Some stranger airplayed into my ATV at a hotel

[nooaah]

So, I'm connected to the Hilton wifi watching Hulu and suddenly some persons home screen appears on my tv. I resume my movie thinking maybe it was something cached from when I was mirroring earlier that morning at home. Minutes later; hulu is interrupted again by some weird video. Nothing vulgar, but nothing that came from me.

I thought airplay wasn't possible over hotel networks? I turned off airplay in my ATV settings, but has anyone ever seen this at a hotel? Very strange!

 

[hallux]

This particular one is probably set up wrong. They should have isolation turned on so someone can't connect to your computer and grab your data.

 

[blueroom]

Hilton has AppleTVs or did you connect your own?

 

[Lord Hamsa]

You could also have used "conference room" mode, which will display a 4-digit (I believe) PIN that anyone wanting to AirPlay has to input before using the ATV, i.e., they'd need to be able to see your screen in order to get the PIN.

 

[Rigby]

This is quite common. Many public networks put users on the same subnet.

In the Airplay settings on the ATV, you can either enable an onscreen code (which you have to enter every time you connect), or set a password (which you have to type only once per connecting device). It may also help to give the ATV a distrinctive name (not "Apple TV" 😉), so other people can immediately see it's not theirs.

 

[snarfquest]

Very common and sad...

On many trips lately I've come across unsecured ATV's. Hotels, restaurants and I have 2 neighbors with unsecured ATV's. I haven't done anything "yet" but it is so oh very tempting to stream some funny cat video's to them over and over again until they learn how to secure it. 😛

I also have a neighbor who has shared via WIFI their HP color photo printer. I've printed "you really should secure your network" a few times but they have yet to do anything.

Not to mention the number of neighbors I have with totally unsecured WIFI.....

 

[Delmar]

Very common and sad...

On many trips lately I've come across unsecured ATV's. Hotels, restaurants and I have 2 neighbors with unsecured ATV's. I haven't done anything "yet" but it is so oh very tempting to stream some funny cat video's to them over and over again until they learn how to secure it. 😛

I also have a neighbor who has shared via WIFI their HP color photo printer. I've printed "you really should secure your network" a few times but they have yet to do anything.

Not to mention the number of neighbors I have with totally unsecured WIFI.....

Now that's funny! 😀

 

[brand]

Now that's funny! 😀

And illegal in the United States.

 

[Delmar]

And illegal in the United States.

I think it's like masturbating on a airplane, it's frowned upon😱

 

[westrock2000]

I think it's like masturbating on a airplane, it's frowned upon😱

Depends on who's looking "upon" 😎

----------

Very common and sad...

On many trips lately I've come across unsecured ATV's. Hotels, restaurants and I have 2 neighbors with unsecured ATV's. I haven't done anything "yet" but it is so oh very tempting to stream some funny cat video's to them over and over again until they learn how to secure it. 😛

I also have a neighbor who has shared via WIFI their HP color photo printer. I've printed "you really should secure your network" a few times but they have yet to do anything.

Not to mention the number of neighbors I have with totally unsecured WIFI.....

This is totally dependent on them having an open wifi though, right?

 

[hallux]

This is totally dependent on them having an open wifi though, right?

Yeah, it's not so much that their ATV is "unsecured", it's that their WiFi isn't secured. Get on their WiFi, get on their ATV, unless they added the PIN for one that never leaves home (which makes no sense).

 

[snarfquest]

And illegal in the United States.

Ya well... I mentioned that to my wife (an attorney) and she did a little research into the details. Especially, since she on occasion accidentally printed to this printer that is advertising services and show's up in everybody's printer list automatically. So some sort of automatic easy to use HP WIFI printing thing.

Her comment was well... he's freely and forcibly making this printer available to everybody on the block. Something like if you put out on the curb "Free Lemonade!" So legally you aren't steeling something that is being so blatantly advertised as free.

Now if this person had any semblance of security at all. Even the weakest form of wifi password then of course all bets would be off and it would be illegal to print to it. However, this printer is broadcasting itself in such a manner that even when I delete it from my printer list within minutes OS X and Windows for that matter will auto-reinstall it. It's some sort of stupid HP wifi thing. I would bet the neighbor uses this printer via USB and has no idea it has a wifi setup that is broadcasting in such a manner. Likely another victim of RTFM.