Wifi question

[RollTide]

I am in the process of moving (into the city) and we are cleaning out the house etc. I have noticed a wifi signal that is obviously from a neighbor. The houses are not that close together and I think it is the house across the street with the wifi. I was wondering if there was any free app that allows you to find the approximate direction of the router.

Second question:
Can I use this internet since it is not password protected? is it illegal, immoral? If not I was thinking about taking my airport express and boosting the signal. Could this be done?

I may just tell them they have an open internet connection and they need to put a password on it. Whatdayah think?

 

[iToaster]

Well, what you can do is use an app that tells you the RSSI of the connection (for example, in the airport menu on Macs holding option when you click it will show you the RSSI of a network when you scroll over it) and walk in a direction and see if the RSSI goes down (good) or up (bad). You could take the AirPort Express and boost it, but as for using their connection, it is immoral and perhaps qualified as stealing.

 

[RollTide]

Yeah I've heard two sides of the wifi thing, some say stealing some say that it's not. Curious.

 

[aross99]

Seems pretty clear to me that if you are using their WiFi without permission, that isn't RIGHT.

I'll stop short of saying that it is immoral or illegal - lack of encryption or not.

 

[fuzorsilverbolt]

Wifi stealers

People that don't have their wifi secured deserved to have their all computers connected to their network pwned.

 

[r.j.s]

I think there are actually laws in some places against it. I remember reading a story about someone who got arrested for that very thing here in the US.

 

[aross99]

People that don't have their wifi secured deserved to have their all computers connected to their network pwned.

Seems a bit harsh to me. I would venture to say that most people who setup a WiFi router, don't have any idea about securing their wireless connection.

I'm not saying that is right, just that is seems to be the unfortunate reality...

 

[RollTide]

Well I am going to try and look for laws here in Alabama. Doubt I will find anything about the internet since it has not been updated for lonnnnnnng time. It's still illegal to spit on sidwalks on sunday afternoon FYI