On Vacation and 'Stealing' Internet

Bro I've been using my neighbors across the street internet for 5 years. They've never complained, and everythings all good. You're on vacation. No ones gonna hustle you over a wifi...... Calm down and enjoy your time.

I won't get into whether or not its right or wrong.

-Alee

I don't have a WiFi connection though my own router and modem and there are only a couple free hotspots near by (within a two or three miles). It is possible to hook up an external directional antenna to a router and "piggy back" a WiFi signal, I prefer to call this pirating the signal. If I were to set up such a system to my home WiFi network, I wouldn't lose any sleep from "stealing" some unsecured connections. If I felt guilty about it, I would find the source and ask permission to use it, perhaps even share some of the cost too. It would be at the very least rude to screw your neighbors like that, perhaps even criminal, not sure about the legal aspects.

If you had a meshnet network as a WiFi local area network, you could access the other member's internet connections if they allow it. There are a number of meshnets in many urban areas, but it is a trend that is mostly unknown and gets little attention. I wouldn't mind creating such a system to ensure communications during a blackout, but I feel pretty certain my neighbors are clueless about such a system and would have to be instructed on how to create and join in such a network. Doubtless there would be near zero interest in my area for a meshnet.

a reply to: Metallicus


It's stealing don't do it. You never know what you're getting yourself into.

I have a neighbor (whose son is friends with my son) tell me one day "I asked your son for your internet password and he wouldn't give it to me". I was so shocked that she would even attempt that without going through me first. Yes he is her sons' friend and they are teens, but I pay for the Internet.

Gets better. Due to her son practically living at my house and always using my internet, there was an investigation due to some illegal activity he was involved in. My laptop was confiscated and it was proven his phone was used, and his and her iCloud's as well. Apparently she has some illegal business going on too.

I tried to warn her before, because I always knew she was sketchy; you can't drive a brand new car and have no job period. I have a very public job and told her don't do anything off my internet. Turns out they even had my Netflix and Hulu passwords, all passwords have since been changed. There are no more sleepovers as trust is gone, and they are a lot older now.

Cops have been coming by for a week to serve her some kind of warrant, but she's out of town. No idea what that's about. Still disappointed and never found out what exactly illegal was happening but you can't trust anybody!

It is illegal too.

If I were to leave my wifi open, it would be with the expectation that other people would find and use it.

I give my password out pretty freely to visitors. I've never seen one come back and lurk outside with any sort of device.

a reply to: Metallicus

Man? Go to a McDonalds parking lot. Same thing.

Seriously?

a reply to: bbarkow


Do you do any banking online?

a reply to: KTemplar

Not to speak of. I have a phone app where I keep track.

Frankly, I'm hoping somebody steals my identity. It'll probably improve my credit score.

originally posted by: bbarkow
a reply to: KTemplar

Not to speak of. I have a phone app where I keep track.

Frankly, I'm hoping somebody steals my identity. It'll probably improve my credit score.

Lol! I no longer do anything with banking online. Been burned!

a reply to: Metallicus

Most hotels offer free secure WiFi. Where are you staying?

I have three hotels that come up on my list of networks just from this year alone.
Ask the concierge what the code is.

a reply to: dreamfox1

So someone goes on vacation to sit in a parking lot to get WiFi?
I did have to use McDonald's WiFi last summer when a lady took out the utility pole in front of my house. No power no cable no WiFi. I had to go to Mickey Ds to transfer money to my bank card account and to check e mail..
I felt like a thief so I went in and got a sausage biscuit for a buck.

originally posted by: Domo1
Metallicus is a MONSTER!

no but technically he's a hacker.
www.wired.com...

a reply to: rockintitz

Actually who has that type of set up now anyway. When we changed over to WiFi we couldn't connect until we entered a wep code from the router modus box thingy ( don't tease me for my technical naivety.)

Even now if the power goes off we have to reenter that code.
All the ones near my home show a padlock on it.

a reply to: NerdGoddess

I think you owe your neighbor a basket of muffins at the very least.
I just wonder how often your neighbor had to deal with buffering bandwidth watching Netflix because you're stealing their signal??

a reply to: Metallicus

My computer is on a wireless router and my husband's computer is hooked
up to our internet service.His has been down for a long time so my computer
is the only one running.
Since I am on a wireless router can someone piggyback on my system? If they
can,can they put junk onto my computer without me knowing about it?

a reply to: Metallicus

I don't know where you're located, so I don't know if it's illegal in that particular area or not. But the laws are on a state-by-state basis in the US, so you may very well be breaking the law.

I do know that it's a felony in Michigan (or at least it used to be) only because I remember a case where a guy got caught in a McDonald's parking lot using their internet connection. Luckily for him, the judge let him off because he believed the defense that guy had no idea what he was doing was actually illegal.


But whether it's illegal or not where you are right now, just know that this "insufferably slow" connection you're freeloading off is making your neighbouring vacationer's connection and bandwidth usage that much more "insufferably slow".

Next time you go on vacation and want to freeload off of someone else's dime, at least have the common courtesy to spend some of your own money and buy an antenna so that you can freeload off of a large business somewhere in the area rather than some poor schmuck next door to you who forked out a little bit of money on his/her vacation to enjoy an internet connection for themselves.

Not everyone is computer savvy enough to understand what the difference is between a secure or unsecure connection... or even know what heck piggybacking is or that it even exists.


Food for thought.

a reply to: CranialSponge

I do know that it's a felony in Michigan (or at least it used to be) only because I remember a case where a guy got caught in a McDonald's parking lot using their internet connection. Luckily for him, the judge let him off because he believed the defense that guy had no idea what he was doing was actually illegal.

How could using a public hot spot possibly be illegal? Maybe he was there all day creeping people out.

If a cop tapped on my window about using McDonalds internet, I'm pretty sure I'd say I was just about to go in and eat.

a reply to: bbarkow

I don't remember the details of the case or how it went down, but yes it is (or was) illegal and considered a felony at that time.

The laws may have eased up since then, or not.

I don't know.

*shrug*

a reply to: Sillyolme

I don't owe them anything, they block my mailbox every day so I don't get my mail until saturday in a huge stack with a nasty note from the mail man lol. This has been going on for 5 years. If they were upset about it, they'd put a password on their internet. Their daughters are my age and are tech. savvy so they can turn it off if they wish.

-Alee

a reply to: CranialSponge

I still don't get it. Even lower end hotels offer WiFi. Just go to the front desk and ask.

a reply to: NerdGoddess

Why do they block your mailbox and how?
Tell the post office. It's a crime to interfere with the mail.
How does the mail carrier get to you mailbox?
Last question. Is your neighbor who blocks your mailbox maybe aware you're stealing their signal?