Free Wireless Network Access

Free Wireless Network Access

In my apartment building I'm running a wireless network. My
neighbors contribute monthly by donating money to run the service. In
the SSID of my wireless router I specify "donate paypal
(E-Mail Removed)". Anyone who wants to use the wireless connection
donates any amount of money they feel the connection is worth. On
average I find that people are will to donate $3 / month for a wireless
connection.

Cheers,

Bira Rai
(E-Mail Removed)

I think you are to be commended for doing this public service!! However
the "pay" part, even though you call it a "donation", could get you in
big trouble with the IRS if you don't report the income as such and
also with whomever is supplying your broadband access (DSL, Cable,
whatever) as there probably is a resale clause in the contract you
agreed to when you signed up.. And probably since you are being paid
(donated to) you also feel an obligation to help the folks with their
access once in a while, which is also commendable. But that help seals
your doom if you get crossways with the IRS or the Provider as it
"proves" you are providing a service for pay.

I don't want to tell you what to do one way or another, but if I were
you I would knock off on the monthly "donation" bit and maybe let them
give you a Xmas present or something then act as if they were just
"free loading" on your system so any help would be minor at best.
Don

Maybe you're right. Before i would just let people used the wireless
internet for free. I just wanted to see if people would be willing to
help out and pay. I always tell people if they want to promote the
used of the internet and do a public service don't security their
wireless networks.

When a person is at home at night they don't close the blinds because
they think that a person on the side is benenfiting from the light
coming out of their window. The same goes for wireless networks. I
hope people share their wireless connects.

Cheers,

Bira Rai

> In my apartment building I'm running a wireless network. My
> neighbors contribute monthly by donating money to run the service. In
> the SSID of my wireless router I specify "donate paypal
> (E-Mail Removed)". Anyone who wants to use the wireless connection
> donates any amount of money they feel the connection is worth. On
> average I find that people are will to donate $3 / month for a wireless
> connection.

Well, here is how I look at it.

I think that it is good for you to be accepting "donations" off your
internet service/network. It is probably against the contract between you
and your ISP in doing so, but you know what???? The hell with them! The
more somebody can screw these companies out of a few bucks and maybe you
make a little profit, the better it is. When the companies are screwing you
out of your money, it is all fine and dandy...........but the moment you do
it to them, it is a national disaster and you should be nailed to the cross
for it.

Same idea applies to these Record Label companies. Before the day of high
speed internet, MP3's, CD Burners and the like, when I wanted to have some
music I enjoyed, they ripped us off for the price of cassettes and
CD's.....they just sat back and laughed at us while some dumbass got rich.
Now with all the file sharing programs (limewire, kazaa, morpheus, etc.) my
purchasing of music has significantly decreased.........so now the RIAA says
we are ripping them off and launch all kids of lawsuits.

So, I guess my bottom line to it all is........good for you and say to your
ISP "How do you like those apples?"

K

> When a person is at home at night they don't close the blinds because
> they think that a person on the side is benenfiting from the light
> coming out of their window. The same goes for wireless networks. I

No but someone viewing kiddieporn pics in a magazine using the light
from my window isn't going to be an issue for me. On the other hand,
all the network traffic terminating at my connection could be.

Similarly, someone putting tons of junk mail in the nearby postbox isn't
my problem, spamming through my connection is.

I wonder, do you secure *all* your traffic somehow? If not, it's open
to sniffing.

David.

> more somebody can screw these companies out of a few bucks and maybe you
> make a little profit, the better it is. When the companies are screwing you
> out of your money, it is all fine and dandy...........but the moment you do

Don't have to have the product if the price is not what you want to pay.

> Same idea applies to these Record Label companies. Before the day of high
> speed internet, MP3's, CD Burners and the like, when I wanted to have some
> music I enjoyed, they ripped us off for the price of cassettes and
> CD's.....they just sat back and laughed at us while some dumbass got rich.

I've never been forced to buy CD's either!

David.

Commendable! Well done. I hope more people become as public-spirited
as you.

I would however check your legal rights regarding what happens if one
of your "customers" decides to download paedo websites or gets caught
downloading anything copywritten. Would you, as their ISP, be in
trouble? Perhaps you should cover yourself with some sort of contract?

Is anyone doing doing the same thing?

Bira Rai

Is anyone doing the same thing?

Bira Rai

On Tue, 22 Nov 2005 12:21:21 -0800, (E-Mail Removed) wrote:

> Free Wireless Network Access
>
> In my apartment building I'm running a wireless network. My
> neighbors contribute monthly by donating money to run the service. In
> the SSID of my wireless router I specify "donate paypal
> (E-Mail Removed)". Anyone who wants to use the wireless connection
> donates any amount of money they feel the connection is worth. On
> average I find that people are will to donate $3 / month for a wireless
> connection.
>
> Cheers,
>
> Bira Rai
> (E-Mail Removed)

I hope you have a legal agreement in force with your neighbors and good
logs in case the FBI comes knocking on your door for copyright
infringements.