thank you WIFI

[SexyDSM95]

Heheh if he really wanted to be a dick, this guy could log onto the router and encrypt it with his own password and to kick everyone in the house off!

[~Brian~]

Originally Posted by SexyDSM95

Heheh if he really wanted to be a dick, this guy could log onto the router and encrypt it with his own password and to kick everyone in the house off!

That would be freakin hilarious! Effed up, but still very funny.

[Philly-Night-SR]

The routers that Roadrunner (that's all there is in EastFalls/Manayunk) are not encryptable, unless you specifically ask for one with the ability. You can drive down the streets here and get access.....lol

Also, the dude who said not to worry about using credit card numbers over someone elses connection(?) I'm definately not an expert, it just seems very unsafe. I don't know anything about hacking into someone's computer, but it just seems common sense that it would be easier if they are on a wireless unsecure network connection rather than an encrypted. If you wanna explain that'd be cool, I am interested...

[sfd]

I tend to disagree with it not being illegal, even on an unprotected network. It's not a public access hotspot. It's like saying I can splice my neighbor's cable line and get free cable TV. I think the article you're talking about was on cnet.com and while that specific case may have panned out to be the owner's fault because he didn't throw a WEP key at it, I doubt that to be the turnout every time. What you'll find is while it may not be a crime that the owner of the network can charge, ISPs can/will. There's no way in the world Verizon/Roadrunner/Comcast/etc. will sit by and just let people piggyback bandwidth.

As for the credit card thing, the only unsafe matter is the fact that if there's a local network connection (i.e. sharing files between any computer on the connection) then the guy who has the internet connection might be able to see your computer and the files on it. Otherwise, it's no more dangerous than being the actual owner of the internet connection. You do also run the possibility of passing viruses and stuff to each other if both systems don't have proper protection.

This is why my wireless network is on a 256 encrypted WEP key on a randomly selected channel with MAC Address Filtering and a randomly generated ESSID. Every PC also gets its own personal firewall with custom rules and virus protection. Then throw some custom scripted firewall rules for the router, selected port access and forwarding and you're good to go. God himself would have to sit in front of my computer to gain access. People try to get on my network daily in the local area. I pick up wireless connections in my living room from the next street over and across the street all the time.

[smoger]

Originally Posted by sfd

I tend to disagree with it not being illegal, even on an unprotected network. It's not a public access hotspot. It's like saying I can splice my neighbor's cable line and get free cable TV. I think the article you're talking about was on cnet.com and while that specific case may have panned out to be the owner's fault because he didn't throw a WEP key at it, I doubt that to be the turnout every time. What you'll find is while it may not be a crime that the owner of the network can charge, ISPs can/will. There's no way in the world Verizon/Roadrunner/Comcast/etc. will sit by and just let people piggyback bandwidth.

not at all. if that were the case,.. there'd have been massive lawsuits the moment that WiFi access points were released to the public. Not among customers, but among ISP's vs. the networking industry. Those isp's are all monopolies and they are not above doing that..

besides.. it still comes down to the *customer* providing a free access point to the public. if i dont have to crack a code or come on your property, its fair game. its COMPLETELY different than "splicing a cable" because then you are physicially altering the system in order to receive what we can consider to be a secure feed to a customer.

so in other words,..if the isp's were to sue anyone(except like i mentioned the industry itself), it would have to be the customer themself, for sharing their access, which is sometimes prohibited by the isp's customer agreement.

think about it,.. if you went and got an fm transmitter and started a pirate radio station,.. whose door is the FCC going to be knocking on? yours? or your listeners?

This is why my wireless network is on a 256 encrypted WEP key on a randomly selected channel with MAC Address Filtering and a randomly generated ESSID. Every PC also gets its own personal firewall with custom rules and virus protection. Then throw some custom scripted firewall rules for the router, selected port access and forwarding and you're good to go. God himself would have to sit in front of my computer to gain access. People try to get on my network daily in the local area. I pick up wireless connections in my living room from the next street over and across the street all the time.

geez.. security is good, but paranoid much? what do you have on there, nuclear launch codes or something? i think you GREATLY overestimate the general publics ability to use a computer...