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Wifi Welcome Message

J

jsbarone

macrumors regular
Original poster
May 8, 2007
158
0
I leave my Wifi connection unsecured so that my neighbors can occasionally hop on from time to time. Lately I've been getting some bandwidth hogs, so I'm looking into tightening it down a little bit. I have DD-WRT on the router---what can you guys recommend for management? I'd like a little disclaimer message to pop up that asks them to be respectful. I'd also like the ability to limit bandwidth if I need to.

Thanks,

J
 
MAC filtering. Then just ask your neighbors to give you their MAC address and they can have free access. Or just block the normal P2P ports. Or require a password that anyone who knows you will know.

TEG
 
TEG said:
MAC filtering. Then just ask your neighbors to give you their MAC address and they can have free access. Or just block the normal P2P ports. Or require a password that anyone who knows you will know.

TEG
Click to expand...

Thanks for the response, but that's not what I'm looking for. Reread my post...
 
jsbarone said:
I leave my Wifi connection unsecured so that my neighbors can occasionally hop on from time to time. Lately I've been getting some bandwidth hogs, so I'm looking into tightening it down a little bit. I have DD-WRT on the router---what can you guys recommend for management? I'd like a little disclaimer message to pop up that asks them to be respectful. I'd also like the ability to limit bandwidth if I need to.
Click to expand...

Well, you could run something like Zone: CD, which is basically wifi hotspot software package that runs on a small PC (or old PC, etc.), but you may be in violation of the ISP's TOS by doing so...
 
Pretty stupid idea if you ask me. Anyone could go on to your internet connection, do something illegal and it'll fire back to your IP address. You are the contract holder.

If your neighbours want internet, they should get it themselves. You probably will, as said above, violate your ISP contract by doing that too.
 
RainForRent said:
Yeah, why not just set up MAC filtering, and only let in people who won't be bandwidth hogs? That would be the easiest way to go about it without having to sit and work at it constantly.
Click to expand...

I don't know my neighbors, don't really want to, and I hop on and off of my router with different devices frequently. This is why I don't feel like adding security. It has an added benefit of providing free wireless access to people who respect it. If they don't, I'll lock it down.

I don't think I can get in trouble for leaving my AP open, that would be ridiculous. Starbucks, hotels, etc would get sued all the time if that were the case.
 
jsbarone said:
I don't know my neighbors, don't really want to, and I hop on and off of my router with different devices frequently. This is why I don't feel like adding security. It has an added benefit of providing free wireless access to people who respect it. If they don't, I'll lock it down.

I don't think I can get in trouble for leaving my AP open, that would be ridiculous. Starbucks, hotels, etc would get sued all the time if that were the case.
Click to expand...

You don't even know your neighbours yet you let them access your WiFi?!

Crazy.
 
jsbarone said:
I don't know my neighbors, don't really want to, and I hop on and off of my router with different devices frequently. This is why I don't feel like adding security. It has an added benefit of providing free wireless access to people who respect it. If they don't, I'll lock it down.

I don't think I can get in trouble for leaving my AP open, that would be ridiculous. Starbucks, hotels, etc would get sued all the time if that were the case.
Click to expand...

Actually it is against most ISP's TOS to run a wireless access point under a residential account. Usually places like startbucks use commercial Access Points, and other places actually pay for the business class internet.
 
localoid said:
Well, you could run something like Zone: CD, which is basically wifi hotspot software package that runs on a small PC (or old PC, etc.), but you may be in violation of the ISP's TOS by doing so...
Click to expand...
In all likelihood, you're violating your ISP's TOS by knowingly sharing your internet connection with your neighbors.
 
Another vote for security and here is why

What if one of your "neighbors" accesses a rather inappropriate webpage? And it gets traced back to you? How can you prove that you weren't the person that visited the site? - hence the security.

just my 2 cents
 
you can lower down the connection power. so that i wouldn't reach to far to your neighbors .
 
toolbox said:
Another vote for security and here is why

What if one of your "neighbors" accesses a rather inappropriate webpage? And it gets traced back to you? How can you prove that you weren't the person that visited the site? - hence the security.

just my 2 cents
Click to expand...

It's true what they say– Nice guys finish last.
 
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