 AlpinePremium join:2000-01-11 Atlanta, GA 1 edit | Classy... Ahhh, those crazy bandwidth vampires - really classy people.
Adam | |
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 |  Romney2012Defeat Obama 2012-Chg we can believe inPremium join:2002-03-03 USA kudos:4 | Re: Classy...
said by Alpine:Ahhh, those crazy bandwidth vampires - really classy people. Adam And now we get to hear from all the people defending this because they were too dumb to lock down their connection. As if having a stupid victim somehow justifies their being victimized. The neighbors are scum and they have no defense. -- -- Join Red Room Forum BLOG tkjunkmail.blogspot.com My Web Page | |
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 |  |  hopeflickerCapitalism breeds greedPremium join:2003-04-03 Long Beach, CA kudos:1 | Re: Classy... said by Romney2012:said by Alpine:Ahhh, those crazy bandwidth vampires - really classy people. Adam The neighbors are scum and they have no defense. Now that's being a bit harsh. | |
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 |  |  |  | | Re: Classy... Ya think?
I'm stealing TkJunkmail's signal right now to read Howard Zinn speeches. | |
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 |  |  |  |  hopeflickerCapitalism breeds greedPremium join:2003-04-03 Long Beach, CA kudos:1 | Re: Classy... said by Minister:Ya think? I'm stealing TkJunkmail's signal right now to read Howard Zinn speeches. And i suppose that TkJunkmail would classify pedophiles and rapists as "scum" too.  | |
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 |  |  |  |  |  | | Re: Classy... There is no distiction on anybodies SSID that "announces" if the owner intends this to be public, or if he/she is to stupid to encrypt access. Furthermore, I suggest that since I pick up somebody elses network in MY house, they in fact are trespassing and deserve what they get!
Steven Seagal & Linda Tripp in 2008 | |
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 |  |  |  |  |  |  envoid join:2002-12-21 Duluth, GA | Re: Classy... said by kdandaoc:Furthermore, I suggest that since I pick up somebody elses network in MY house, they in fact are trespassing and deserve what they get! then you are trespassing with your signal to their router/AP... remember, it's a two-way transmission. | |
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 |  |  |  |  |  |  |  calvoiper join:2003-03-31 Belvedere Tiburon, CA | Re: Classy... Yeah, yeah....
This is like an apartment building complaining about people standing under their port-cochere when it rains. Without "No Trespassing" signs posted, even if there is enforcement action by authorities there won't be convictions.
Saying that people should be able to leave WiFi hotspots open without anyone using them is like saying I should be able to walk any street in America alone and unarmed at 2:00 am. Nice concept, perhaps, but far from reality.
People need to learn that government can't protect you from everything.
calvoiper -- VoIP--the death knell of remaining voice monopolies! | |
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 |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  PDXPLT join:2003-12-04 Banks, OR | The article ignored one thing ... There have been people arrested for this type of thing for "unauthorized access to a computer system". The article didn't mention this aspect at all; 'kinda treated using your neighbors' wireless access as something cutesy, like taking the morning newspaper sometimes from their driveway.
I don't know how those arrests ended up, but at least in some locales, the officials don't take them lightly. | |
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 |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  calvoiper join:2003-03-31 Belvedere Tiburon, CA | Re: The article ignored one thing ... Yeah, yeah, twice over.
I've seen the story about two guys being arrested for using an unsecured WiFi hotspot at a "big box" retailer in Minneapolis or someplace about 35 times.
What everybody forgets to mention is that the reason they were pursued, apprehended, and charged was that they used the access they got to hack the financial transaction systems of the retailer and stole using that method. The "unauthorized access" charges were just gravy added to the mix--but sensationalistic media hypers ignore or obscure that aspect.
To further the analogy--somebody probably has been charged for trespass for borrowing the porte-cochere of a building as shelter--but only in the context of some greater crime they committed there, like vandalism, robbery, burglary, or theft.
calvoiper -- VoIP--the death knell of remaining voice monopolies! | |
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 |  |  |  |  |  |  marigoldsGainfully employed, finallyPremium,MVM join:2002-05-13 Saint Louis, MO kudos:1 | said by kdandaoc:I pick up somebody elses network in MY house, they in fact are trespassing and deserve what they get! You can pick up satellite broadband signals in your house too. Heck, you can pick up signals from satellite television too. And they are all radio signals! Try accessing both of those without express permission and see where that gets you.... -- ISCABBS - the oldest and largest BBS on the Internet telnet://whip.isca.uiowa.edu Professional Geographer Geographic Information Science researcher | |
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 |  |  |  |  |  | | Glug glug glug glug, I also am gulping all the bandwidth my neighbors dont use p2ping to the tune of 25gigs a day. I have a cantenna direct from compusa pointing out every upstair window. Its so cool and the anonimity is awesome. If the **aa's bust down doors for p2ping content, it wont be mine and I may even be able to watch. Woo Hoo. But in all seriousness, the odds are very low of that ever happening. I can also monitor the broadband usage via the router logs and I am amazed at how little my neighbors actually use their connection. I am sure some households use it a lot but all my neighbors use it on average 1 hour a day. I am happy to keep it warm for them the other 23. And security? I have it all secured for them and even changed the passwords so rifraf wont butt in on our usage. I just love the wireless age. | |
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 |  |  |  |  |  |  | | Re: Classy... How mice of you. | |
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 |  |  |  |  |  |  | | I'm not impressed. You should have made your own cantennas. | |
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 |  |  |  |  |  |  ROCINANTEOriginal Member 007Premium join:1999-06-29 Hartsdale, NY | The odds will rise tomorrow after you are reported. -- CRUNCH THIS! | |
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 |  |  |  |  |  |  Jon GebWal-Mart Sucks join:2001-01-09 Howell, MI 1 edit | I changed a password too on an unsecured router so it couldnt be messed with. I have since stoped using it though and changed it back... There were like 25 people leeching on it. | |
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 |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | | Re: Classy... So anonymous and Jon here think that changing the web admin password is securing the setup, lol. Anonymous is saying that his neighbors are condoning his action because he has changed their web admin passwords (they let them). I think if you discussed with your neighbors that some may actually say no to it. I don't think he secured the APs and provided the new encryption keys/SSIDs to them | |
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 |  |  |  |  |  |  |  Jon GebWal-Mart Sucks join:2001-01-09 Howell, MI | The AP wasnt secured, I just didnt want someone changing settings and crashing the AP. My method was 99% harmless considering everything was set to default signaling that the end user has no idea what they are doing. | |
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 |  |  TamaraBQuestion The Current ParadigmPremium join:2000-11-08 Da Bronx Reviews:
·Optimum Online
·Clearwire Wireless
| said by Romney2012:[And now we get to hear from all the people defending this because they were too dumb to lock down their connection.... How can you tell if it is "stupidity" or simply being "allowed"? There are MANY free and open WiFi hot-spots, which are open intentionally.
Bob
-- Motor Vessel - Tamara B. 43' Long-Range Trawler Cape Elizebeth ME. See her Here. | |
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 |  |  |  John GaltForward, MarchPremium join:2004-09-30 Happy Camp kudos:3 | Re: Classy... said by TamaraB:How can you tell if it is "stupidity" or simply being "allowed"? There are MANY free and open WiFi hot-spots, which are open intentionally. I have an AP at 40 feet that runs at the full legal power into an omni. Let's just say that it goes for miles (trees and such notwithstanding).
I have the AP connected to a DMZ port on my router. P2P is locked out, as are a few other things, and the speed is throttled to a reasonable value, but generally it is available for use in an unrestricted manner by anyone.
My provider does not care if I share my 8000/874 DSL line, I asked them specifically.
Have I noticed any slowdowns? Nope.
FreeFi in the 'hood.
 -- A is A | |
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 |  |  |  |  TamaraBQuestion The Current ParadigmPremium join:2000-11-08 Da Bronx Reviews:
·Optimum Online
·Clearwire Wireless
| Re: Classy...said by John Galt:...but generally it is available for use in an unrestricted manner by anyone.... So do I! I live on a Yacht. While at my home dock, where I have DSL, I keep my wireless router open. Many folks passing through appreciate the gesture, and I have made many friends this way. I have never observed "abuse", and if I ever do, it's a simple matter to disconnect the external abuser.
When I travel down the coast, there are FEW spots where I can't pick up an open connection; I am just returning the favor.
Bob
-- Motor Vessel - Tamara B. 43' Long-Range Trawler Cape Elizebeth ME. See her Here. | |
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 |  |  |  |  | | Hey John Galt, which Access point do you have btw, maybe I should get one like yours. | |
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 |  |  |  marigoldsGainfully employed, finallyPremium,MVM join:2002-05-13 Saint Louis, MO kudos:1 | said by TamaraB:How can you tell if it is "stupidity" or simply being "allowed"? There are MANY free and open WiFi hot-spots, which are open intentionally. If it's open intentionally, then it should be no problem to get explicit permission instead of implied permission. So how can you tell? Ask. -- ISCABBS - the oldest and largest BBS on the Internet telnet://whip.isca.uiowa.edu Professional Geographer Geographic Information Science researcher | |
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 |  |  |  |  TamaraBQuestion The Current ParadigmPremium join:2000-11-08 Da Bronx Reviews:
·Optimum Online
·Clearwire Wireless
| Re: Classy...said by marigolds:If it's open intentionally, then it should be no problem to get explicit permission instead of implied permission. So how can you tell? Ask. Normally, this is not possible. I advertise my ssid as the name of my boat "tamarab". On a relatively small dock, it's easy to find me physically. Usually this is not the case.
My transmission of ssid, along with ip/dhcp information and routing, constitutes my "explicit" (not implied) permission to use the connection; in the same way that putting on your turn signal in your car signals your intent to turn. I see nothing "implied" about it.
Bob
-- Motor Vessel - Tamara B. 43' Long-Range Trawler Cape Elizebeth ME. See her Here. | |
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 |  |  |  pnh102Reptiles Are Cuddly And PrettyPremium join:2002-05-02 Mount Airy, MD | Re: Classy... said by jsinaiko:It'll tell you about WEP or WPA or whatever. It's SO easy. If you can hook up a wireless router you can set the encryption. I've used MAC address filtering for years and haven't had any problem at all. I think when I get better with m0n0wall I might just put my wireless rig on a separate subnet altogether. -- Rove / Rumsfeld 2008! | |
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 |  |  bear73Metnav... Fly The Unfriendly SkiesPremium join:2001-06-09 Grand Forks Afb, ND | Well, when I purchased my last 2 WIFI routers (b,g) there was a quick setup guide that TOLD you that if you don't enable wireless security, others will be able to connectto your connection. It also walked you through setting up basic wireless security. -- If ya gotta go, Go with a SMILE! | |
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 |  |  | | When it comes to wifi that is blatantly open to everyone, yes, they should feel stupid. Don't get into something you don't understand first. Its as simple as that.
Now if that was said for say hacking a computer...no I wouldn't agree there. But just using an open network is not hacking. Most of the time you aren't even aware of where this connection is actually located.
The neighbors aren't scum. Matter of fact a lot of people who get laptops for the first time aren't even aware that they have wifi on them or what it does. When the internet "magically" is able to be used they simply just say oh well I'll continue to use this.
I'm sure the majority of people in larger cities know what they are doing, but there is a portion of people who don't know what wifi is let alone where it comes from.
The scum are those that would use others computer/network, etc. in order to carry out an attack on another system. So if you want to complain/attack/demonize another do against those that hack computers and cause damage to others. No, I am not implying that every 'hacker' is a malicious one, but I do believe the malicious ones should be dealt with. The term hacker has been smeared by these people and the media. Hacker used to be used for anyone who knew computers in and out. Now its used in a negative connotation. | |
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 |  a @qwest.net | "I didnt know whether to blame it on the Santa Ana winds or what, says Christine Brodeur, CEO of Socket Media, a marketing and public relations agency.
christine, ceo means chief executive officer which means i would be embarrased if i were you right about now. | |
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 |  |  RayWPremium join:2001-09-01 Layton, UT kudos:1 | Re: Classy... said by a :
CEO of Socket Media, a marketing and public relations agency. Uhhh...look at what she does for a living, then consider the TV and radio comercials that you see. Does it make more sense now? -- I am not lost, I find myself every time. | |
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 |  |  |  envoid join:2002-12-21 Duluth, GA | Re: Classy... said by RayW:said by a :
CEO of Socket Media, a marketing and public relations agency. Uhhh...look at what she does for a living, then consider the TV and radio comercials that you see. Does it make more sense now? Thought the exact same thing! Does this mean then you need to be an idiot to be a CEO if we follow this logic?  | |
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 |  |  |  |  RayWPremium join:2001-09-01 Layton, UT kudos:1 | Re: Classy... In certain fields anyway. Hmmm....Thinking of some of my upper management, you might be right. -- I am not lost, I find myself every time. | |
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 |  | | I love it. Some idiot spends $50 to $90 on a router, just to plug it in without reading the manual. I hope it fries... | |
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 PhylopPremium join:2002-11-17 Reston, VA | Yep. It really is amazing how unaware people are of their security. I can connect to 5 different unsecured wifi points from my apartment alone. | |
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 |  See 11 replies to this post |
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 richk_1957If ..Then..ElsePremium join:2001-04-11 Minas Tirith | Personally.. My wireless security set-up might not be the best, but when I know I'm not going to need it, I just disable wireless. It's that simple.
I know this isn't a solution to having a good wireless security setup. | |
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 |  See 7 replies to this post |
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 atuarreHere come the drumsPremium join:2004-02-14 College Station, TX | RE - Bandwidth Vampires I agree with another poster that said the neighbors are scum. Some people would likely say if you don't secure you wifi, then you get what you deserve, but we must remember that not everybody is as tech saavy as some of us, and just because you can do something, in this case, steal Wifi, doesn't mean that you should.
Stealing is stealing. | |
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 |  See 6 replies to this post |
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 | | But.... Pre-Configured Routers
What about routers that ISPs lock which prevent the user from intern locking them? | |
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 srobmw join:2005-10-01 New Windsor, NY | Vampires It's called freedom of the airwaves. Remember, the signal is being sent out beyond your property lines. No one is coming to your house and stealing it.
If you're savvy enough to use a wireless router, you should be savvy enough to secure it.
Nuff said. | |
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 |  | | Re: Vampires If you are using a pay service without paying for it, you are stealing. All the rest of the arguments justifying the action are just thieves flapping their gums.
I don't have a lock on my garbage can, but if you put something in it - even when it's sitting out on the public street - you've broken the law. It's called theft of service and every state and municipality in the country has laws against it. | |
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 |  |  srobmw join:2005-10-01 New Windsor, NY | Re: Vampires You are comparing apples and oranges. Airwaves are not personal property like your garbage cans. | |
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 |  |  | | Yes true, and many insurance companies also recognize the car OWNER as negligent and/or responsible if their car is stolen with the doors unlocked and the keys in it. It is still stealing, yes. BUT YOUR A PARTY TO THE THEFT if you are sitting their inviting it.
basically if you don't want people stealing your stuff (ie. your car, radio waves, lawn clippings, or empty garbage can space) you secure it. Ideology may tell us: its wrong to steal. Laws may tell me: this is stealing, and that is only borrowing.
BUT REALITY tells me lock my s**t up!
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 rradina join:2000-08-08 Chesterfield, MO 1 edit | Funny... People lock their cars, homes and lockers at the gym. I think this is just a case of ignorance. If folks knew, I think they would lock them down.
Why is it so difficult for the computing industry to make something drop-dead simple and safe? Broadband and networking should be more like an appliance.
Cable and DSL operators should include NAT firewalls in their devices or give the consumer a basic router/firewall with the modem.
Wireless manufacturers should make some kind of idiot-proof way to setup wireless clients. They could add a USB port on the AP and an extra LED. Insert any old thumb drive and when the AP's LED shines, the drive has been formatted and configured with the router's SSID and a randomized WPA key. When installing the WiFi client on a desktop/laptop, it asks you to insert the thumb drive and it automatically retrieves what it needs.
Granted -- some folks will want total control and there's nothing wrong with that but we'd all starve if using a stove required a "setup wizard" each time we bought a new piece of cookware.
Edit: Now that I think of it, perhaps I should patent that idea as the next diet craze... Perhaps that would fix America's weight problems! | |
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 1 edit | I do it A lot of people around here are paying $45 for Road Runner and barely use it. I know because much of the time their cable modem needs to be rebooted and they don't know it for days or even weeks. I'll log in to read the newsgroups or stuff like BBR, which uses virtually no bandwidth. | |
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 |  | | Re: I do it I know just what you mean. I know some people use the pss out of their connection but all my wireless neighbors use it at most an hour a day and some days their log shows they dont use it at all. I am so greatful to use it all the rest of the time via compusa cantennas pointed out my windows. I just love the wireless age and all this p2p goodness. And to express my greatfullness, I changed their passwords from default to keep the rifraf out of their router. I am such a good neighbor.  | |
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 | | Secuirty.. simple.. This is definetly a touchy subject.. My wife and I have had many discussions over it. To me... I'm of the same opinion as other people.. If you buy somthing learn how to use it. You bought a car... and you lock it.. why ? becuase you don't want someone to steal it or use it. You buy a house.. you lock it. for the same reasons.. and the list goes on. So.. when you buy a wi-fi enabled router.. secure it...
My wife takes the opinion of stealing is stealing. The intesting thing is. If I have ISP X and my neighbour has ISP X.. same service plans.. unlimited bandwidth. Am I really stealing ? I'm paying to use ISP X ? and I'm using it.. no matter which isp you get your not paying for bandwidth your paying for access... It's a never ending discussion..
That being said. the wi-fi manufactures could make it easier to enable some of the features of security.
In any case this topic will go on and on, who's right ? who knows.... | |
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 |  Tursiops_GTechnoidPremium,MVM join:2002-02-06 Norwalk, CT 1 edit | Re: Secuirty.. simple.. said by Dave Lewis:.... the wi-fi manufactures could make it easier to enable some of the features of security.... Some of them ARE now starting to do just that... For Example, Linksys' new "SecureEasySetup" Pushbutton function on their latest models... 
While it doesn't provide a True "Soup-to-Nuts" Lockdown of the system, it DOES provide a BASIC level of security, to help keep Joe Average Wi-Fi Leechers out... 
-Tursiops_G. -- If You're Unsure, "RTFM"... If You're SURE, "RTFM" Anyway.  | |
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 KompressorPremium join:2002-02-12 Huntington Beach, CA | RIAA I hope they don't get sued by the RIAA. | |
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 |  | | Re: RIAA said by Kompressor:I hope they don't get sued by the RIAA. Now you touched on one of the most dangerous aspect of having an unsecured WI-FI. People could be using your signal to distribute copyrighted music or to distribute chld prngrphy and YOU will be the one to get the bad wrap if the operation is discovered because it was being done using your IP! That is why I lock down my wireless network with passwords and encryptions so tough that it would even take NSA a million years to guess and crack respectively.  | |
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 |  KearnstdElf WizardPremium join:2002-01-22 Mullica Hill, NJ | also why even deliberate hotspots can be dangerous to run, and brings another question. should the pipe owner be able to be held responsable for what travels over it in the case of a hotspot operator. -- [65 Arcanist]Filan(High Elf) Zone: Broadband Reports | |
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 1 edit | Hmmmm Well I guess its ok to a point. You can pop on the network as long as you only go to legal web pages and read e-mail it won't be malicious. Don't try to get into the wired part of the network and you won't be malicious. But you can't be on 24/7 surfing the web and downloading because the owners of the router and modem want that connection for some reason. But if you pop on for five minutes look at BBR then leave that would be ok as long as its just one or two people doing it a day. Im saying this because my laptop connects to a secondary router sometimes and I use there connection and get Googles main page then I figure out its not my AP so I switch back. Should it be a major problem if I just got Google. The only time I knowingly connected to my neighbors AP was to diagnose a network problem on my side pop on ,1min of pings to my ip, problem fixed I should go thank my neighbor for his help.
Any time your at "Vampire" status should be punishable by law. But "BBR Leech" is to menial to cause to much damage if you do it responsibly. | |
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 RhobitePremium join:2002-02-24 Cambridge, MA | The Ethicist Randy Cohen, who writes the the New York Times' Ethicist column says "you may use but not overuse Wi-Fi hot spots you encounter". Mike Godwin of the EFF says "If you're driving around town and someone's left a node open and you pop on and use it just to download some e-mail, feel free". »journalism.berkeley.edu/projects···938.html
I agree. It's fine to hop on and check your e-mail.. if they wanted to secure their router, they would have put a password on it. Downloading files or using someone else's connection regularly probably indicates that you should pay for your own connection sometime. -- Jimmysquid.com - I take pictures. | |
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 japPremium join:2003-08-10 038xx | [rolls eyes] Headline should read:
Bandwidth Vampires If you buy a Wi-Fi router, learn to isolate your LAN & shape traffic, then map your location
Frikken fear-based society thinks everyone's out to do harm. Bah. | |
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 Vamp5c077Premium join:2003-01-28 MD kudos:1 | I'm a "Bandwidth Vampire"  | |
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 |  Defiance82Computer ElitePremium join:2002-09-11 Burlington, WI | Re: I'm a "Bandwidth Vampire" I use MAC Filtering for mine. You can use WEP/TKIP and so on. I have an old laptop that doesn't even support tkip only wep so we use the mac filter since the wep is messed up on it.. | |
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 jdir join:2001-05-04 Santa Clara, CA | Go ahead - I dare anyone to use my unprotect WIFI It's not wep encrypt, it's not secure, go ahead, I dare you to use my WIFI access point  | |
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 | | this can prove dangerous what if someone downloads child porn on your open wifi | |
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 FronkmanAn Apple a day keeps the doctor awayPremium join:2003-06-23 Saint Louis, MO | who is at fault ok, here is a new spin: maybe it isn't these people's fault. sure, it is easy to blame them for not "doing their homework" and understanding how WPA, MAC filtering, DMZ, port-forwarding, etc work.
But for once think of it this way: maybe it is the fault of the hardware companies for failing to make technology easy to use? -- Everyone should own a G4 cube or an iBook or the Mac mini! | |
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 |  | | Re: who is at fault How hard is it to log onto your router config page enable security pick a key and enter that key into all your machines. | |
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 |  |  | | Re: who is at fault said by grandpinaple:How hard is it to log onto your router config page enable security pick a key and enter that key into all your machines. Based on my experience, for most average users it becomes quite befuddling. | |
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 |  |  | | TIME TO PLAY:
"Whos fault is it"
a popular game amongst American lawyers. This is the BBR Forum version so we are without the normal playing field consisting of a lavish all wood panelling hollywood set, lots of suits, a stuffy black robe, bibles, bailiffs, etc and so forth.
The dilemma: I bought a brand new STIHL brand chainsaw. I figured i didn't have one so i probably needed one because i hear the guy in the apt below me has one. I didn't even know what it looked like until i got it out of the box. Now Ive accidentally cut off my wife head with it. Its time to play: WHO'S FAULT IS IT? every one at home in our voting audience, grab your buzzers, is it A: Stihl Inc for making this unsafe device. B: Stihl Inc. for not including "WARNING: you might cut your wife head off" notice. or C: My wife for standing there?
Hmmmm
The Airspace and the electromagnetic spectrum specifically the small bands that are utilized by wireless networking devices are theoretically governed (not owned) by the FCC. They have decreed you are responsible for what to transmit and or receive. It is illegal for me to RECEIVE cell phone conversations not intended for me whether they cross my property or not. It is illegal for me to TRANSMIT anything in the 20-20000 Hz range in most municipalities if it can be detected leaving my residence after 10 o'clock or my car at any time. We can easily define these legal violations of signal.
But what if my neighbor's music is enjoyable. Is it theft of services if i sit on my back porch and enjoy the soft melodies of Queensryche or Metallica serenely wafting in from the next door window. I didn't pay for those waves. I also didn't pay for the album. I guess that's not a service I'm stealing. ok what about the electricity it takes to power it. How about me working on my car using the light from the neighbors flood light that spills in to my back yard. Is that stealing. What if the flood light is motion sensitive, and, had I not been continuously setting it off, it would not have been on. Is it stealing then. What if it was a normal light but he never had it on so i quietly turned it on without his knowledge and used the light, is it stealing then? WHO CARES? Don't steal! that's the bottom line. You know if your stealing. they used to say if you have to hide it it's wrong. NOT TRUE. I masturbate. I hide it. Its not wrong. Stealing is wrong. If you abuse the common courtesy of others your a turd. The guy at work that eats three of the dozen doughnuts that were brought for everyone is a jerk, not a thief just not a very courteous person. The guy who takes the last six out to his car to take home and feed his pet savanna monitor named Ruprickt is a thief. unless he did so at the end of the day after everyone had all the doughnuts they wanted. But what if the janitor counted on those doughnuts to feed his grandmothers forty seven cats, otherwise they might eat the old lady while he is at work. then the first guy is sort of a thief, after all the janitor is no more entitled to those doughnuts than any body.
Ok now I've hopefully shown how much time we can waste arguing and not getting to Albuquerque. Lets agree on a few things. A. Stealing is wrong - we all do it from time to time. B. Downloading copyrighted material without....is stealing (refer to A) - many of us do it or have done it. C. If the purpose of your borrowing bandwidth is for B than your stealing. plain and simple. D. I have borrowed bandwidth. All the activities I did on such borrowed time were legal. I knew the neighbor but never told him. I have to live with that guilt for the rest of my life. I think i can handle it. E. If you have the resources to purchase and use technology, especially complicated radio transmitting equipment you have a responsibility to learn how to protect yourself and others from the many hidden dangers (or hire someone to do it) F. Lock your S**T up! G. Devil's Advocate: I had a neighbor who left his network unsecured and kind of waited like a Venus fly trap for unsuspecting leaches to connect, then slowly closed his sinister cyber-jaws on them. So to all my fellow leaches beware. AND Lastly, H. If you don't want to share your band width with the whole class, then keep it at home!
My network is not secure but I'm not complaining about being exploited. In fact I got the damn thing set up so wide open its like a flashing NEON sign saying OPEN, and it still took four hours for my friend to get his laptop to connect (I blame poor upbringing). If leaches become a problem than Ill turn on the MAC filter again. Until then I'm just returning the service to those who may be in the situation I was when i had to leach. But hey, if you don't want people to steal your 'precious' than you do something about it. I definitely don't want you telling me at what level my security should be set. Just like i don't want you telling me to put bars on my windows. If you wanna live in a jail go right ahead. In this country you are free to make your network so secure no-one could crack it. but you also have the right to STFU and let me operate at the level of security I feel comfortable with. Many people seem so preoccupied with finding the next thing to worry about and making sure we all stress about it. you can give yourself a coronary worrying, but don't give me one!
WOW did I type all that? OK I'll shut up now. | |
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 |  |  |  | | Re: who is at fault When I first set up my wireless network with my LinkSys router, I called their techs for some assistance getting our laptop connected to the secure system. The tech's answer? Unsecure it.
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