Zep 0 #1 February 3, 2005 A friend gave me a usb wireless link system (cisco) so just for fun I hooked it up an installed the software. I imidiatly picked up 5 unprotected reds, So being a basically honest person I didn’t connect I have dsl via router (not wi-fi) Now I’m wondering if it’s ethical to use these free connections What say you? Gone fishing Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
pop 0 #2 February 3, 2005 You can connect....just like you can download music.....its overpriced....and deserves to be taken 7 ounce wonders, music and dogs that are not into beer Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
beowulf 1 #3 February 3, 2005 Ethical? no definately not ethical. Ever heard of wardriving? It would be ethical to notify the people that they are open to the world. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
base428 1 #4 February 3, 2005 If you have to ask, it probably isn't ethical. Besides, you probably wouldn't want someone else hogging up your bandwidth if you were the one with the unprotected network.(c)2010 Vertical Visions. No unauthorized duplication permitted. <==For the media only Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Muenkel 0 #5 February 3, 2005 Taking something that doesn't belong to you is stealing. Stealing is not ethical no matter how you try to justify it. But then again, whoever said any of us were ethical. Chris _________________________________________ Chris Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
billvon 3,107 #6 February 3, 2005 Nothing wrong with connecting to an open site; they are often left open for just that purpose. It is trivial for the site owner to disallow access to other people, so they can easily prevent other people from connecting if they so choose. It's like a neighbor's radio sitting there playing on his deck. Nothing wrong with listening to his radio in your backyard. If he doesn't want you to listen to it he can take it inside. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
GTAVercetti 0 #7 February 3, 2005 QuoteNothing wrong with connecting to an open site; they are often left open for just that purpose. It is trivial for the site owner to disallow access to other people, so they can easily prevent other people from connecting if they so choose. It's like a neighbor's radio sitting there playing on his deck. Nothing wrong with listening to his radio in your backyard. If he doesn't want you to listen to it he can take it inside. The problem with that is that the average homeowner with braodband does not know HOW to lock their system down. I can bet most of them are not leaving open to be generous.Why yes, my license number is a palindrome. Thank you for noticing. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
beowulf 1 #8 February 3, 2005 QuoteNothing wrong with connecting to an open site; they are often left open for just that purpose. It is trivial for the site owner to disallow access to other people, so they can easily prevent other people from connecting if they so choose. It's like a neighbor's radio sitting there playing on his deck. Nothing wrong with listening to his radio in your backyard. If he doesn't want you to listen to it he can take it inside. Most people have no idea how to change any of the settings on their wireless access points and if they did would not understand what they are doing. I have had to set up wireless for quite a few of these clueless people. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Slappie 9 #9 February 3, 2005 QuoteNothing wrong with connecting to an open site; they are often left open for just that purpose. It is trivial for the site owner to disallow access to other people, so they can easily prevent other people from connecting if they so choose. It's like a neighbor's radio sitting there playing on his deck. Nothing wrong with listening to his radio in your backyard. If he doesn't want you to listen to it he can take it inside. Finally something billvon and myself agree with. "Find out just what any people will quietly submit to and you have found out the exact measure of injustice and wrong which will be imposed upon them." Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
SkiD_PL8 0 #10 February 3, 2005 QuoteQuoteNothing wrong with connecting to an open site; they are often left open for just that purpose. It is trivial for the site owner to disallow access to other people, so they can easily prevent other people from connecting if they so choose. It's like a neighbor's radio sitting there playing on his deck. Nothing wrong with listening to his radio in your backyard. If he doesn't want you to listen to it he can take it inside. The problem with that is that the average homeowner with braodband does not know HOW to lock their system down. I can bet most of them are not leaving open to be generous.Every wireless router I have came in contact with had software you could use to setup your network and would automaticly configure it to be secure if you chose that when prompted. Greenie in training. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
larsrulz 0 #11 February 3, 2005 Is it wrong to walk over and change the station if he is not home at the time? I got a strong urge to fly, but I got no where to fly to. -PF Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
SkiD_PL8 0 #12 February 3, 2005 QuoteIs it wrong to walk over and change the station if he is not home at the time?Pointless analogy because you are doing nothing to modify the router. Greenie in training. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
beowulf 1 #13 February 3, 2005 Most people would just use the default settings. Linksys wireless routers or access points do not have any wizard that jumps up as soon as the user turns on their computer. You have to go to the routers ipaddress in a web browser. The default setting do not have any encription or MAC exclusions. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
GTAVercetti 0 #14 February 3, 2005 .QuoteEvery wireless router I have came in contact with had software you could use to setup your network and would automaticly configure it to be secure if you chose that when prompted. Mine did not. It allowed you to choose to put up a firewall yes, but to lock the bandwidth down you had to create a passkey and actually know what locking is and mine is a pretty standard Linksys. Bottom line is that if you are using a neighbors bandwidth without paying for it, it is unethical. Would I do it? Well, my ethics are a bit lacking so.... EDIT: Damn Beowulf, are you standing behind me? Why yes, my license number is a palindrome. Thank you for noticing. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
base428 1 #15 February 3, 2005 Try telling this to my wife, who works for Time Warner and their Roadrunner broadband service. Stealing someone else's bandwidth is theft, plain and simple. And it could put my wife out of a job. Billvon, remind me to hide the valuables if you ever stop by my house. QuoteNothing wrong with connecting to an open site(c)2010 Vertical Visions. No unauthorized duplication permitted. <==For the media only Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
beowulf 1 #16 February 3, 2005 Hmm guess I am just typing alittle faster. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
SkiD_PL8 0 #17 February 3, 2005 QuoteMost people would just use the default settings. Linksys wireless routers or access points do not have any wizard that jumps up as soon as the user turns on their computer. You have to go to the routers ipaddress in a web browser. The default setting do not have any encription or MAC exclusions.My personal wireless 802.11G router I use at home is a linksys. I find it odd that mine came with a CD you could pop in and it would fully configure your network to be secure and even the computers you wanted to connect to it wirelessly with to be compatible with that network and oter linksys routers wouldn't. Mine is using WEP encryption and not broadcasting the SSID and all of that was done by the wizard on the CD. Greenie in training. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
wildblue 7 #18 February 3, 2005 Quote Try telling this to my wife, who works for Time Warner and their Roadrunner broadband service. Stealing someone else's bandwidth is theft, plain and simple. And it could put my wife out of a job. Tell them to stop charging $55/month for something that everyone else charges $20-$25 for! And when I call to make a point about my bill, I'm either on hold for 45 minutes or they say "We'll call you back in 3 hours" I'm not saying that makes it ok to steal, I just wanted to go on a mini-rant since you brought up RR/TWC it's like incest - you're substituting convenience for quality Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
SkiD_PL8 0 #19 February 3, 2005 QuoteTry telling this to my wife, who works for Time Warner and their Roadrunner broadband service. Stealing someone else's bandwidth is theft, plain and simple. And it could put my wife out of a job. Billvon, remind me to hide the valuables if you ever stop by my house. QuoteNothing wrong with connecting to an open siteIt is not considered theft. they did a show on this very topic on G4 Tech tv. Greenie in training. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
bobsled92 0 #20 February 3, 2005 I work for Co. that also sell ISP. Honestly...remember when you could buy a TV, turn it on a pic a station? That's the way it should be. I think big co. ethics are more in question with this stuff. .........I mean "no comment"_______________________________ If I could be a Super Hero, I chose to be: "GRANT-A-CLAUS". and work 365 days a Year. http://www.hangout.no/speednews/ Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
SkiD_PL8 0 #21 February 3, 2005 Also just another thing to throw out there my laptop is set to automaticly connect to the strongest signal open wireless network available when my home network is not available. To me if there is an access point and it is open they are voluntarily shareing their bandwidth. If they didn't know how to setup their network to be secure they should have paid someone to do it. If they are doing it because they want to great. Either way it is open and free. Greenie in training. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Zep 0 #22 February 3, 2005 QuoteQuoteMost people would just use the default settings. Linksys wireless routers or access points do not have any wizard that jumps up as soon as the user turns on their computer. You have to go to the routers ipaddress in a web browser. The default setting do not have any encription or MAC exclusions.My personal wireless 802.11G router I use at home is a linksys. I find it odd that mine came with a CD you could pop in and it would fully configure your network to be secure and even the computers you wanted to connect to it wirelessly with to be compatible with that network and oter linksys routers wouldn't. Mine is using WEP encryption and not broadcasting the SSID and all of that was done by the wizard on the CD. The linksys I've got is the wireless-b 802.11b an the wizard didnt give that option every thing I'm picking up is SSID Gone fishing Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
base428 1 #23 February 3, 2005 Then maybe you should switch ISP's? If DSL or wireless is cheaper, then by all means drop RR and promote the cheaper company. My RR is only $45 a month and there are government regulations regarding the amount of time you're on hold. While stealing bandwidth may not be unlawful, it's unethical. If someone steals satellite cable, won't the feds come knocking on their door? It's all the same. PS. If I hack into your encrypted WAP and steal bandwidth, is THAT illegal or unethical? 802.11 was hacked long before it was even released to the public. Some of our projects here at work required us to hack into WAP's. Took us no time at all to do it. QuoteTell them to stop charging $55/month for something that everyone else charges $20-$25 for!(c)2010 Vertical Visions. No unauthorized duplication permitted. <==For the media only Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
bobsled92 0 #24 February 3, 2005 I'm at $29 a month for DSL and can live with it. Getting legally bit in the butt later on, keeps me in line._______________________________ If I could be a Super Hero, I chose to be: "GRANT-A-CLAUS". and work 365 days a Year. http://www.hangout.no/speednews/ Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
SkiD_PL8 0 #25 February 3, 2005 Maybe they skimped on the 802.11b models not sure. I still feel the same way though, if someone leaves it open it is on their own accord. Everyone knows a guru and if they don't you can crack open the yellow pages and find tons of techs in any town willing to do the work for a price. Greenie in training. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
