WTF - One of our neighbors set up their SSID with a disgustingly racist name

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40Hands

Diamond Member
Jun 29, 2004
5,042
0
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Most routers will not let you access the configuration via a wireless connection.

/just sayin'

Also I agree with Ronstang. Forget about it. It's just like when some douche shouts racial slurs over the mic in games. Attention whores.


Although I think the "I'm a car guy, a computer is a tool not a pastime!" in his signature doesn't really make any sense. I don't really understand how cars can be a pastime and computers can't. :confused:
 

spidey07

No Lifer
Aug 4, 2000
65,469
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Originally posted by: sdifox
call the FBI? I understand radio domain is under federal jurisdiction and broadcasting racist remark is a federal crime?

You forgot about that whole 1st amendment didn't you?
 

spidey07

No Lifer
Aug 4, 2000
65,469
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Originally posted by: Chiropteran
Originally posted by: Mr Pickles

Granted, changing their settings is criminal

But is it, really? What law is being broken? How is changing settings on an unsecured site any different than editing an article on a wiki, for example?

You are accessing a private network/computer without permission. A federal crime.
 

LeadMagnet

Platinum Member
Mar 26, 2003
2,348
0
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Originally posted by: sdifox
call the FBI? I understand radio domain is under federal jurisdiction and broadcasting racist remark is a federal crime?


FCC handles this stuff
 

Linflas

Lifer
Jan 30, 2001
15,395
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Originally posted by: spidey07
Originally posted by: sdifox
call the FBI? I understand radio domain is under federal jurisdiction and broadcasting racist remark is a federal crime?

You forgot about that whole 1st amendment didn't you?

You missed the FBI frog marching Don Imus out of his broadcast studio for violating the federal "No Broadcasting Racist Remarks Act"?
 
Aug 23, 2000
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Originally posted by: ChAoTiCpInOy
Originally posted by: Ronstang
Originally posted by: ChAoTiCpInOy
Log into the router, change the SSID settings, lock out all their PCs, and show them what's up.

Something tells me all the little pansies suggesting such actions are too meek and afraid to do anything like this in real life. I bet you are all pushovers when you step away from the computer. Sad that your e-peener is the only way you can get off.

I've done it before, it's not that hard. Most people don't realize what happens and go about their business. If I was him I would change the SSID name and leave it at that. You don't have to go to the extreme of locking out their PCs but show them that it's not cool to put names like that someone may get offended.

And your little reply doesn't deserve a response. You go ahead and think what you want about people.

OH NOESSS. Someone may get offended. How about this. STOP BEING A PUSSY and get over your self appointed importance and get on with your life.

I'm going to rename my router tonight and see if anyone does anything.
 

Aikouka

Lifer
Nov 27, 2001
30,383
912
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Wow, I'm well into two pages (via my PPP) and we haven't had the thread completely derail into whether or not it's legal to use someone else's wireless!? :Q!!
 
Aug 23, 2000
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Originally posted by: Quiksilver
Originally posted by: Ronstang
Originally posted by: ChAoTiCpInOy
Log into the router, change the SSID settings, lock out all their PCs, and show them what's up.

Something tells me all the little pansies suggesting such actions are too meek and afraid to do anything like this in real life. I bet you are all pushovers when you step away from the computer. Sad that your e-peener is the only way you can get off.

Well ain't you just the bigger man and showing the irony of your own statement.

---
OP, you should honestly try to find out which neighbor it belongs too. Then casually tell them about it via anon. letter, if they don't take care of it; then that's when you do all the illegal stuff others suggested.

Yes, because someone exercising their freedom of speech rights allows you to commit crime???
I weep for the future generations when thinking like yours is common place.
 
Aug 23, 2000
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Originally posted by: djheater
I would have quietly changed it.
I believe in correcting inappropriate behavior.

Wireless is shared space, not private. I won't make some ridiculous analogy to make my point, but, do something stupid and wrong that I can change, and I will change it.

Wireless is NOT shared space. You are accessing someone else's network, security protected or not, it is not yours to use. Just like you, I would hope, know that just because my garage door is open, it does not mean you can waltz in and take what you want. Lack of security does not mean you can legally steal.
 

RESmonkey

Diamond Member
May 6, 2007
4,818
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My networking knowledge is weak, but can't you have computers on the network install a virus?
 

jonks

Lifer
Feb 7, 2005
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Originally posted by: Feldenak
Originally posted by: Mr Pickles
Originally posted by: Ronstang
Originally posted by: ChAoTiCpInOy
Log into the router, change the SSID settings, lock out all their PCs, and show them what's up.

Something tells me all the little pansies suggesting such actions are too meek and afraid to do anything like this in real life. I bet you are all pushovers when you step away from the computer. Sad that your e-peener is the only way you can get off.

I can see our OP sitting at his computer with you hovering over him going "I bet you won't you little pansy..."

Granted, changing their settings is criminal, but is it really that big of a deal? Its about as anonymous as you can get. Just hop on, change the name, and hop out. If they do it again and lock it down then so be it, at least you did something.

That statement says volumes about your complete lack of character & integrity.

Please, not wearing a seatbelt is about as illegal as changing an SSID and it doesn't speak of poor character and integrity to not wear a seatbelt. There's such a thing as degree sir. He's not hacking their router to make fake ebay purchases. It's a completely harmless prank pulled on a bunch of jerks broadcasting an offensive name, knowingly or not. Chill with the hyperbole.
 
Aug 23, 2000
15,509
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Originally posted by: Mr Pickles
Originally posted by: Ronstang
Originally posted by: ChAoTiCpInOy
Log into the router, change the SSID settings, lock out all their PCs, and show them what's up.

Something tells me all the little pansies suggesting such actions are too meek and afraid to do anything like this in real life. I bet you are all pushovers when you step away from the computer. Sad that your e-peener is the only way you can get off.

I can see our OP sitting at his computer with you hovering over him going "I bet you won't you little pansy..."

Granted, changing their settings is criminal, but is it really that big of a deal? Its about as anonymous as you can get. Just hop on, change the name, and hop out. If they do it again and lock it down then so be it, at least you did something.

This isn't that big of a deal guys, it happens all the time.

So it's ok to commit crime if you don't get caught?
Yup, this country is fucked.
 

spidey07

No Lifer
Aug 4, 2000
65,469
5
76
Originally posted by: jonks
Please, not wearing a seatbelt is about as illegal as changing an SSID and it doesn't speak of poor character and integrity to not wear a seatbelt. There's such a thing as degree sir. He's not hacking their router to make fake ebay purchases. It's a completely harmless prank pulled on a bunch of jerks broadcasting an offensive name, knowingly or not. Chill with the hyperbole.

It's a pretty serious federal crime if you access their router. It's NOT harmless and it's HIGHLY illegal at the federal level.

This kind of entitlement mentality drives me nuts.
 

Mr Pickles

Diamond Member
Feb 24, 2006
4,103
1
0
Originally posted by: JeffreyLebowski
Originally posted by: Mr Pickles
Originally posted by: Ronstang
Originally posted by: ChAoTiCpInOy
Log into the router, change the SSID settings, lock out all their PCs, and show them what's up.

Something tells me all the little pansies suggesting such actions are too meek and afraid to do anything like this in real life. I bet you are all pushovers when you step away from the computer. Sad that your e-peener is the only way you can get off.

I can see our OP sitting at his computer with you hovering over him going "I bet you won't you little pansy..."

Granted, changing their settings is criminal, but is it really that big of a deal? Its about as anonymous as you can get. Just hop on, change the name, and hop out. If they do it again and lock it down then so be it, at least you did something.

This isn't that big of a deal guys, it happens all the time.

So it's ok to commit crime if you don't get caught?
Yup, this country is fucked.

What's that? You've never "stolen" and burned music before? You've never sped before or rolled through a stop sign? Yep, this country is fucked. Don't think you're some law abiding angel. You and the rest of the people that are too chicken shit to be honest with yourself regarding the rules\laws you break because "its no big deal" can go fuck yourself.
 

sdifox

No Lifer
Sep 30, 2005
96,908
16,174
126
Originally posted by: LeadMagnet
Originally posted by: sdifox
call the FBI? I understand radio domain is under federal jurisdiction and broadcasting racist remark is a federal crime?


FCC handles this stuff

Don't they delegate to FBI on this or do they have their own police force?
 
Aug 23, 2000
15,509
1
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Originally posted by: silverpig
Originally posted by: shinerburke
Originally posted by: Injury
I see nothing wrong with logging in and changing the name for respect and humor purposes.

I see everything wrong with escalating it and locking them out of their own router. They may be racist, but they are entitled to their opinion and it is not your right or responsibility to judge them and define a penalty.

I don't like the color of your car. I'm going to have it painted lime green without your knowledge. You'll find it in your driveway tomorrow green with gold wheels and a purple velvet interior.

Enjoy.

One costs thousands of dollars to fix, one takes 30 seconds of work and is free. It's more like going up to someone's house whose address is 1269 and taping a piece of paper over the 12 part so their address now reads "69", then running away giggling. Technically, you're trespassing and littering, but there's no harm done.

Jeez, you guys think a little prank is an affront to personal liberties and should be prosecuted. :rolleyes;
So when does your "pranking go to far? Is it ok to egg someones car? Pranking someone can be done without BREAKING the law. This is something that most of you, and I'm going to hazard a guess that the ones ok with it are under 21 and have not really lived in the real world. You are not special, the rules and laws DO apply to you, no matter what mommy says to you while you still suckle on her tit.
By your reasoning, it would ok for me to go onto your property and carve "i love you" into the side of your house.

 

40Hands

Diamond Member
Jun 29, 2004
5,042
0
71
Originally posted by: spidey07
Originally posted by: jonks
Please, not wearing a seatbelt is about as illegal as changing an SSID and it doesn't speak of poor character and integrity to not wear a seatbelt. There's such a thing as degree sir. He's not hacking their router to make fake ebay purchases. It's a completely harmless prank pulled on a bunch of jerks broadcasting an offensive name, knowingly or not. Chill with the hyperbole.

It's a pretty serious federal crime if you access their router. It's NOT harmless and it's HIGHLY illegal at the federal level.

This kind of entitlement mentality drives me nuts.

Stop saying the words "entitlement" and "mentality". That is all.
 

Linflas

Lifer
Jan 30, 2001
15,395
78
91
Originally posted by: JeffreyLebowski
Originally posted by: silverpig
Originally posted by: shinerburke
Originally posted by: Injury
I see nothing wrong with logging in and changing the name for respect and humor purposes.

I see everything wrong with escalating it and locking them out of their own router. They may be racist, but they are entitled to their opinion and it is not your right or responsibility to judge them and define a penalty.

I don't like the color of your car. I'm going to have it painted lime green without your knowledge. You'll find it in your driveway tomorrow green with gold wheels and a purple velvet interior.

Enjoy.

One costs thousands of dollars to fix, one takes 30 seconds of work and is free. It's more like going up to someone's house whose address is 1269 and taping a piece of paper over the 12 part so their address now reads "69", then running away giggling. Technically, you're trespassing and littering, but there's no harm done.

Jeez, you guys think a little prank is an affront to personal liberties and should be prosecuted. :rolleyes;
So when does your "pranking go to far? Is it ok to egg someones car? Pranking someone can be done without BREAKING the law. This is something that most of you, and I'm going to hazard a guess that the ones ok with it are under 21 and have not really lived in the real world. You are not special, the rules and laws DO apply to you, no matter what mommy says to you while you still suckle on her tit.
By your reasoning, it would ok for me to go onto your property and carve "i love you" into the side of your house.

No by his "reasoning" it would be ok to carve "I hate GWB" or "Fuck Racists" in the side of your house, carving "i love you" would require Federal intervention.
 

oznerol

Platinum Member
Apr 29, 2002
2,476
0
76
www.lorenzoisawesome.com
Originally posted by: Chiropteran
Originally posted by: Zenmervolt
Originally posted by: Chiropteran
Originally posted by: Ronstang
Originally posted by: ChAoTiCpInOy
Log into the router, change the SSID settings, lock out all their PCs, and show them what's up.

Something tells me all the little pansies suggesting such actions are too meek and afraid to do anything like this in real life. I bet you are all pushovers when you step away from the computer. Sad that your e-peener is the only way you can get off.

In real life? LOL. This is something that would be done entirely over the internet/radio waves. It's not something you can do "in real life", you *have* to do it over the internet.

So yeah. Nobody is going to break into a wireless router "in real life" for a couple reasons.

1- Knowing an SSID doesn't really give you a clue where the router is.
2- Physical proximity to the router is useless, you need to connect to it remotely from another computer to do anything useful.
3- Anything you could do to a router given physical access would be very clearly illegal. Accessing an unsecured router remotely is only officially illegal in a few places, and doing so leaves little evidence that could be used by the average person.

Ahh, rationalizing vandalism on a technicality. Welcome to 21st century America.

ZV

Zomg you are vandalizing the forums, call the internet police!

If a wireless router is wide open, and broadcasting it's SSID, that is the equivalent of an internet forum such as Anandtech's being open for anyone to register and post.

In much the same way as a moderator could abuse their power here, anyone who uses a public un-passworded access point could abuse their powers as well, but I don't see how it can be described as vandalism or illegal in either case.

Now, there are admittedly some retarded laws recently put into place in a few states. If you do live in such a state, it is illegal, but I don't see how that automatically makes it illegal everywhere.

First off, you lose tons of credibility by starting off with "Zomg".

Second, my home is not surrounded by barbed wire fence - anyone can simply walk up to it and, say, rearrange my sprinklers to point into an open window, or paint all over my door or something. It's no different. I assume you would also key a car if it had a bumper sticker that said something offensive on it?

To the OP - it's not your business. There's a ton of assholes in the world, unfortunately, but don't be one of them. Say they had something like "End Religion" or "Kill Bush" or something - not incredibly vulgar, but could be just as offensive to someone. Ignore it and move along.