achingknees Posted February 9, 2009 Posted February 9, 2009 Is it legal to use a neighbors unsecured wireless connection.....?
Wooderson Posted February 9, 2009 Posted February 9, 2009 Yes, I think so. From what I've heard, it slows down your neighbors internet access and could possibly increase charges. I really don't know the truth behind it, all I know is word of mouth. I've done it every once in a while when my internet seems to be slow and unresponsive. It's a good back-up access plan.
SageAgainstTheMachine Posted February 9, 2009 Posted February 9, 2009 Is it legal to use a neighbors unsecured wireless connection.....? If they didn't want people hijacking their conneciton, they should have secured it.
Glass To The Arson Posted February 9, 2009 Posted February 9, 2009 If they didn't want people hijacking their conneciton, they should have secured it. I work for an internet company and yes it is they should have secured it...
stuckincincy Posted February 9, 2009 Posted February 9, 2009 If they didn't want people hijacking their conneciton, they should have secured it. Don't leave your lawnmower outside and go in for a drink. Someone could load it into their truck, go cut their lawn, and return it. You should have secured it.
SageAgainstTheMachine Posted February 9, 2009 Posted February 9, 2009 Don't leave your lawnmower outside and go in for a drink. Someone could load it into their truck, go cut their lawn, and return it. You should have secured it. It takes literally one minute to create a secure network. If somebody leaves themself with an unsecure connection, it means one of two things. 1) They're stupid. 2) They don't mind people using it.
GG Posted February 9, 2009 Posted February 9, 2009 I think the dilemma is more along the lines of ethics than legality.
stuckincincy Posted February 9, 2009 Posted February 9, 2009 It takes literally one minute to create a secure network. If somebody leaves themself with an unsecure connection, it means one of two things. 1) They're stupid. 2) They don't mind people using it. Let your personal moral code, and sense of honesty and fair play guide you...
drnykterstein Posted February 9, 2009 Posted February 9, 2009 yes it's legal The law is something along the lines of "any signal broadcast can be used for any purpose that does not interfere with the signal itself"
SageAgainstTheMachine Posted February 9, 2009 Posted February 9, 2009 Let your personal moral code, and sense of honesty and fair play guide you... Well here's a fair analogy to the situation. You have 1,000 dollars in cash. Instead of taking it inside your house and sticking it in a lockbox/under your mattress/etc. you duct tape it to the outside of your front door, for everybody in the neighborhood to see. You wake up the next morning and 50 dollars out of the 1,000 is gone. Is the person who took the 50 bucks in the wrong? Yes. But do you REALLY have the right to complain? No.
drnykterstein Posted February 9, 2009 Posted February 9, 2009 Well here's a fair analogy to the situation. You have 1,000 dollars in cash. Instead of taking it inside your house and sticking it in a lockbox/under your mattress/etc. you duct tape it to the outside of your front door, for everybody in the neighborhood to see. You wake up the next morning and 50 dollars out of the 1,000 is gone. Is the person who took the 50 bucks in the wrong? Yes. But do you REALLY have the right to complain? No. no a fair analogy is .. if someone is playing music loudly, and you can hear it in your house, is it legal for you to listen to it?
The Dean Posted February 9, 2009 Posted February 9, 2009 If they didn't want people hijacking their conneciton, they should have secured it. Perhaps. Maybe the unit shouldn't work unless security is enabled. Some people simply aren't intelligent, or knowledgeable, enough to know what to do...that shouldn't make them fair game for abuse. Now, in truth, using someone's wireless signal has almost no impact on them, unless you are downloading huge files, or trying to compromise their system...so I really don't think it is that big of a deal. I've done it myself, when I really needed a connection and that's all that was available. The only reason I reacted that way is, people use the same kind of reasoning for legitimizing spyware, adware, etc. They argue, if the person doesn't protect their system then they deserve to get infected. To that, I say. "Bulls#it!". But, back to "stealing" wireless. Some areas have free access points. The condo complex where I live has a free wireless signal from the clubhouse. They don't advertise it, but it is for use for residents who get a good signal. When I lived in SF, the Marina area had a free zone which I got a good signal from some days, but not others. So, here's my take. If you KNOW it is your neighbor's signal, then using it is probably illegal. But, if you encounter an unknown unsecured wireless signal, that you can connect to, who's to say it isn't there for you to use?
Dan Posted February 9, 2009 Posted February 9, 2009 Well here's a fair analogy to the situation. You have 1,000 dollars in cash. Instead of taking it inside your house and sticking it in a lockbox/under your mattress/etc. you duct tape it to the outside of your front door, for everybody in the neighborhood to see. You wake up the next morning and 50 dollars out of the 1,000 is gone. Is the person who took the 50 bucks in the wrong? Yes. But do you REALLY have the right to complain? No. So anything not tied down on my front porch is fair game? I'd say bad analogy. Provided someone has unlimited broadband, Id say stealing internet is about as minor of a theft as you could have. Because you're not really depriving someone of their internet, you're more accurately just sharing it without permission. And in the vast majority of instances, I'd wager this sharing only minimally degrades the payers experience if at all. So I'd say what's the big deal. Of course, if you're abusing the connection with nefarious activities and such then its a different story.
SageAgainstTheMachine Posted February 9, 2009 Posted February 9, 2009 So anything not tied down on my front porch is fair game? I'd say bad analogy. Provided someone has unlimited broadband, Id say stealing internet is about as minor of a theft as you could have. Because you're not really depriving someone of their internet, you're more accurately just sharing it without permission. And in the vast majority of instances, I'd wager this sharing only minimally degrades the payers experience if at all. So I'd say what's the big deal. Of course, if you're abusing the connection with nefarious activities and such then its a different story. I will NOT have my analogy making skills brought into question.
PromoTheRobot Posted February 9, 2009 Posted February 9, 2009 I have wrestled with this myself, having been know to "wardrive" a neighborhood when I desperately have to send an e-mail or find a location on Google maps. If you are transmitting an unsecured signal off your property, and you intercept said signal in a public space, like the street, it should not be illegal, assuming you are not causing harm, other than to slow down ones speed a tad. It's like someone who walks around naked in their home with the lights on and curtains open. Are you guilty of leering if you catch a glimpse from the street? PTR
Dan Posted February 9, 2009 Posted February 9, 2009 I will NOT have my analogy making skills brought into question. Sorry. Didn't mean to insinuate that you had no skills. Just not mad skills.
Dan Posted February 9, 2009 Posted February 9, 2009 I have wrestled with this myself, having been know to "wardrive" a neighborhood when I desperately have to send an e-mail or find a location on Google maps. If you are transmitting an unsecured signal off your property, and you intercept said signal in a public space, like the street, it should not be illegal, assuming you are not causing harm, other than to slow down ones speed a tad. It's like someone who walks around naked in their home with the lights on and curtains open. Are you guilty of leering if you catch a glimpse from the street? PTR I think we need a pic to answer that question.
DC Tom Posted February 9, 2009 Posted February 9, 2009 If I use my neighbor's wireless internet to download movies and burn them to DVDs, is that more or less illegal than throwing a cup of beer at Ron Artest?
The Poojer Posted February 9, 2009 Posted February 9, 2009 i may be stupid, but i don't mind people using mine It takes literally one minute to create a secure network. If somebody leaves themself with an unsecure connection, it means one of two things. 1) They're stupid. 2) They don't mind people using it.
BuffaloBill Posted February 9, 2009 Posted February 9, 2009 Well here's a fair analogy to the situation. You have 1,000 dollars in cash. Instead of taking it inside your house and sticking it in a lockbox/under your mattress/etc. you duct tape it to the outside of your front door, for everybody in the neighborhood to see. You wake up the next morning and 50 dollars out of the 1,000 is gone. Is the person who took the 50 bucks in the wrong? Yes. But do you REALLY have the right to complain? No. lol ... what if you tie your pitbull to the doorknob?
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