Is this wrong?

[Greylock]

I don't understand the process of stealing someone's wireless connection. Is this costing them money or degrading their own service? Does it interfere with their service? Does it allow you to "spy" on their activities? Does it do them any damage?

n00b questions, but they are relevant to my understanding.

 

[smootrk]

I too jump to my neighbor's connection whenever my own drops. Redundancy is good.

If my neighbor was downloading or otherwise using his connection he might notice a slight drop in network speed, otherwise he should have no real indication that his service is being used (aside from checking his router logs - which for some reason are turned off... I know; I have reviewed his router settings remotely from my home).

And yes, if he has shared directories, it is possible to review/change the contents of those directories... in short.... secure your network, use a firewall, and have someone who knows what they are doing review your network to ensure your computer is safe.

 

[Umbran]

Is this costing them money or degrading their own service? Does it interfere with their service?

In the general sense, yes - chewing up bandwidth. If they have limited useage, this may cost them money. And, depending upon what you're doing, it can chew up performance. Whether the degradation will be noticed depends upon the user and what they're trying to do, but in general, it is using a resource that costs money that you didn't pay for.

Imagine someone who hacked EN World, so they could run searches all they wanted without paying. If he didn't use the ability much, nobody would notice a change in performance, but that doesn't mean the person isn't getting something they shouldn't.

Does it allow you to "spy" on their activities?

Quite possibly, yes.

Does it do them any damage?

Depends upon what you do while hijacking their network. But perhaps aside the point.

It doesn't do noticible damage to you if I walk in your front door, make a sandwich from the fixings in your fridge, and walk out, but that doesn't make it right for me to do so. Legality aside, it's bloody rude.

We are not supposed to happily accept one of our own behaving rudely.

 

[John Q. Mayhem]

And yes, if he has shared directories, it is possible to review/change the contents of those directories... in short.... secure your network, use a firewall, and have someone who knows what they are doing review your network to ensure your computer is safe.

Or, y'know...live next to honest people.

 

[Aeson]

I need to find which one it is and offer to secure their network for a price, hehehe.

 

[Greylock]

I need to find which one it is and offer to secure their network for a price, hehehe.

Newly educated on the matter, I think that what you are doing is wrong.

 

[Turanil]

In posting on this thread and asking questions, I am incinting the original poster to post more (to comment or answer), and thus have him use his neighbor's wireless even more. So, is it wrong too?

 

[Aeson]

In posting on this thread and asking questions, I am incinting the original poster to post more (to comment or answer), and thus have him use his neighbor's wireless even more. So, is it wrong too?

I spent maybe 45 mins on their network yesterday. I'm back on mine. Of course if I knew who it belonged to I would ask before I used. Yesterday was the first time in a long time that I did it too. I'm addict to ENworld *Stands Up* "Hi my name is Aeson and I'm an addict" *Sits down*

 

[Mystery Man]

At any given time I have 3 wireless networks I can hijack if mine goes down. my nieghbors are morons. I never used to care until I attended a lecture on cybercrime where the police officer there gave all kinds of different snenarios as to what someone could do using my interent connection and how I could get blamed for it. Ever since then my wireless has been locked down tight!

 

[Aeson]

Oh I keep mine protected the best I can.