WiFi Question

[DarkNetworks]

Will i get arrested if i use my neighbour's Wifi?
Not doing anything illegal, just surfing the net with my neighbour's Wifi, is it illegal?

 

[Darwin]

Well here in the UK I think it would be consider against the law if you are using it without the permission of the owner

Also the ISPs don't tend to like it if there only getting money from one customer instead of two

 

[Gee]

Will i get arrested if i use my neighbour's Wifi?
Not doing anything illegal, just surfing the net with my neighbour's Wifi, is it illegal?

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/technology/4721723.stm

 

[katie ta achoo]

Hmm..
If you can, ask them first. Tell them that you won't be doing any illegal things (people are paranoid that ALL WiFi users are just using their point to traffic things like kiddie porn and P2P), and ask nicely. Bring a plate of cookies.

IMO, it's not stealing if you don't have to crack it to get on.
I leave mine open on purpose, so if someone is in my neighborhood, needs google, drives by my house really fast to look it up, I'm cool with that. WiFi should be available to everyone. The internet has become a medium for news, entertainment, communication, bla bla bla.

it's NOT ok to crack into it. For example, I have 2 wireless signals available to me: My own (left open) and neighbor (WEP) Now, if I sat outside their home (or.. on my bed, I can get to it from there!) and cracked the password, THAT would be bad because they put a lock on it, basically saying "don't get on here."

So.. uhh.. ask your neighbor.

 

[florencevassy]

Anyone know of any recent developments / laws on this especially in the USA?

I am occasionally using a friend's neighbors WiFi (when I am at the friend's house). I just use it for checking email and visiting macrumors. I pay for my own DSL service at my house (and my personal WiFi is password protected).

I don't want to get arrested or anything.... I know it is a bit immoral but the actual laws are confusing.

 

[mad jew]

florencevassy, does it worry you that you know it's immoral but you only care whether it is illegal or not?

 

[eva01]

florencevassy, does it worry you that you know it's immoral but you only care whether it is illegal or not?

Yeah, that is kinda sad :/ Most people don't do things that are immoral to them.

Thats why i don't steal anything over the internet.

 

[StokeLee]

Erm, if ya in stoke, and blurton, please make sure its not mine, lol, my connection to xbox live goes really bad at times, but when im not on that, feel free, just dont download loads, lol

 

[EricNau]

It's illegal in the USA. That is what an Apple Care employee told me. But I think it's fine as long as your neighbor doesn't care.

 

[florencevassy]

Yeah, that is kinda sad :/ Most people don't do things that are immoral to them.

Thats why i don't steal anything over the internet.

I guess that I am still undecided if it is really "immoral" or not. A part of me thinks that if somone broadcasts their signal to my apartment, then it is ok for me to use it.

At least I take the time to think about and research the matter, other people I know just say "Wow, free internet!".

I have to admit that I am undecided about the issue.

I would love to split the bill with whomever is broadcasting this signal, but I have no idea who it is (I suppose I could knock on doors to find out who it is).

 

[EricNau]

Originally posted by florencevassy
I would love to split the bill with whomever is broadcasting this signal, but I have no idea who it is (I suppose I could knock on doors to find out who it is).

That's what I did with my neighbor, got lucky, it was the fisrt one I asked

 

[rainman::|:|]

It's illegal in the USA. It's called "unauthorized data system access" and it's part of the laws that make hacking illegal. I don't think WiFi is specifically mentioned but it's definitely covered.