Comments on: Piggy Backing On My Neighbor’s Wi-Fi Connection To Get Free Wireless Internet http://www.moneybluebook.com/piggy-backing-on-my-neighbors-wi-fi-connection-to-get-free-wireless-internet/ Personal Finance Beyond Credit Cards and Balance Transfers Tue, 16 Mar 2010 21:27:08 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9.2 hourly 1 By: JASON http://www.moneybluebook.com/piggy-backing-on-my-neighbors-wi-fi-connection-to-get-free-wireless-internet/comment-page-2/#comment-150616 JASON Sat, 13 Mar 2010 15:27:17 +0000 http://www.moneybluebook.com/piggy-backing-on-my-neighbors-wi-fi-connection-to-get-free-wireless-internet/#comment-150616 STEALING WI-FI IS NOT ONE OF THE SEVEN DEADLIEST SINS STEALING WI-FI IS NOT ONE OF THE SEVEN DEADLIEST SINS

]]> By: Alec http://www.moneybluebook.com/piggy-backing-on-my-neighbors-wi-fi-connection-to-get-free-wireless-internet/comment-page-2/#comment-148084 Alec Tue, 09 Mar 2010 14:11:49 +0000 http://www.moneybluebook.com/piggy-backing-on-my-neighbors-wi-fi-connection-to-get-free-wireless-internet/#comment-148084 Diane, it all depends on the router. Unlike my old router (it died), my new one allows me to access an activity log that's pretty thorough. It lists all login attempts by the MAC number of the computer making the attempt and how long the computer was connected to the router. When I first got my new router, a couple of people with "unknown" MAC numbers attempted to log in but were denied access (I have WPA2 encryption). Since then, only computers I "allow" access to have connected. It's probably not a big deal in my neighborhood. But it's better to be safe than sorry. The last thing I'd want is some jerk downloading kiddie porn from a "sting" site and having the FBI knocking on "my" door. Diane, it all depends on the router. Unlike my old router (it died), my new one allows me to access an activity log that’s pretty thorough. It lists all login attempts by the MAC number of the computer making the attempt and how long the computer was connected to the router. When I first got my new router, a couple of people with “unknown” MAC numbers attempted to log in but were denied access (I have WPA2 encryption). Since then, only computers I “allow” access to have connected.

It’s probably not a big deal in my neighborhood. But it’s better to be safe than sorry. The last thing I’d want is some jerk downloading kiddie porn from a “sting” site and having the FBI knocking on “my” door.

]]> By: Diane http://www.moneybluebook.com/piggy-backing-on-my-neighbors-wi-fi-connection-to-get-free-wireless-internet/comment-page-2/#comment-147671 Diane Mon, 08 Mar 2010 17:54:37 +0000 http://www.moneybluebook.com/piggy-backing-on-my-neighbors-wi-fi-connection-to-get-free-wireless-internet/#comment-147671 I don't see how anyone can tell who is using their wi-fi. I certainly can't tell if someone's on with me. And .... if someone can't figure out how to secure their connection (I can't seem to get on anymore once I secure it), then I'm sure they (me) can't tell if someone is using their connection. You probably have to be a hacker yourself in order to figure that one out. :/ I don’t see how anyone can tell who is using their wi-fi. I certainly can’t tell if someone’s on with me. And …. if someone can’t figure out how to secure their connection (I can’t seem to get on anymore once I secure it), then I’m sure they (me) can’t tell if someone is using their connection. You probably have to be a hacker yourself in order to figure that one out. :/

]]> By: Alec http://www.moneybluebook.com/piggy-backing-on-my-neighbors-wi-fi-connection-to-get-free-wireless-internet/comment-page-2/#comment-147109 Alec Sun, 07 Mar 2010 21:37:13 +0000 http://www.moneybluebook.com/piggy-backing-on-my-neighbors-wi-fi-connection-to-get-free-wireless-internet/#comment-147109 Raven, Your ISP has nothing to do with it ... unless you're talking about "WiMAX" security vs. "WiFi" security. If you have full wireless internet through a WiMAX provider (like I do through Clear.com), there are no security issues to worry about. The WiMAX tower modem sends out a signal that's "addressable" by the provider ... and each tower modem has it's own identifier. Now, if you're talking about WiFi, it's the router manufacturer (not an ISP) that must tell you how to set up security for the wireless router device. Raven,

Your ISP has nothing to do with it … unless you’re talking about “WiMAX” security vs. “WiFi” security. If you have full wireless internet through a WiMAX provider (like I do through Clear.com), there are no security issues to worry about. The WiMAX tower modem sends out a signal that’s “addressable” by the provider … and each tower modem has it’s own identifier.

Now, if you’re talking about WiFi, it’s the router manufacturer (not an ISP) that must tell you how to set up security for the wireless router device.

]]> By: Raven http://www.moneybluebook.com/piggy-backing-on-my-neighbors-wi-fi-connection-to-get-free-wireless-internet/comment-page-2/#comment-146470 Raven Sun, 07 Mar 2010 01:23:11 +0000 http://www.moneybluebook.com/piggy-backing-on-my-neighbors-wi-fi-connection-to-get-free-wireless-internet/#comment-146470 I read your bragging about using other peoples' wifi connections and that you say people should be more careful about protecting thier wireless access etc and I happen to be a person who WANTS to protect their wireless access and my ISP refuses to tell me how! I've asked them a lot of times and they won't. Then I wrtite to forums and people act like I'M being stupid for not protecting my access and I tell them I can't because my ISP won't tell me how and they don't believe me. Not only am I being used as a server and paying extraordinary amounts extra because other people hog our bandwidth, they do every kind of mean thing to us imaginable and unimaginable! No one will help us with it. What can I do besides cry? If you think I'm lying or Im making this up for attention, I've got lots and lots of proof that other people are using our access. I'll be happy to send you copies of all of it! Here are my details. Call me, because any emails I am sent in these matters gets blocked. Raven Sarver , 406 482 9020. Anytime! Having been enlightened that not everyone who doesn't protect their access is stupid, I hope you will see this kind of thing in a different light... I read your bragging about using other peoples’ wifi connections and that you say people should be more careful about protecting thier wireless access etc and I happen to be a person who WANTS to protect their wireless access and my ISP refuses to tell me how!

I’ve asked them a lot of times and they won’t. Then I wrtite to forums and people act like I’M being stupid for not protecting my access and I tell them I can’t because my ISP won’t tell me how and they don’t believe me. Not only am I being used as a server and paying extraordinary amounts extra because other people hog our bandwidth, they do every kind of mean thing to us imaginable and unimaginable!

No one will help us with it. What can I do besides cry?

If you think I’m lying or Im making this up for attention, I’ve got lots and lots of proof that other people are using our access. I’ll be happy to send you copies of all of it!

Here are my details. Call me, because any emails I am sent in these matters gets blocked. Raven Sarver , 406 482 9020. Anytime!

Having been enlightened that not everyone who doesn’t protect their access is stupid, I hope you will see this kind of thing in a different light…

]]> By: daanna http://www.moneybluebook.com/piggy-backing-on-my-neighbors-wi-fi-connection-to-get-free-wireless-internet/comment-page-2/#comment-128509 daanna Wed, 27 Jan 2010 06:03:22 +0000 http://www.moneybluebook.com/piggy-backing-on-my-neighbors-wi-fi-connection-to-get-free-wireless-internet/#comment-128509 I don't mind, I have netgear but I live in a rural area and unfortunately I have a limit on my download and upload. So, If i use these futures to much my server starts to slow down. NOw, I wouldn't expect someone to know that. That is why I have it locked. Otherwise, I wouldn't mind sharing. I don’t mind, I have netgear but I live in a rural area and unfortunately I have a limit on my download and upload. So, If i use these futures to much my server starts to slow down. NOw, I wouldn’t expect someone to know that. That is why I have it locked. Otherwise, I wouldn’t mind sharing.

]]> By: Piggy http://www.moneybluebook.com/piggy-backing-on-my-neighbors-wi-fi-connection-to-get-free-wireless-internet/comment-page-2/#comment-123942 Piggy Sun, 10 Jan 2010 03:21:26 +0000 http://www.moneybluebook.com/piggy-backing-on-my-neighbors-wi-fi-connection-to-get-free-wireless-internet/#comment-123942 I have NO PROBLEM with an open DSL connection My netgear - is open ALL the time. Folks park outside, underneath the shade of the trees....and the little light goes,blink, Blink, BLINK. I pay for a 24 7 connection,,,it is PAID FOR... My use is about 20 minutes a day...who would not want to share? Somehow, a backdoor twitch in my annus ...indicates that ATT or VERIZON moles starts threads with sort of "non sharing" BS. I have NO PROBLEM with an open DSL connection

My netgear – is open ALL the time.

Folks park outside, underneath the shade of the trees….and the little light goes,blink, Blink, BLINK.

I pay for a 24 7 connection,,,it is PAID FOR… My use is about 20 minutes a day…who would not want to share?

Somehow, a backdoor twitch in my annus …indicates that ATT or VERIZON moles starts threads with sort of “non sharing” BS.

]]> By: hex http://www.moneybluebook.com/piggy-backing-on-my-neighbors-wi-fi-connection-to-get-free-wireless-internet/comment-page-2/#comment-123274 hex Wed, 06 Jan 2010 11:05:54 +0000 http://www.moneybluebook.com/piggy-backing-on-my-neighbors-wi-fi-connection-to-get-free-wireless-internet/#comment-123274 I was thinking about upgrading my neighbors router so I could leech better. http://lifehacker.com/178132/hack-attack-turn-your-60-router-into-a-600-router But I'm not going to. I was thinking about upgrading my neighbors router so I could leech better.
http://lifehacker.com/178132/hack-attack-turn-your-60-router-into-a-600-router
But I’m not going to.

]]> By: Alec http://www.moneybluebook.com/piggy-backing-on-my-neighbors-wi-fi-connection-to-get-free-wireless-internet/comment-page-2/#comment-121302 Alec Thu, 31 Dec 2009 12:15:10 +0000 http://www.moneybluebook.com/piggy-backing-on-my-neighbors-wi-fi-connection-to-get-free-wireless-internet/#comment-121302 There's a new dimension to the piggybacking scenario. For police, it used to be easy to catch (if they wanted to) piggybackers simply by observing persons parked by curbs in neighborhoods (or in parking lots) using laptops in their cars. But, it's not so easy anymore. In my area, at least 4 different wireless providers are providing 3G or 4G connections via USB modems - and some even sell WiMAX-ready laptops that don't even need a USB modem (it's internal). In short, persons parked by a curb or in a parking lot and using a laptop could be law-abiding citizens using WiMAX connections they're paying for. And, it would probably not take too many incidents of police confronting law-abiding citizens before the practice of confronting persons in cars became "problematic." There’s a new dimension to the piggybacking scenario. For police, it used to be easy to catch (if they wanted to) piggybackers simply by observing persons parked by curbs in neighborhoods (or in parking lots) using laptops in their cars. But, it’s not so easy anymore. In my area, at least 4 different wireless providers are providing 3G or 4G connections via USB modems – and some even sell WiMAX-ready laptops that don’t even need a USB modem (it’s internal). In short, persons parked by a curb or in a parking lot and using a laptop could be law-abiding citizens using WiMAX connections they’re paying for. And, it would probably not take too many incidents of police confronting law-abiding citizens before the practice of confronting persons in cars became “problematic.”

]]> By: Alec http://www.moneybluebook.com/piggy-backing-on-my-neighbors-wi-fi-connection-to-get-free-wireless-internet/comment-page-2/#comment-116284 Alec Thu, 10 Dec 2009 22:43:30 +0000 http://www.moneybluebook.com/piggy-backing-on-my-neighbors-wi-fi-connection-to-get-free-wireless-internet/#comment-116284 Three Sigma, Yes - and with a bibliography including 41 references, the Wikipedia article is probably as good as it gets - and is written in language any lay-person could understand. Question ... are you aware of "any" U.S. Supreme Court ruling that addresses the legality of piggybacking - or are Supreme Court decisions relative to WIFI limited to patent arguments and such? Three Sigma,

Yes – and with a bibliography including 41 references, the Wikipedia article is probably as good as it gets – and is written in language any lay-person could understand.

Question … are you aware of “any” U.S. Supreme Court ruling that addresses the legality of piggybacking – or are Supreme Court decisions relative to WIFI limited to patent arguments and such?

]]> By: Three Sigma http://www.moneybluebook.com/piggy-backing-on-my-neighbors-wi-fi-connection-to-get-free-wireless-internet/comment-page-2/#comment-116248 Three Sigma Thu, 10 Dec 2009 20:15:44 +0000 http://www.moneybluebook.com/piggy-backing-on-my-neighbors-wi-fi-connection-to-get-free-wireless-internet/#comment-116248 This is a very good article and I wholeheately agree. It is well-written, balanced, and I suspect the author is an attorney. Those who disgree should read it carefully. As an attorney myself, and after reading all of the ridiculous comments about "theft", I now know why laymen aren't allowed to practice law. Unfortunately, subtleties of language, human motives, and legalities are simply beyond most people with a "black/white" mentality. This is a very good article and I wholeheately agree. It is well-written, balanced, and I suspect the author is an attorney. Those who disgree should read it carefully.

As an attorney myself, and after reading all of the ridiculous comments about “theft”, I now know why laymen aren’t allowed to practice law. Unfortunately, subtleties of language, human motives, and legalities are simply beyond most people with a “black/white” mentality.

]]> By: Alec http://www.moneybluebook.com/piggy-backing-on-my-neighbors-wi-fi-connection-to-get-free-wireless-internet/comment-page-2/#comment-116121 Alec Thu, 10 Dec 2009 07:57:21 +0000 http://www.moneybluebook.com/piggy-backing-on-my-neighbors-wi-fi-connection-to-get-free-wireless-internet/#comment-116121 http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Legality_of_piggybacking (FYI) http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Legality_of_piggybacking (FYI)

]]> By: Alec http://www.moneybluebook.com/piggy-backing-on-my-neighbors-wi-fi-connection-to-get-free-wireless-internet/comment-page-2/#comment-116119 Alec Thu, 10 Dec 2009 07:48:54 +0000 http://www.moneybluebook.com/piggy-backing-on-my-neighbors-wi-fi-connection-to-get-free-wireless-internet/#comment-116119 Meppergan Fortas, Could you please cite the specific Supreme Court ruling you mentioned? In a brief check of recent Supreme Court rulings affecting WIFI, the only rulings I've been able to find deal with patent claims. Meppergan Fortas,

Could you please cite the specific Supreme Court ruling you mentioned? In a brief check of recent Supreme Court rulings affecting WIFI, the only rulings I’ve been able to find deal with patent claims.

]]> By: peter http://www.moneybluebook.com/piggy-backing-on-my-neighbors-wi-fi-connection-to-get-free-wireless-internet/comment-page-2/#comment-116053 peter Thu, 10 Dec 2009 00:30:09 +0000 http://www.moneybluebook.com/piggy-backing-on-my-neighbors-wi-fi-connection-to-get-free-wireless-internet/#comment-116053 "Meppergan Fortas Says: December 9th, 2009 at 11:28 am Bottom line for me is that the Supreme Court has ruled that open, non-encrypted wireless signals are free game for anyone who wants to use them. Enough said. Do what you want individually–don’t let those with higher [public] morals dissuade you from clamping on to some free WiFi." HERE,HERE!!!! THATS THE BEST POST SO FAR.NONE MORE EVEN NEEDED. THANK YOU SO MUCH. also i wanna say that i leave my router open and i see 2 folks who use it all the time. i use to piggyback and now im blessed with my own system. FREE ONLINE FOR ALL,ESPECIALLY WHEN MY DAUGHTERS HOMEWORK REQUIRES HER TO GO ONLINE!!!! oh yeah and healthcare please. LOL! “Meppergan Fortas Says:

December 9th, 2009 at 11:28 am
Bottom line for me is that the Supreme Court has ruled that open, non-encrypted wireless signals are free game for anyone who wants to use them.

Enough said. Do what you want individually–don’t let those with higher [public] morals dissuade you from clamping on to some free WiFi.”

HERE,HERE!!!! THATS THE BEST POST SO FAR.NONE MORE EVEN NEEDED.

THANK YOU SO MUCH.

also i wanna say that i leave my router open and i see 2 folks who use it all the time.
i use to piggyback and now im blessed with my own system.

FREE ONLINE FOR ALL,ESPECIALLY WHEN MY DAUGHTERS HOMEWORK REQUIRES HER TO GO ONLINE!!!! oh yeah and healthcare please. LOL!

]]> By: Meppergan Fortas http://www.moneybluebook.com/piggy-backing-on-my-neighbors-wi-fi-connection-to-get-free-wireless-internet/comment-page-2/#comment-115972 Meppergan Fortas Wed, 09 Dec 2009 15:28:56 +0000 http://www.moneybluebook.com/piggy-backing-on-my-neighbors-wi-fi-connection-to-get-free-wireless-internet/#comment-115972 Bottom line for me is that the Supreme Court has ruled that open, non-encrypted wireless signals are free game for anyone who wants to use them. Enough said. Do what you want individually--don't let those with higher [public] morals dissuade you from clamping on to some free WiFi. Bottom line for me is that the Supreme Court has ruled that open, non-encrypted wireless signals are free game for anyone who wants to use them.

Enough said. Do what you want individually–don’t let those with higher [public] morals dissuade you from clamping on to some free WiFi.

]]>