Connecting to a unlocked wireless internet connection?
I just moved into a new house and havent hooked up internet yet, is it illegal to connect to my neighbors wireless connection if its unlocked? also, if i do this can they pick up information off my computer, like websites and emails?
No more illegal than walking into their open front door and using their telephone to make long distance calls.
Some people claim that the airwaves are free and broadcasting in the clear removes any restrictions. What I suspect is that any court rulings have said that RECEIVING such transmissions isn’t prohibited, but transmitting into that network and using the broadband resources still is.
Doesn’t make sense to me otherwise. Their failure to protect their network shouldn’t have any bearing on whether or not their neighbors can use the ISP.
Hope that helps.
It’s illegal (theft of service), and you’re opening your computer to their network, they can monitor your traffic if they want and if you have an unsecure computer, they can look at it.
References :
Yes, this is illegal. It’s considered "theft of service", just like if you plug an extension cord into his house. Even with his permission this is against the internet providers TOS (most likely) and risks your neighbor being disconnected. Furthermore, if you don’t have a proper firewall, or are sharing any files, they will be able to access your computer, meaning you are a security risk. Finally, if you visit any illicit sites while attached to his IP address, that will be traced to your neighbor, which can really turn into a legal mess.
References :
Legal issues surrounding open wireless connections usually involve risk for the person with the open network – not the person using it. Yes it is possible that your computer is vulnerable to attack when you connect to a strange network – by direct attack to your system or passive snooping of anything you send across the network.
References :
No more illegal than walking into their open front door and using their telephone to make long distance calls.
Some people claim that the airwaves are free and broadcasting in the clear removes any restrictions. What I suspect is that any court rulings have said that RECEIVING such transmissions isn’t prohibited, but transmitting into that network and using the broadband resources still is.
Doesn’t make sense to me otherwise. Their failure to protect their network shouldn’t have any bearing on whether or not their neighbors can use the ISP.
Hope that helps.
References :
It is illegal to hook to some else’s wireless signal in all 50 states. At the least, it is a "theft of services" in that you are using a service provided by ISP without paying for it. You can be fined, dependingon the state, between $10,000 and $50,000 for doing that.
Plus it can be considered a crime of "hacking" as you are breaking into their network without their knowledge or consent. That can result in a prison term.
It also places you at risk should the neighbor to whose network you are connected commits a crime (child porn, spamming, downloading music, harassing someone, etc.), it would be very easy for them to claim that YOU were the one who did it. After all, you are already a "criminal" since you have illegally hacked into their network. (Having working in computer security for many years, I see this happen regularly.)
Also the person whose network you "hack" can easily see that your computer is there. It will show up on their DHCP listing. If I were to find someone on my network, I can guarantee that they would find any shared files they have deleted, and their computer infected with dozens of nasty viruses, spywares, etc. It takes about five minutes to destroy someones computer that is hooked to your network.
I would recommend against using your neighbor’s network. Or at least get their permission so that you can not be charges with "hacking", only with theft of services if caught.
And yes, that person will be able to see what you are doing on the Internet – all the sites you visit, and access any shared files on your computer. They will not be able to read the content of your e-mail, but can track when you connect and to whom you send and from whom you receive e-mails. They can do this using filters on their firewall. So you give up a lot of privacy by doing this.
References :
18 years in computer IT support and security
1. Yes, it’s illegal. It’s theft of services. Try asking them, maybe they’ll let you until your link is installed. a peace offering of a nice dinner dish or a six-pack would be one way to grease the skids.
2. Probably not. In fact, the very fact that you can connect to their open network indicates a lack of computer security knowledge. You might want to explain to them the benefits of encrypting their router’s signal.
References :