Should I use neighbors' internet access?

I just moved into a new apartment building. I heard from a neighbor in
the building that it's very easy to get free wireless internet access
from other residents' wireless connections. However, he doesn't
recommend it and he pays for his own internet access.

I don't know much about WiFi, but I've Googled this newsgroup a little
and I'm looking for recommendations from the experts. Should I take
advantage of the situation? Or should I pay $35 a month for DSL?

It depends on your religion. Do you have one yet?

"Dave Buck" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
news:(E-Mail Removed) om...
> I just moved into a new apartment building. I heard from a neighbor in
> the building that it's very easy to get free wireless internet access
> from other residents' wireless connections. However, he doesn't
> recommend it and he pays for his own internet access.
>
> I don't know much about WiFi, but I've Googled this newsgroup a little
> and I'm looking for recommendations from the experts. Should I take
> advantage of the situation? Or should I pay $35 a month for DSL?

Dave Buck wrote:
> I just moved into a new apartment building. I heard from a neighbor in
> the building that it's very easy to get free wireless internet access
> from other residents' wireless connections. However, he doesn't
> recommend it and he pays for his own internet access.
>
> I don't know much about WiFi, but I've Googled this newsgroup a little
> and I'm looking for recommendations from the experts. Should I take
> advantage of the situation? Or should I pay $35 a month for DSL?
Some people leave their wireless networks open intentionally -- inviting
others to use the network. Others leave their networks open because they
are either unaware of the fact or are uninformed on the methods to close
access.

The legal issues are unclear. See this article today on abcnews.com :
http://www.abcnews.go.com/sections/s...ag_040422.html

As a practical matter, you probably shouldn't use your neighbor's
connection without your neighbor's permission. Your neighbor could
become aware of your connection and politely ask you to stop. Or, she
could perhaps send her 300 lb. husband Bubba over to enlighten you.

By asking the question, you are demonstrating your better-than-average
ethical values. Why not ask if you can pay to share that connection--it's
the right thing to do.

"Dave Buck" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
news:(E-Mail Removed) om...
> I just moved into a new apartment building. I heard from a neighbor in
> the building that it's very easy to get free wireless internet access
> from other residents' wireless connections. However, he doesn't
> recommend it and he pays for his own internet access.
>
> I don't know much about WiFi, but I've Googled this newsgroup a little
> and I'm looking for recommendations from the experts. Should I take
> advantage of the situation? Or should I pay $35 a month for DSL?

Mmmm.

No. Here are the issues:

#1. Your neighbor is paying and probably doesn't know that they are giving
out service for free. You should ask them if they are doing this
intentionally - setting up a "hot spot" for general use. If not, be a
good soul and advise them to encrypt their wap. Maybe post a message on
the laundry room door or by your mailbox area. Most apartment buildings
have these things.

#2. Remember, if you can use their connection - then they can sniff your
packets as well. Do you really want your neighbors to be able to read data
and requests flowing off your machine?

Get your own connection, your own router and encrypt.

I must live in a tech savvy neighborhood. All of the neighbors in my
townhouse section have encryption on. Right along Silicon Valley East in
Virginia.

"Dave Buck" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
news:(E-Mail Removed) om...
>I just moved into a new apartment building. I heard from a neighbor in
> the building that it's very easy to get free wireless internet access
> from other residents' wireless connections. However, he doesn't
> recommend it and he pays for his own internet access.
>
> I don't know much about WiFi, but I've Googled this newsgroup a little
> and I'm looking for recommendations from the experts. Should I take
> advantage of the situation? Or should I pay $35 a month for DSL?

Dave Buck wrote:

> I just moved into a new apartment building. I heard from a neighbor in
> the building that it's very easy to get free wireless internet access
> from other residents' wireless connections. However, he doesn't
> recommend it and he pays for his own internet access.
>
> I don't know much about WiFi, but I've Googled this newsgroup a little
> and I'm looking for recommendations from the experts. Should I take
> advantage of the situation? Or should I pay $35 a month for DSL?

While you're Googling, look up "theft of service".

--

Fundamentalism is fundamentally wrong.

To reply to this message, replace everything to the left of "@" with
james.knott.

(E-Mail Removed) (Dave Buck) wrote in message news:<(E-Mail Removed). com>...
> I just moved into a new apartment building. I heard from a neighbor in
> the building that it's very easy to get free wireless internet access
> from other residents' wireless connections. However, he doesn't
> recommend it and he pays for his own internet access.
>
> I don't know much about WiFi, but I've Googled this newsgroup a little
> and I'm looking for recommendations from the experts. Should I take
> advantage of the situation? Or should I pay $35 a month for DSL?

Hi,

Why don't you ask around and see if anyone wants to split the bill?
Then you could set a WPA password on the network so only you two could
share it.

I wonder if more people share like this than I think.

oj

In article <(E-Mail Removed) >,
OJ <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote:
:Why don't you ask around and see if anyone wants to split the bill?
:Then you could set a WPA password on the network so only you two could
:share it.

That approach can be quite good, but there's a thorn to watch out for:
many (most) residental ISP contracts have clauses that are dead set
against sharing the service with others, and are especially firm
about not allowing you to "resell" the service. I had a look at some
of the ISP contracts around here a couple of years ago: the wording
on one of the major vendors was such that you couldn't even allow
your direct family to use the ISP connection, even though "It's
good for the whole family" was a major part of their advertisement
campaign.

If you allow someone (a friend, visitor, relative) to "share" your
connection and the contract says you may not do so, then the usual
consequence is a stiff reminder about the clause (if you are lucky),
or a disconnection of service (with no refund for the rest of the
prepaid term) "for cause" if you are less lucky. But if you
"resell" the service, then chances increase that upon discovery
the ISP will send you a bill or lawsuit for "liquidated damages"
equivilent to their deemed "loss of income" under the assumption
that the other parties would have paid at the full going rate if
they hadn't been sharing with you. The argument that the other
parties wouldn't have used the service at all, in such cases
is likely to get you about as far as a collection agency or
court summons, and no-where near a sympathetic ear.

To put things another way: ISPs are businesses, and some ISPs are
pretty hard-nosed businesses. If you actually -read- the Terms
and Conditions and call the ISP up asking a question, and get
a glacial "That's the way it is, and if you don't like it you
can start your own ISP" response, then you can be fairly sure
that that ISP is *not* interested in hearing what you have to say
[other than "Yes, Sir, would it be acceptable if we bring the
$10,000 'compensation' by the office this afternoon?"]
--
"Meme" is self-referential; memes exist if and only if the "meme" meme
exists. "Meme" is thus logically a meta-meme; but until the existance
of meta-memes is more widely recognized, "meta-meme" is not a meme.
-- A Child's Garden Of Memes

It would be best for you to get your own connection both ethically and for
reliability. Some DSL or broadband connections are not 'always on' and if
you depend upon your neighbours connection, they may suddenly install a
program and reboot or crash their server (if they use one) - or they may
suddenly turn on a security feature.

You should look into signing up with an ISP that doesnt stop you from
sharing the connection, then you can split the cost with your neighbours.
Hopefully before anyone else in your building gets the idea.


Ray Taylor




"Dave Buck" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
news:(E-Mail Removed) om...
> I just moved into a new apartment building. I heard from a neighbor in
> the building that it's very easy to get free wireless internet access
> from other residents' wireless connections. However, he doesn't
> recommend it and he pays for his own internet access.
>
> I don't know much about WiFi, but I've Googled this newsgroup a little
> and I'm looking for recommendations from the experts. Should I take
> advantage of the situation? Or should I pay $35 a month for DSL?

(E-Mail Removed) (Walter Roberson) wrote in message news:<c6a7qd$ipd$(E-Mail Removed)>...
> In article <(E-Mail Removed) >,
> OJ <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote:
> :Why don't you ask around and see if anyone wants to split the bill?
> :Then you could set a WPA password on the network so only you two could
> :share it.
>
> That approach can be quite good, but there's a thorn to watch out for:
> many (most) residental ISP contracts have clauses that are dead set
> against sharing the service with others, and are especially firm
> about not allowing you to "resell" the service. I had a look at some
> of the ISP contracts around here a couple of years ago: the wording
> on one of the major vendors was such that you couldn't even allow
> your direct family to use the ISP connection, even though "It's
> good for the whole family" was a major part of their advertisement
> campaign.
>
> If you allow someone (a friend, visitor, relative) to "share" your
> connection and the contract says you may not do so, then the usual
> consequence is a stiff reminder about the clause (if you are lucky),
> or a disconnection of service (with no refund for the rest of the
> prepaid term) "for cause" if you are less lucky.

Hi,

How would they even know? And how would that be different from
someone who was just glomming onto your connection without your
knowledge anyways?

oj


But if you
> "resell" the service, then chances increase that upon discovery
> the ISP will send you a bill or lawsuit for "liquidated damages"
> equivilent to their deemed "loss of income" under the assumption
> that the other parties would have paid at the full going rate if
> they hadn't been sharing with you. The argument that the other
> parties wouldn't have used the service at all, in such cases
> is likely to get you about as far as a collection agency or
> court summons, and no-where near a sympathetic ear.
>
> To put things another way: ISPs are businesses, and some ISPs are
> pretty hard-nosed businesses. If you actually -read- the Terms
> and Conditions and call the ISP up asking a question, and get
> a glacial "That's the way it is, and if you don't like it you
> can start your own ISP" response, then you can be fairly sure
> that that ISP is *not* interested in hearing what you have to say
> [other than "Yes, Sir, would it be acceptable if we bring the
> $10,000 'compensation' by the office this afternoon?"]