Stealing Wireless

[Britney]

Did you know it is a felony in the US to steal wireless internet from your neighbor?

And why is that? As long as my neighbor's radio waves are traveling through my apartment, through my body and probably causing me cancer in the long-term, shouldn't I be allowed to hitch a ride on their internet connection?

The software by default tries to connect to any routers in the area, regardless of who they belong to. So basically, all I have to do is turn my computer on, and I'm commiting a felony. Is it my fault that someone doesn't password their connection?

I think it is a bloody ridiculous law. What do you think?

[Ratwar]

I think it is a very good and VERY important law. You see, looking at it from a wireless user who doesn't have any intent to misuse the a wandering wireless connection.

Some people have taken to stealing wireless connections in order to do illegal activities, either stealing the other users bank information or attacking other areas of the internet from their stolen IPs.

As far as any radio waves traveling through your apartment being free to use, do you really want it to be legal for me to listen in on your Cell phone? I mean, if radio waves are free game, I can crack your encryption legally. I'm simply doing what I want with the radio waves in and on my property.

[Britney]

ratwar said:

I think it is a very good and VERY important law. You see, looking at it from a wireless user who doesn't have any intent to misuse the a wandering wireless connection.

Some people have taken to stealing wireless connections in order to do illegal activities, either stealing the other users bank information or attacking other areas of the internet from their stolen IPs.

As far as any radio waves traveling through your apartment being free to use, do you really want it to be legal for me to listen in on your Cell phone? I mean, if radio waves are free game, I can crack your encryption legally. I'm simply doing what I want with the radio waves in and on my property.

How do you know someone isn't listening in to your cell phone calls anyway? 2-way radios can pick up cell phone conversations, and legal or not I view neither my cell phone nor my computer as bastions of the utmost security.

If people get ripped off that's their problem, they should take the time to learn about how a computer works before using one. The law should protect us all against thieves, but why should ripping off internet be punished more severely than say... an auto mechanic who rips off his customers because they haven't taken the time to learn for themselves how a car works?

If radio waves were free for anyone to use, that would probably drive companies to develop more private cell phones. It would drive wireless companies to develop better encryption methods. But a felony conviction for anyone who simply turns their computer on is ridiculous - why does the law punish someone for not knowing how to change the default network their computer connects to? If the courts want to punish ignorance, then shouldn't they also punish those who don't know how to secure their networks since those networks present risks to the public?

[melchior1]

whatever happened to "possesion is 9/10 of the law"?
I mean its not like you're in THEIR house, you're on your own goddamn property
is it your fault their wireless reaches your house?

[Ratwar]

Britney, do you have a wireless router? If so, it has encryption. It it is really old, it might have only 64-bit, but all the newer ones have 128-bit encryption. That could be cracked in minutes (Source) Anything you send over that connection can be seen. Heck, hackers could even screw with your mind by modifying your router. The Supreme Court has consistently ruled that wiretapping is illegal. I feel that using someone elses wireless connection is just as bad as wiretapping.

[melchior1]

its only like wiretapping if you're jacking it for malicious reasons
I don't care about their computer or personal info, I just wanna get on the net

[Britney]

ratwar said:

Britney, do you have a wireless router? If so, it has encryption. It it is really old, it might have only 64-bit, but all the newer ones have 128-bit encryption. That could be cracked in minutes (Source) Anything you send over that connection can be seen. Heck, hackers could even screw with your mind by modifying your router. The Supreme Court has consistently ruled that wiretapping is illegal. I feel that using someone elses wireless connection is just as bad as wiretapping.

I understand the law is there to protect us from those with ill intent, but what about the everyday person who turns their computer on and it hooks up to a wireless network all on it's own!

How are you supposed to know if the network your computer just connect to is a free network (a la Internet cafe, or complimentary wireless which they offer in some hotels, apartments, etc), or a neighbor's network? It seems wrong to slap everyone with a felony (mandatory fine and/or imprisonment) just because they turned their computer on...

Using someone elses wireless to commit crime = felony = fine by me

Turning your computer on and having it automatically connecting to a wireless network = felony = not fine by me

[Britney]

ratwar said:

(Source)

hey... your link doesn't work for me... I wanna know how to do it!

[Hunessai]

We don't password our connection on purpose. It doesn't cost us any extra if others use it, so we let them.

[iusia]

There's probably a law against it in Australia but I don't know it... anyway, if I see an unprotected wireless access point then i'll try to exploit it for all its worth. But violating a secured and passworded signal is just a little too malevolent for me.