Latest responses to “Free WiFi: Is "Borrowing" Your Neighbors WiFi Wrong?” Copyright 2012, MoneyBlueBook.com 446410 2011-01-22T19:09:28-08:00 Robert H. I suppose No One has the knowledge that EVERY Cell Phone call you make is Open to anyone with a receiver that can catch it? Same with WiFi that is Not heavily secured; it is an Open Broadcast if not kept private in use. Phone Line companies had the same arguments when Cell started up. Illegal Usage they screamed. Now, over 69% of Amerians and most of the world uses open network cells that are Only protected by the Network coding of the company they pay for services. I only use a cell as the Government taped into all land lines before the 1960's were over. ALL Digital communications are open to Federal listening at all times in any case; encrypted or not. 446420 2010-12-06T19:50:13-08:00 Alec To the poster using "you flippen thieves" as a moniker. You really need to lighten up. You're so angry that you've misattributed certain posts - like your #12 above. That wasn't Raymond, it was me. But, you and I are "slightly" in agreement when you said, "Every body should have the security already enabled when they first get the system from the provider." From the beginning, I've said that manufacturers (or providers) of wireless routers must bear some of the blame for the current situation. Older routers (like my original DLink) didn't provide instructions for enabling security measures. They just provided the equipment in a box with an implied "just plug it in and go" instruction. Most modern day manufacturers are wiser than their predecessors were. However, I wouldn't go so far as to say that manufacturers/providers sell routers with security already enabled. Some people don't want to use the security ... even though they probably should. And I certainly wouldn't want to "mandate" how someone else runs their online life. It's their business, not mine. BTW, I'm piggybacking a LOT more than I used to. I discovered my public library offers free community WIFI to anyone within range ... with download speeds in excess of 18mbps and upload speeds in excess of 11mbps. This really comes in handy since I design and monitor 3 high-level media sites (legal sites) - and the library is 10 times faster (at least) than my own ISP. In addition, I use free WIFI provided at my local SUBWAY restaurant. I feel fortunate to live in a city that has been referred to as the most "WIFI-friendly" city on the west coast (Portland, Oregon). There are so many people willing to share their connections (mostly businesses) that I can't drive 10 blocks in any direction without finding a connection. 446390 2010-11-17T19:35:25-08:00 fl6stringer I'm recently laid-off and could not possibly afford internet service/s in my name. Problem is, I perform most of my bill paying and transactions online. My neighbor (and good friend of my little family) pays handsomely for unlimited internet. He emphatically offered me access through his wireless signal and I am unfathomably grateful for this. I made this fact clear to him though I feel I should maybe emphasize this more. If allowing signals to float freely around for any to receive was so absolutely illegal, would our routers not be manufactured and hardwired to be SECURE and thus disallow such access? Why would levels of selectable security even be an option if that were the case? Besides, if I had the resources, I would assist with his payments. I am confident that he is in agreement. A thief is a thief, no matter how you spin it. Many people see the opportunity and have innocent intentions. Many more people take this same opportunity to abuse and exploit, frequently crossing that "gray line" toward a grossly illegal and deviant nature of activity. This nation has been aimed toward greed for so long that almost all have lost their way. Whatever happened to living, loving, sharing? There is no need for analogy pertaining to this subject. If you don't want to share your signal, don't. The only ones who would be angry or hateful toward such a simple thing are those filled with ignorance.... and GREED. Let's go ahead and throw in ill-will. In a nutshell, I feel fine with myself. I am also very, very, thankful to my generous friend. Look around and see how few and far between a friend like mine is.... 446400 2010-11-03T15:37:06-07:00 Alec Linda - The only people who can help you secure a router are either the router manufacturer (if you bought one) or the router supplier (if leased from an ISP). Contact one of them with your concerns. Securing a router varies from one router to another as does the "degree" of security. My old DLink router had WPA encryption. My new LinkSys router has WPA2 (higher encryption). I understand your dilemma. There are too many people out there who are just finding out that steps even need to be taken. Router manufacturers used to be nothing more than sales entities. My DLink, for example, had absolutely NO instructions for enabling WPA encryption in the box when I bought it. I had to visit their website to find out how to do it. On the other hand, my LinkSys router had software in the box that "guided" an owner through the encryption enabling process. Some router manufacturers "care" about owner security. Others don't. So, try to find the website of the router manufacturer who made the router you use in your main home ... and contact Frontier.com for help with the modem/router in your 2nd home. Best of luck to you. 446380 2010-10-31T12:08:36-07:00 Linda Alec: I got carried away and made a few errors, sorry. When I ask for help, tell me what I need to do to secure my things. Also, I have a second home and just hooked with another provider (Frontier.com) and they told me the modem and router are all in the same box. Sounds like I may need to secure this as well. My neighor told me the other day that she thinks she seen my id on her laptop. We live out in the country and have been dying for dsl. I had satellite before which was slower. Despite a few wise cracks by some on this, I have read a world of things that opened my fuzzy head.Linda 446310 2010-10-31T12:01:24-07:00 Linda I never knew about piggybacking until just a few days ago. I was up late like 300AM working on ancestry. everyone went to bed and all the lights i n the house were on. I didn't notice so many were on, but anyway I stood out on the block I am certain. When I started turning off lights and my computer a car was parked out front of my house. When I looked out the front door, they turned around in my drive and left. This is probably what was happening, they were piggybacking my internet. I don't feel comfortable about this. I took so notes about securing your router. How do I do that I have secureity on my computer. It doesn't sound like this takes care of protecting your router. How do you set WPA or WPA2 or AES? How can you see at the top of your laptop a status thing in the corner? what does it look like? When I went on cable, they gave me a user id and password and told me to keep in a safe place lol, but when i found out I could carry my laptop in the other room, I used my normal msn.com, yahoo.com logins. I've neever used that user id and password. See how savy I am? l0l. I just thought it was if I was having trouble and the internet provider would ask me for it. I did notice there were sever internet names on my laptop one day when I took my computer out in my car to see if I could get into my service at home. I seen one or two familar public places ont here and wondered why tis was happening. I called the provider and they said not to worry, this would happen it would show those connections who are closeby. BUT I still want to make my stuff secure. Alec would you please help do what I have to do? thanks much. 446370 2010-09-11T13:07:08-07:00 Ken Stilson I suggest the neighbor stop bombarding my property with his R F.....you too Direct TV and Dish Network 446360 2010-09-04T02:22:33-07:00 Starr I see it as, if a person is smart enough to purchase and set up a wireless router in their home, as well as work the computer(s) attached, then they are definitely intelligent enough to secure their network from theft/sharing... But, for example, to show how easily they are targeted.. My laptop has a lil wi-fi button.. When I push it, it tries to automatically connect to anything possible.. I don't have to open any files or folders or anything. orange = off blue = on.. 1.. 2.. 3.. pow. internet. My 4 year old figured it out. Within 10 seconds, he can be on his fave toddler site. Learning, and playing off someone else's dime. Until these people take the time to read up on the products their buying, and set yourself up for no surprises! You will get none. Secure network means no extra fees, possible PATHETIC waste-of-the-court lawsuits, or downtime from your ISP. !!! Don't like being piggybacked, don't make it so easy a child can do it !!! 446320 2010-07-17T19:52:55-07:00 Tali One more thing-is it possible to hide yourself so that they can't tell you're on their network? I don't even know whose connection I'm on, so it's not as if I can ask them. 446330 2010-07-17T19:14:47-07:00 Tali Yup, I'm a "piggybacker" But I don't have too much of a choice-I'm too young to buy my own wireless But anyway- I'm never doing anything bad on it! Just light browsing and the occasional email- which is stongly limited because I'm terrified that they'll find me out. my best friend never forgets to remind me that its ILLEGAL and let me say it again- I don't have much of a choice. Hey-does anyone know if they can read my emails? Or know that I'm on their network? My take on it is that if they leave it unsecure-and don't mind- then it's okay. Oh, and to those neighbors that label their networks 'feel free' and stuff-you need to move next door to me ;)