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surfano63
join:2005-09-15
Springfield, VA

surfano63

Member

illegal to share broadband with neighbor?????

Hello,

question. I was wondering if anyone could tell me if its illegal to share your broadband connection with your neighbor?

Thanks

KoolMoe
Aw Man
Premium Member
join:2001-02-14
Annapolis, MD

KoolMoe

Premium Member

Completely depends on your provider's Terms of Service...but generally, yes, it's not legal.
Some companies work with you, however, to make it legal. SpeakEasy has a program where you can do such a thing - but you're expected to charge for it and they want a cut (rightfully so).
KM

bolt
End of the line DSL sucks.
Premium Member
join:2003-11-11
Charlestown, IN

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Actually, depending on where you live, it's probably not illegal, but it probably is against your TOS. Big difference between the two.
digital k
Premium Member
join:2003-12-25

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There would be no harm in say,sitting a wireless router in your window and letting your neighbor 'borrow' some signal in my opinion.
plattypus1
join:2005-04-08
Riverside, CA

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I don't believe that there's anywhere where such a system would be illegal, just as nobody would call it illegal to throw a Cat5 cable between two houses. As long as you authorize your neighbor to access your network, nobody could say he's in violation of any kind of computer tresspass law. However, your provider probably says in their ToS that you can't do such a thing, and if you're caught they're within their rights to disconnect you, or possibly upgrade you to a "business" plan.

Jet76
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join:2002-01-03

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I don't think it is illegal at all!

As long as the original neighbor pays for the service, the original and the sharing neighbor do not violate the TOC, I don't see how it could be illegal.

I can hook up as many ports as my router has, and the broadband provider will still see 1 IP. Not only that, how do they know where the cat5 cables are running? That is unless the illegally tresspas to verify where the cable is going, even then, how do they know what the cable is transferring?

My opinion.

Jet
plattypus1
join:2005-04-08
Riverside, CA

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There's no way for them to know, legally. However, in most cases it's a violation of the TOS.

From the Charter High Speed Internet AUP:
1. USE
The Service is designed for personal and family use within a single household... Customer agrees that only the Customer and co-residents living in the same household will use the Service. The term ‘single household’ means the Customer’s home and includes an apartment, condominium, flat or other residential unit that may be used as a residence in any multiple dwelling unit. Customer may not resell or distribute the Service outside Customer’s household. The Service is being provided solely for use in Customer’s household and any unauthorized access by a third party to e-mail, Internet access, or any other function of the Service relieves Charter of any affirmative obligations it may have, and is in violation of this Policy.

(Also, in some cases home networking outside of a provider's own networking products is a violation of said policy.)

Bernie Barfomatic
@sfldmidn.dynamic.cov

Bernie Barfomatic to surfano63

Anon

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I want to know why you would even want to do this?
Why doesn't your neighbor just get his own?
While you are being so generous, may I run an extension cord from your main panel to my house?
GhostDoggy
join:2005-05-11
Duluth, GA

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How is this any different than sharing cable/satellite television? Have you even read the Terms of Service and Acceptable Use Policy of your broadband provider?

I think you already knew the answer and is why you haven't bother to ask them directly.
topgun68
join:2003-05-08
Fort Wayne, IN

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said by surfano63:

Hello,

question. I was wondering if anyone could tell me if its illegal to share your broadband connection with your neighbor?

Thanks
I would tell your cheap neighbors to get their own connections. Unless its you that want your neighbors to share their connection. But either way, I wouldnt go for it.
Frohike7
Premium Member
join:2000-07-23
Waxahachie, TX

Frohike7

Premium Member

Its against the TOS like its been stated above.

But the ISP will never know. I DON'T share my connection with my neighbor, which happens to be my mother, even though I could since I have a wireless setup. It would be easy. I have a laptop that uses my connection from her house, so the signal is strong enough. The ISP has no idea how many PCs are using the connection. All they see is the modem and the router connected to it. Even if they could tell, they couldn't tell if the connections are in the same house or not.

But do it at your own risk. If you upset your neighbor though, all he has to do is call the ISP and let them what you have done to get back at you =).

marigolds
Gainfully employed, finally
MVM
join:2002-05-13
Saint Louis, MO

1 edit

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A few potential issues:
If you actually run a cable and it goes through the public right of way, then you could be in violation of local law governing the use of public right of ways for telecommunications.

If you sell the service or your neighbor chips in on the bill you could be in violation of state or local law regarding the resell of internet services.

If you are sharing a cable internet connection there is a remote chance you could be prosecuted under special theft of service provisions. If you share IPTV or VoIP as well, then you could definitely be prosecuted under such provisions.

Do not count an an ISPs inability to detect this too. They do have a right to inspect the public right of ways and can inspect the origin and destination of cabling in the right of ways up to the building, so they would be able to check your cat5 cables without trespassing as long as they do not enter the building itself. Depending on the state, they may even be allowed to monitor the traffic on the cable and cut the cable if it is not registered with state locating services.

For wireless retransmission, lots of telecom companies do driveoffs of their service areas looking for unaccounted for signals. If you are going to share with your neighbor, secure your system.
Frohike7
Premium Member
join:2000-07-23
Waxahachie, TX

Frohike7

Premium Member

Yep, if your going to share, wireless is the best way. ISPs can't detect who has access to it as long as it and your network is secure.

As long as they know, you have wireless for your laptop and other desktops in your own house. I do - I hate having all that cable in the house.

Carmin Guchinelli
@sfldmidn.dynamic.cov

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If it's for your Mom, then it is OK. She cooks you a lot of macaroni, Ecco Mario.