Wireless Networking

I understand that it is sometimes possible to piggyback onto somebodys
wireless network if you are close by. As a sales exec I regularly need to
log in to my email when on the road and this seems the ideal way.

Is there any sites which list locations of this "free" dervice

Angus



--
Rent our lovely home in the mountains of Andalucia. Ideal for walking,
photography, bird watching or simply relaxing.
www.holiday-spain.biz

In article <clh1hv$tno$(E-Mail Removed)>, www.holiday-spain.biz
said......

> I understand that it is sometimes possible to piggyback onto somebodys
> wireless network if you are close by. As a sales exec I regularly need to
> log in to my email when on the road and this seems the ideal way.
>
> Is there any sites which list locations of this "free" dervice
>
> Angus
>
Don't know about a site but you could always sit at Heathrow. They have
a wi-fi hotspot there.
Legality is in question unless they explicitly give open access

--
Mugwump

Reply to 'usenetmail{at}discworld{dot}org{dot}uk

>I understand that it is sometimes possible to piggyback onto somebodys
>wireless network if you are close by. As a sales exec I regularly need to
>log in to my email when on the road and this seems the ideal way.
>
> Is there any sites which list locations of this "free" dervice

Is you aware that to do so is illegal!

On Sun, 24 Oct 2004 20:58:50 +0100, "www.holiday-spain.biz"
<(E-Mail Removed)> wrote:

>I understand that it is sometimes possible to piggyback onto somebodys
>wireless network if you are close by.

Only if they do not have their network running securely (which too
many don't).

And even then, it is very questionable whether it would be legal under
the Computer Misuse Act. I believe it would be illegal, others
disagree, and there has been no test case to prove the issue one way
or the other.

If they were actually using their connection to capacity at the time,
then it would also be theft, as you would be stealing their bandwidth.

>As a sales exec I regularly need to
>log in to my email when on the road and this seems the ideal way.
>

Certainly not morally acceptable, possibly not legal either.

>Is there any sites which list locations of this "free" dervice
>

No.

There are sites that list locations of WiFi hot spots, but those are
generally ones which you have to pay to use.
--
Alex Heney, Global Villager
A bad day on skis always beats a good day in the office!

To reply by email, my address is alexATheneyDOTplusDOTcom

On Sun, 24 Oct 2004 22:33:58 +0100, "Peter Crosland"
<(E-Mail Removed)> wrote:

>>I understand that it is sometimes possible to piggyback onto somebodys
>>wireless network if you are close by. As a sales exec I regularly need to
>>log in to my email when on the road and this seems the ideal way.
>>
>> Is there any sites which list locations of this "free" dervice
>
>Is you aware that to do so is illegal!
>

Maybe.

I believe it is illegal, but there is enough doubt that I would not be
so categorical about it now.
--
Alex Heney, Global Villager
A bad day on skis always beats a good day in the office!

To reply by email, my address is alexATheneyDOTplusDOTcom

>>Is you aware that to do so is illegal!
>>
>
> Maybe.
>
> I believe it is illegal, but there is enough doubt that I would not be
> so categorical about it now.

My reply was somewhat tongue in cheek but nevertheless it is a serious
point. I would be interested to know how you think it could not be illegal.
The access would clearly not be authorised and thus is illegal AFAICS.

On Sun, 24 Oct 2004 20:58:50 +0100, www.holiday-spain.biz
<(E-Mail Removed)> wrote:

> I understand that it is sometimes possible to piggyback onto somebodys
> wireless network if you are close by. As a sales exec I regularly need to
> log in to my email when on the road and this seems the ideal way.
>
> Is there any sites which list locations of this "free" dervice
>
> Angus
>

www.consume.net is what you're looking for!

In an earlier contribution to this discussion,
Alex Heney <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote:

>
>> Is there any sites which list locations of this "free" dervice
>>
>
> No.
>

I shouldn't be saying this(!) - but I believe that you can buy scanners
which will detect any available wireless networks as you tool around
likely-looking neighbourhoods in your car.

I presume it isn't illegal to sell these. Not so sure about the legality of
using them for this purpose though. [I presume the legitimate use is to
detect "hotspots" in airports etc. which you can use for a fee].

--
Cheers,
Tim
______
Please reply to newsgroup. Reply address is invalid.

On Mon, 25 Oct 2004 07:14:19 +0100, "Peter Crosland"
<(E-Mail Removed)> wrote:

>>>Is you aware that to do so is illegal!
>>>
>>
>> Maybe.
>>
>> I believe it is illegal, but there is enough doubt that I would not be
>> so categorical about it now.
>
>My reply was somewhat tongue in cheek but nevertheless it is a serious
>point. I would be interested to know how you think it could not be illegal.
>The access would clearly not be authorised and thus is illegal AFAICS.
>

This argument was debated on here a few months ago.

I believe it is illegal.

But the debate isn't about whether the access is authorised (although
there were some trying to argue that unless you *know* it is
unauthorised, you are entitled to assume it is), it is about whether
the router (and internet connection) classes as a "computer" for the
purposes of the act.

I believe it should do. Many others do not accept that, and it is not
clearly defined either in the CMA or in the Interpretation Act, so
until somebody has been taken to court over it, nobody knows what the
judges would say.

On Mon, 25 Oct 2004 10:55:05 +0100, "Tiscali Tim" <(E-Mail Removed)>
wrote:

>In an earlier contribution to this discussion,
>Alex Heney <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote:
>
>>
>>> Is there any sites which list locations of this "free" dervice
>>>
>>
>> No.
>>
>
>I shouldn't be saying this(!) - but I believe that you can buy scanners
>which will detect any available wireless networks as you tool around
>likely-looking neighbourhoods in your car.
>
>I presume it isn't illegal to sell these. Not so sure about the legality of
>using them for this purpose though. [I presume the legitimate use is to
>detect "hotspots" in airports etc. which you can use for a fee].

Yes.

I have such a scanner. It is called a laptop :-)

Seriously, why would one pay for a separate scanner, when your laptop
or wireless card should do it anyhow.