Stealing my neighbor's internets

[Insanity_rules]

Just goes to show RTFM or hire a professional to install it for you!

[The Stranger:Me]

Just because stealing something is easy doesn't make it right ... and if you didn't pay for it, and are deriving a benefit from something that someone else has paid for, you can be reasonably confident you are stealing.

Just because someone leaves there car unlocked does not make it ok to steal their car. Sure they might be foolish to leave it unlocked - but it is still not right to steal the car.

I'm not aware of any cases in NZ yet where there has been successful prosecution for WiFi bandwidth theft, but it has certainly happened overseas (Britain was the last case I read about).

Wouldn't you also run foul of NZ's anti hacking laws? You are after all joining their network.
Our anti hacking laws were at the time of enactment amognst the most wide reaching and if I recall correctly pretty severe.

[oldrider]

Just about every motel in the USA and Canada has free, unlocked wifi. You never see people in cars parked up outside these flogging bandwidth. Why not? Because bandwidth over there is largely ubiquitous and cheap.

I know a guy (couple) who do that all the time, all over NZ and where ever they tour overseas!

They are so smug about it too. Cheap cunts if you ask me! But then again, nobody did!

[Brian d marge]

yup I am using the neighbors one now

on a netbook on kitchen table I have a dedicated line to my house but the neighbors is quite a good link and I havent set up my WIFI yet ( log on to website and enter my details

I was talking to neighbor the other day , asked if it was ok , no problem as its ( as is everyone ) unlimited and 12mbps so all good

Wifi should be as free as air ( or at least the road ) , as it is the new road of the future,, small rates increase wireless hot spots all over the cbd

Stephen

[jonbuoy]

"Free" wifi might not be so free, there is some pretty crafty packet sniffing software available so even someone with very little IT knowlage can read passwords, email and unsecure instant messaging (which is pretty much all the common instant messaging software). Beware the honey trap - Google promiscuous packet capture.

[Trudes]

[Elysium]

meh my wifi is open, and plugged in to an amp .. and still my neighbors won't steal it

Can I ask what would happen if they did connect? Explain as I aint an tech expert.

[p.dath]

Wouldn't you also run foul of NZ's anti hacking laws? You are after all joining their network.
Our anti hacking laws were at the time of enactment amognst the most wide reaching and if I recall correctly pretty severe.

Section 252 refers to unauthorised access of a computer system (already been called as a witness in the High Court on one of these). I guess a network would be considered part of a computer system.

So yeah, I guess you could be be charged with both theft and a section 252. Section 252 is a bit nastier though, as I understand it is considered more serious, and can only be heard by the high court (not a district court).

[Slyer]

Section 252 refers to unauthorised access of a computer system (already been called as a witness in the High Court on one of these). I guess a network would be considered part of a computer system.

So yeah, I guess you could be be charged with both theft and a section 252. Section 252 is a bit nastier though, as I understand it is considered more serious, and can only be heard by the high court (not a district court).

God you're a weenie.
It's illegal to tape the radio too you know...

[Winston001]

Hmmm....only ever done it once. Chanced across a neighbours wi-fi signal and logged on for a couple of minutes. I've hunted for open signals just for the fun of it when staying in a motel and recently in hospital. Plenty of modems out there but every one of them protected. Are unprotected signals now unusual?

[The Stranger:Me]

God you're a weenie.
It's illegal to tape the radio too you know...

It feels wierd, but I got to agree with p.dath on this one. (this better not wind up in your sig p.dath)
1) Just because you can steal something should you?
I mean, that's maha morals.
2) It doesn't look so good when an IT professional knowingly breaks the law in his profession. Would you hire someone to administer your network and who has access to your sensitive business and/or personal information if they had a conviction for - or were known (or believed) to routinely flout - or be ignorant of the laws in this area?

Do you think it would help his business for him to have such a rep?
Would you trust a cop who dealt drugs? Or an accountant who'd stolen money?

I don't actually see it as being judgemental. He's not telling you what to do, simply educating people and saying it's not for him.

[Slyer]

I'm saying use it but don't abuse it. There's a big difference between using someone's wifi to check your emails when travelling and using their wifi every day of the year to download your 4.5gig horse porn MKV's.
But heck, I've never even owned a device with wireless capability.

[The Stranger:Me]

I'm saying use it but don't abuse it. There's a big difference between using someone's wifi to check your emails when travelling and using their wifi every day of the year to download your 4.5gig horse porn MKV's.

Man you should see someone about that horse porn addiction.



What's the link?

[SpankMe]

It's like those bullshit piracy ads before movies, asking if you would steal a car. No I wouldn't, but if I could make a free copy of one I would.

[SMOKEU]

All you need is WifiKill to start trolling, it works especially well on the macfags.

Even better is when they leave the default admin/admin user name and password, then change the SSID to add moar lulz.