taterhill Posted April 5, 2006 Author Share Posted April 5, 2006 the real question is..can anything malicious be done by someone using your signal... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
IBTG81 Posted April 5, 2006 Share Posted April 5, 2006 the real question is..can anything malicious be done by someone using your signal... 652477[/snapback] Yes. Someone could download kiddy porn, and have it traced back to your the person's IP address. Things like that. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ExiledInIllinois Posted April 5, 2006 Share Posted April 5, 2006 Yes.Someone could download kiddy porn, and have it traced back to your the person's IP address. Things like that. 652562[/snapback] Even bigger case for PERSONAL RESPONSIBILITY and ACCOUNTABILITY for securing your connection. This tech transends all economic levels of our society... Actually, the lower income folks are more at risk... Probably. It is one area where these values can actually take hold again... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tux of Borg Posted April 5, 2006 Share Posted April 5, 2006 WEP is not secure. Any jackass can google for airsnort and instructions on how to change their NIC's MAC address. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kegtapr Posted April 5, 2006 Share Posted April 5, 2006 But, I am again... I am no saint... I don't know where my parnents went wrong though... 652372[/snapback] Conception Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
VABills Posted April 5, 2006 Share Posted April 5, 2006 Conception 653050[/snapback] rhythm method. Damn Catholics. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nervous Guy Posted April 5, 2006 Share Posted April 5, 2006 You can't compare taking something tangible with taking something intangible. If I use your internet connection, I'm not stopping you from using it. If I take your car, I AM stopping you from using it. Apples and oranges. And that's not even taking into consideration the fact that you're bombarding me with your radio waves. I never ASKED to be bombarded with your waves. CW 652363[/snapback] so it's like "sharing" music? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BB27 Posted April 5, 2006 Share Posted April 5, 2006 If it is not yours, and you are using it without the owners consent, then you are stealing it. To say if you didn't secure it, then I can take it is unbelievable. You rode your bike to the store, you go inside to grab a couple of things, you didn't lock your bike up. I walk up, see your bike is not locked, and take it. You didn't secure it, so I guess I didn't steal it. Absurd!! At a minimum, when you use my wireless internet you are slowing down the connection, which is depriving me, the owner of something. This is stealing, plain and simple. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ramius Posted April 5, 2006 Share Posted April 5, 2006 If it is not yours, and you are using it without the owners consent, then you are stealing it. To say if you didn't secure it, then I can take it is unbelievable. You rode your bike to the store, you go inside to grab a couple of things, you didn't lock your bike up. I walk up, see your bike is not locked, and take it. You didn't secure it, so I guess I didn't steal it. Absurd!! At a minimum, when you use my wireless internet you are slowing down the connection, which is depriving me, the owner of something. This is stealing, plain and simple. 653174[/snapback] Then keep your wireless transmissions out of my apartment or place of residence. I dont want your trash interfering with my life. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BB27 Posted April 5, 2006 Share Posted April 5, 2006 Then keep your wireless transmissions out of my apartment or place of residence. I dont want your trash interfering with my life. 653179[/snapback] Would that actually be your defense to a criminal charge? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nervous Guy Posted April 5, 2006 Share Posted April 5, 2006 Then keep your wireless transmissions out of my apartment or place of residence. I dont want your trash interfering with my life. 653179[/snapback] why don't you just make one of those tin foil hats? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RayFinkle Posted April 5, 2006 Share Posted April 5, 2006 There is only one man who can settle this arguement, Al Gore. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cantankerous Posted April 6, 2006 Share Posted April 6, 2006 I'm on here via a network card, my brother has the router. Muahahaha! They'll never catch me! Like anyone cares. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
meazza Posted April 6, 2006 Share Posted April 6, 2006 Would that actually be your defense to a criminal charge? 653183[/snapback] what if you're a total noob and you can't tell the difference between your unsecure wireless network or your neighbors unsecure wireless network, both with the "default" SSID. Wouldn't that also be considered stealing? When you buy a wireless router, they give you a little piece of paper that shows you how to set it up and how to secure it, if you can't figure out how to put a key on a wireless router, you don't deserve to complain about being robbed. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guffalo Posted April 6, 2006 Share Posted April 6, 2006 why don't you just make one of those tin foil hats? 653188[/snapback] I wear one everyday some my collection Chappaues de tin for middle easterners Phez Truckers/Baseball fans baseball fans Classic Bowler Bowler And let's not leave out the orthodox among us...yarmulke Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fezmid Posted April 6, 2006 Share Posted April 6, 2006 If it is not yours, and you are using it without the owners consent, then you are stealing it. To say if you didn't secure it, then I can take it is unbelievable. You rode your bike to the store, you go inside to grab a couple of things, you didn't lock your bike up. I walk up, see your bike is not locked, and take it. You didn't secure it, so I guess I didn't steal it. Absurd!! At a minimum, when you use my wireless internet you are slowing down the connection, which is depriving me, the owner of something. This is stealing, plain and simple. 653174[/snapback] See, it's not quite that simple. Your bike analgy doesn't work at all -- because you still have full use of your internet access if I'm using it at the same time. If I take your bike, you have no bike. Let me explain how networking works. Your internet access would slow down the exact same amount if I was using my own internet connection as if I was using yours (assuming you had a cable broadband, and not DSL). Cable internet is a shared medium and you're using the same network as everyone in your neighborhood. In fact, without a firewall, people in your neighborhood can browse your files (this has been disabled by default in Windows nowadays, but it used to be very easy to do). So that argument doesn't hold water either. As for comparing it to "sharing music," NG, they're nowhere near the same. The only reason "sharing" music is illegal is due to breaking copyright. There's no copyright on a broadband connection, so you're comparing apples to oranges. People should be reading AJ's comment. If you leave your window open, and then get naked in front of it, am I breaking the law by looking at you from the street? No. Use some curtains if you don't want anyone looking. Turn on encryption if you don't want anyone using your connection. Now using an amplified antenna to snag a signal may be a different matter (that'd be equivelent to using binoculars to look into someone's house; not sure the legality of that). But show me someone who has been convicted of using an unsecured wireless connection. I'd think it'd be nearly impossible to prosecute in the US. CW Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Dean Posted April 6, 2006 Share Posted April 6, 2006 Seems simple to me: Stealing someone's wireless signal is illegal...it's, well...STEALING. Using an unknown, unsecured wireless signal may or may not be illegal. There are MANY free wirless signals in the world today. Many people allow their neighbors to use their signal free-of-charge. On my computer, unless I look to see what wirless network is connected, I may be using my downstairs neighbor's wireless connection (who has given me explicit permission to use the signal), or I might be connected to the signal of the woman next door (very close next door). The woman next door had not asked me to NOT use her signal (and has given permission to use it to another woman in her building). Now...deciding if the signal was being STOLEN is very murky, indeed. This is where the situation gets complicated. In my situation, I do not consider myself stealing anything. I KNOW I'm not if/when I'm connected to my downstairs neighbor's signal. If the woman next door asked me to never use her signal (or put some security up) I would make sure to not use her signal. Before you jump on me here, take this situation into account. You are at an outdoor cafe that has free wireless. You power up and start surfing as you drink your half-caf, half-decaf, fat-free, soy-based, carob late. It turns out, your computer (unbeknownst to you) connected to the unsecured wireless of the house next door to the cafe. Are you stealing? Should you be held liable? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fezmid Posted April 6, 2006 Share Posted April 6, 2006 Stealing someone's wireless signal is illegal...it's, well...STEALING. Except that "stealing" generally means "I take something from someone, depriving them of their use of the item," which isn't happening with a wireless signal. Along a similar line, downloading music/movies off the internet is NOT stealing -- it's copyright infringement. There's a huge difference (both in terminology and in the legal punishment. Steal a dozen CDs from Best Buy, get a slap on the wrist. Download a dozen albums, and face tens of thousands of dollars worth of penalties. Go figure.... ) http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dowling_v._United_States (and no, I don't condone copyright infringement; but I'd have no problem using an unsecured wireless signal, although I havn't actually had a need to). CW Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Dean Posted April 6, 2006 Share Posted April 6, 2006 Except that "stealing" generally means "I take something from someone, depriving them of their use of the item," which isn't happening with a wireless signal. 653694[/snapback] I don't disagree, necessarily. In fact, I think my post was supporting your position, more than attacking it. I do think, if you've been asked, specifically to not use a person's wireless signal, and you continue to do so, that is stealing. (Of course, the situation is unlikely, as anyone who specifically did not want you to use their signal needs only to activate their security.) You are really stealing from the ISP, though...no? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Arkady Renko Posted April 6, 2006 Share Posted April 6, 2006 You are really stealing from the ISP, though...no? 653707[/snapback] That's an interesting question. ISPs have given up trying to make a big deal about people sharing a connection in household using a router (I think most do not prohibit it-at least not anymore). So for that matter, is sharing it among neighboring apartments stealing? I mean at some point, the ISP needs to get some money when new people are using its service. If it is stealing from the ISP-permission from the paying customer seems immaterial. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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