Using other peoples' broadband

[stuart]

I have been working in an office for a couple of weeks, that is not my own, that is located over an internet cafe

I have been using the office wireless broadband connection
But more out of habit and curiosity I scanned for wireless networks

The one for the internet cafe was available and there was no password protection
I was able to connect but quickly disconnected for fear of being attached to a unsecured network, virus issues, etc

I assume this must be extremely poor practice for such a business
But is it prevalent?

I have been able to connect to broadband (through other peoples connections) in a lot more places than I would have expected

I am not advocating doing it and from my point of view I wouldn't bother as I need a consistent connection but I'd imagine there may not be a necessity for someone to pay for broadband access in some locations

What are AAM users thoughts?

[email protected]

 

[Capaill]

Re: Using other peoples broadband

Stuart

There have been cases in the UK and the US where people have been charged, fined and in one case jailed for using other people's broadband.

Just because someone leaves their broadband unsecure does not allow you to use it, likewise if someone leaves their car unlocked with the keys in the ignition you break the law when you take it.

There was a discussion about this in another thread recently. See http://www.askaboutmoney.com/showthread.php?t=13849

Also view the following if you are interested in securing your own wireless network when you get it.

An online tutorial, [broken link removed], on how to secure your wireless network with video tutorials as to how to configure routers from Linksys, Netgear and Apple.

Also another online video tutorial with a series of video guides to securing your computeras to how to protect your PC.

C

 

[ClubMan]

Re: Using other peoples broadband

I was able to connect but quickly disconnected for fear of being attached to a unsecured network, virus issues, etc

This should not be an issue if you run a desktop firewall and the usual complement of security tools (virus checkers, malware checkers, a decent browser etc.) which is advisable on most PCs but especially laptops with wireless access.

I assume this must be extremely poor practice for such a business
But is it prevalent?

What? Having an open wireless hotspot? Many business/cafés deliberately provide such services to customers (and anybody else in "ear" shot).

I have been able to connect to broadband (through other peoples connections) in a lot more places than I would have expected

Again perhaps they were deliberately left open. On the other hand I'm sure that many users inadvertently leave their wireless access points unsecured/open without even knowing.

I am not advocating doing it and from my point of view I wouldn't bother as I need a consistent connection but I'd imagine there may not be a necessity for someone to pay for broadband access in some locations

What are AAM users thoughts?

In some jurisdictions using somebody else's broadband connection without permission (even if they have not secured their wireless access to it) is tantamount to breaking and entering or is otherwise illegal. I'm not sure what the legal status is here in Ireland.

Post crossed with Capaill's.

 

[extopia]

Re: Using other peoples broadband

If the internet cafe is stupid enough to run an open network (assuming their main business is charging for access) I doubt if they'd be smart enough to prosecute anyone using it.

Perhaps you are talking about a cafe that provides internet access free of charge to customers? In that case I doubt if they'd have a problem with you using it.

 

[Goldman]

Re: Using other peoples broadband

can two independent houses viably work off the same broadband connection so -?or would that also be illegal?

 

[ClubMan]

Re: Using other peoples broadband

Presumably it's OK if the two agree to share the connection. It probably also depends on the terms & conditions of the ISP's broadband agreement. Some of them may restrict access to users within the same household/address. In practice, unless this is enforced using the technology (e.g. WEP, WPA, MAC address filtering etc.), it's meaningless. I know of some people who (deliberately) share their broadband via wireless to their neighbours. I also know of many who do so accidentally!

 

[extopia]

Re: Using other peoples broadband

Was just visiting my brother's house recently in the US - he can pick up FIVE wireless networks (and it's not an apartment!) One of them is his own. Only one of them is a closed network.

 

[deem]

Re: Using other peoples broadband

I think as mentioned it happens everywhere. I was in a cafe in a shopping centre and connected to internet by accident on my pda. My brother set it up to connect to my computer at home.. I had no idea what was going on, I thought for a second that the wireless connection worked from further away than inside the house. Sense prevailed and i turned it off. But the thread has explained it to me now.

 

[stuart]

Re: Using other peoples broadband

Just because someone leaves their broadband unsecure does not allow you to use it, likewise if someone leaves their car unlocked with the keys in the ignition you break the law when you take it.

I know that is why I said I would not advocate doing it in my original post

Perhaps you are talking about a cafe that provides internet access free of charge to customers? In that case I doubt if they'd have a problem with you using it

No it is an pay for use internet-cafe that charges for use of their computers

 

[ClubMan]

Was just visiting my brother's house recently in the US - he can pick up FIVE wireless networks (and it's not an apartment!) One of them is his own. Only one of them is a closed network.

He should make sure to configure his own on a channel that doesn't clash (as far as possible) with the others so in order to avoid degradation in speed/qualify of his wireless LAN. In 802.11b/g this usually means choosing one of the so called "non-overlapping" channels 1, 6 or 11 - whichever is free of relatively clear, if any! - to minimise interference from other wireless LANs. It also makes sense to tune to a channel that does not clash with other 2.4GHz devices (e.g. microwave - if used a lot, certain cordless phones, baby monitors, A/V signal senders etc.) to avoid interference. NetStumbler is useful for checking what wireless LANs are available and what channel they're on etc. in the vicinity of a wireless enabled computer. Ethereal is good for packet sniffing with certain wireless card chipsets.

 

[Technologist]

Re: Using other peoples broadband

This should not be an issue if you run a desktop firewall and the usual complement of security tools (virus checkers, malware checkers, a decent browser etc.) which is advisable on most PCs but especially laptops with wireless access.

What if the unsecured WLAN is a 'honeypot'? The owner or somebody else could be capturing unencrypted information (IDs, passwords) being sent over the WLAN.

 

[ClubMan]

Sensitive information such as passwords, credit card details, private communications etc. should only ever be sent over links using appropriate end to end application layer security (e.g. HTTPS/SSL for web transactions, SSH for others, public key encrypted data for other info etc.)

 

[Capaill]

Re: Using other peoples broadband

If the internet cafe is stupid enough to run an open network (assuming their main business is charging for access) I doubt if they'd be smart enough to prosecute anyone using it.

Not trying to be pedantic, but it is the DPP that prosecutes crime, although the crime has to be reported first.

In some cases of criminal prosecution of people piggybacking other peoples wireless networks, the victim was not the one to report the crime. In one case in the US, the person prosecuted was discovered by a passing police patrol car.

C

 

[michaelm]

Re: Using other peoples broadband

. . In one case in the US, the person prosecuted was discovered by a passing police patrol car.

In the US a burglar can sue a home owner for hearing loss if the house alarm is too loud. If someone in Ireland is prosecuted for piggybacking on wireless ADSL I'll eat my hat (while driving blind drunk the wrong way on a dual-carriageway with a sub-machine gun in one hand and a mobile phone in the other).