 2001
31,528
3
76
Originally posted by: TheKub
Originally posted by: MichaelD
Me = WPA/TKIP, no broadcast SSID, access restricted to MACs listed in the "allow only these" in the MAC filter AND DHCP range is limited to the exact number of addresses I need for all my devices. :cool: You ain't getting jack shit from me. :p

Its your network and you are free to configure however you want but I don?t really see the sense in that. WPA is very good protection, and everything else? is little more than a hassle for someone who wants to get in.

So if some one has the ability to defeat your 2 foot thick steal vault door do you really think the screen door behind it will be their undoing?

I know that anyone with the skill to get in, can get in. I keep no financial info on any network connected device. I completely clear my internet settings/cache after every use. I defrag three times a week to move all those "freed up bits" around.

I don't use Quicken or any other finance proggy. I don't use auto-sign in anything. Don't use Roboform or any other password manager. I have about 8 passowords memorized.

That said, I just don't want the inconvenience of having to reload b/c some jerkoff hacker with no real job compromised and infected my system.

Those who truly have the skill to crack their way in would quickly realize there's nothing of value on my network. No bank account numbers. No passwords. Nadda...and they'd move on.

I also don't want any freeloaders using my bandwith for free.

My network isn't hard to crack for a REAL cracker, but there's nothing of value here anyway.

My network = The Club for cars. Not a real "stopper" but a good "deterrant" for the average crook.
 

Gunslinger08

Lifer
Nov 18, 2001
13,234
2
81
My router is the only access point I can see. I live in a neighborhood of 7 houses with only 4 occupied. Only 1 neighbor close enough that I might get a signal, but I don't think they have wireless.
 

Leros

Lifer
Jul 11, 2004
21,867
7
81
Originally posted by: loki8481
6 total, including my own, 1 unsecured.

live in a 4-family apartment building with only one real neighbor excluding people in the apartment building, and they're probably like 200' away down the block (I'm on a corner... in back of us is a daycare center, my immediate neighbor to the right is a machinist's shop, and across the street is the back of a grocery store).

my own network is unsecured because I was having issues with some devices connecting to it, but I monitor it pretty closely to make sure that there's nothing connected that I don't know about and there never has been. I also don't use dhcp and have my max IP list set to 5 (laptop, netbook, desktop, xbox 360, tivo)

You can just use MAC filtering so only your devices can connect.
 

mxyzptlk

Golden Member
Apr 18, 2008
1,888
0
0
I have a hacked cable modem connected to an unsecure wifi as a honeypot. So far, no one around me has used it except this one neighbor. He's pretty metro, hes always shopping for man bags and dress shoes..
 

Pepsei

Lifer
Dec 14, 2001
12,895
1
0
anything set up by verizon fios by default, i can break into their wep enabled router/modem in less than five minutes.
you guys need to test your vulnerability if you're paranoid.

i was going to set up mac filtering... until i realize how many devices i have.... and my stupid verizon router/modem wouldn't accept anymore, i guess one of these days i'll hook up my old router i used for cable.