I just have a question about WiFi...if its unlocked can you hop on that connection without getting in trouble with the law. For example if Im riding down the road and one comes up unlocked and im in a residential area (no restaurants etc) are you allowed to use that connection? just curious cause I notice all these Wifi's popping up and sometimes Im not sure what I can use and cant.
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iPod touch Wifi Legally
- Thread starter GottiJr
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Sorry, that would be wifi-theft.
try to look around for networks at places where there are known legal free spots, i.e. starbucks/macdonalds/libraries/universites.
but yeah...just hopping on a random open wireless connection is theft because you don't know whether the host wants others to be using it.
try to look around for networks at places where there are known legal free spots, i.e. starbucks/macdonalds/libraries/universites.
but yeah...just hopping on a random open wireless connection is theft because you don't know whether the host wants others to be using it.
Legally you CANNOT use a wifi connection that does not belong to you, passworded or not. Now the possibility of being "caught" and punished is pretty much like the chance of winning the lottery twice in a row, unless your downloading illegal stuff that the FBI would lock you up for 
ok yeah cool....no havent done it...wasnt sure what too choose is some cases...looked around didnt see any restaurants etc....so I stayed off....wanted to find the law first.
Question why does McDonalds charge for their WiFi and places like Panera/friendlys, are free?
Question why does McDonalds charge for their WiFi and places like Panera/friendlys, are free?
They plain and simply want to make money off of it, can you blame them? It isn't like they are charging a fortune for their food and you should get a little extra to offset it, after all, they have to pay for it.
I for one am lucky with the Free-Wifi hotspots around me. My high school has free wifi for students, and the commuter rail train that I take in and out everyday has a free wifi service that they have been testing out for about a year. Those two zones along with the wifi at my house have me covered just about everywhere. And my manager lets me access the wifi when I am at work too, so just about everywhere I go my iPod can access the internet.
yeah but charging for wifi seems weird since places offer for it free. i cant imagine people using it alot.
I was in a town last week ..apparently the whole town has free wifi..it said welcome to newcumberland public wifi. am I correct on thinking this? if so how do they get a signal out thruout the whole town? its about 2-3 miles square
I was in a town last week ..apparently the whole town has free wifi..it said welcome to newcumberland public wifi. am I correct on thinking this? if so how do they get a signal out thruout the whole town? its about 2-3 miles square
well im pretty sure t-mobile gives it free to mobile phones using their service
or maybe not, someone correct me if im wrong
or maybe not, someone correct me if im wrong
It's an interesting topic. I remember a while ago some guy got in trouble for connecting to an open wifi point, but argued that he'd received permission: His laptop's wireless card had asked the wifi base whether he could connect, and the base (which was an open network) replied with "yes" along with an IP address etc.
I'm not sure what actually happened in the end, however.
I'm not sure what actually happened in the end, however.
if you get in trouble getting on a free unlocked network with an iPod touch, tell them to either a.) settle themselves down or b.) take it up with Apple
Dude who cares connect to them anyway. Just don't do anything illegal (which I don't think you can with the Touch even if you wanted to).
From what I understand it's actually the person(s) who own the unsecured wifi network who are responsible for what happens to it.
I mean lets face it, you aren't going to be downloading 100GBs of porn with the Touch so it really shouldn't matter.
From what I understand it's actually the person(s) who own the unsecured wifi network who are responsible for what happens to it.
I mean lets face it, you aren't going to be downloading 100GBs of porn with the Touch so it really shouldn't matter.
Exactly.
If their wi-fi connection reaches into your house or public property that's their problem. It's simple enough to keep people out.
Actually... I think the blame falls just as much on, if not more-so, on the person who owns the network.
You can be fined for not having secure wireless... I know that much for sure. Ignorance isn't an excuse either.
It doesn't really matter.... if someone has their wireless network exposed, then go ahead and use it.... if they haven't passworded it then they obviously either don't care or don't even know...
I don't think anyone is out there trying to "catch" people... seems like it would be a giant waste of time. If people knew how to do that, then they would know how to simply make their network secure.... most people just don't even know.... hence why you see so many "linksys" networks. And a lot of them, even if passworded, use the default password for the router... so you can STILL get in just by looking it up, but THAT I would consider theft because at least they've made an effort to keep people out.
You can be fined for not having secure wireless... I know that much for sure. Ignorance isn't an excuse either.
It doesn't really matter.... if someone has their wireless network exposed, then go ahead and use it.... if they haven't passworded it then they obviously either don't care or don't even know...
I don't think anyone is out there trying to "catch" people... seems like it would be a giant waste of time. If people knew how to do that, then they would know how to simply make their network secure.... most people just don't even know.... hence why you see so many "linksys" networks. And a lot of them, even if passworded, use the default password for the router... so you can STILL get in just by looking it up, but THAT I would consider theft because at least they've made an effort to keep people out.
Just realize that even IF its illegal in your area, and even IF the owner of the network notices somebody else is using it there is no way for them to know who it is that is using it. Its not like there is going to be a big sign over your head that says "This is the person stealing your wifi"
The reality is that unless you're downloading massive and I mean MASSIVE amounts of data, or are doing something illegal the owner of the network is unlikely to even care, or even notice.
The reality is that unless you're downloading massive and I mean MASSIVE amounts of data, or are doing something illegal the owner of the network is unlikely to even care, or even notice.
Free WiFi Access
Our city of Fredericton, New Brunswick (Canada), has free wifi in various parts of the city, called Fred-eZone, which enables wifi devices to access the internet on just about any wifi device. I haven't tried it with the Touch yet as I only got home yesterday with my iPod Touch (I got it while I was out of town).
In the house, I also have a wireless router, which is locked, and inputting the key I can access the internet on my iPod Touch and my laptop.
Our city of Fredericton, New Brunswick (Canada), has free wifi in various parts of the city, called Fred-eZone, which enables wifi devices to access the internet on just about any wifi device. I haven't tried it with the Touch yet as I only got home yesterday with my iPod Touch (I got it while I was out of town).
In the house, I also have a wireless router, which is locked, and inputting the key I can access the internet on my iPod Touch and my laptop.