Wireless security sharing WiFi?

[RedCroissant]

Hello everyone. I was just asked by one of my neighbors that just lost her job if I would allow her to share my internet. I know this would normally be a no-no, but since I have the wireless extreme base station that will broadcast a guest network, I figured I could set it up to be safe and that it wouldn't affect or grant her access to my network? Any thoughts about this?

I was planning to set up the guest network with a password and MAC filter and also restrict the really bad sites from being accessed, but other than those things, I don't know what else I could do to give her access to the internet which she has offered to pay a nominal amount for, without really limiting what she will be able to do. Thanks in advance!

 

[miles01110]

You should discuss with her what she's paying for. If I paid 50% of the bill and there were restrictions on access I wouldn't be happy.

 

[Macman45]

In addition to what Miles has posted, it's an ISP no no too....I'd be really careful. Whilst it's admirable of you wanting to help this individual out, you could risk your own connection...If your on a data cap, that's going to come into the equation too.

I think if it were me, why not let your friend use the wifi when she's in your house? Assuming she needs the web for job-hunting etc, you would have an element of supervision. Personally I would not be happy sharing my connection with anyone.

 

[RedCroissant]

In addition to what Miles has posted, it's an ISP no no too....I'd be really careful. Whilst it's admirable of you wanting to help this individual out, you could risk your own connection...If your on a data cap, that's going to come into the equation too.

I think if it were me, why not let your friend use the wifi when she's in your house? Assuming she needs the web for job-hunting etc, you would have an element of supervision. Personally I would not be happy sharing my connection with anyone.

Why is it an ISP no no? I am asking sincerely. I do not have a data cap as far as I am aware and how would it be risking my connection? Do you mean by the decrease in available bandwidth? And she is not a friend, just a neighbor that happened to ask me today and having her use the internet in my apartment is not ideal.

Correct me if I'm wrong about my assumptions, but I thought that if I enabled the guest network on my base station, that it would only mildly impact my bandwidth and that she wouldn't have access to my main network or my devices. Or is it that sharing my WiFi from the same base station makes my network more vulnerable?

----------

You should discuss with her what she's paying for. If I paid 50% of the bill and there were restrictions on access I wouldn't be happy.

I would of course discuss that with her, but I would expect a reasonable person to understand certain limitations on internet use and access due to the fact that the ISP is assigned to me. She offered to pay $10 per month and my portion would be $45. And yes, I think the price that my IP is charging is exorbitant(and that's with a promotional offer).

Or would you say that me making this statement should make me realize that this is a bad idea?

 

[Macman45]

Why is it an ISP no no? I am asking sincerely. I do not have a data cap as far as I am aware and how would it be risking my connection? Do you mean by the decrease in available bandwidth? And she is not a friend, just a neighbor that happened to ask me today and having her use the internet in my apartment is not ideal.

Correct me if I'm wrong about my assumptions, but I thought that if I enabled the guest network on my base station, that it would only mildly impact my bandwidth and that she wouldn't have access to my main network or my devices. Or is it that sharing my WiFi from the same base station makes my network more vulnerable?

Here in the UK at least, sharing the connection to another HOUSE is a breach of contract with all ISP's that I know of here. I would read the fine print in your contract but it makes sense.....They want customers, not folks "Piggy-Backing" on others connections. The law may be different back home, but even without a data cap I'd check to be sure.

 

[mentaluproar]

My ISP had trouble wiring our house, and actually suggested I just share my connection with the roommates and split the bill. I use the guest network for them, and main for me, with MAC filters to keep them from just giving out the guest network password to their buddies.

All I ask is they pay their share (total internet bill/number of roommates) and not to torrent anything unless it's free or so obscure nobody would care. That and keep their OS & antivirus up to date. (I do NOT want to be involved with a botnet.)

I've been doing this for several months and we are all getting along just fine. While most ISPs tell you NOT to do this, none of them ever really check. On IPv4, they can't see any further than your router anyway.

 

[RedCroissant]

Here in the UK at least, sharing the connection to another HOUSE is a breach of contract with all ISP's that I know of here. I would read the fine print in your contract but it makes sense.....They want customers, not folks "Piggy-Backing" on others connections. The law may be different back home, but even without a data cap I'd check to be sure.

I guess we're all up late tonight!(Well, early for you, Macman). I will check the fine print because even though I would like to help her out, I would not do it at the risk of violating contractual agreements.

----------

My ISP had trouble wiring our house, and actually suggested I just share my connection with the roommates and split the bill. I use the guest network for them, and main for me, with MAC filters to keep them from just giving out the guest network password to their buddies.

All I ask is they pay their share (total internet bill/number of roommates) and not to torrent anything unless it's free or so obscure nobody would care. That and keep their OS & antivirus up to date. (I do NOT want to be involved with a botnet.)

I've been doing this for several months and we are all getting along just fine. While most ISPs tell you NOT to do this, none of them ever really check. On IPv4, they can't see any further than your router anyway.

I can understand why the ISP might be more lenient regarding the same household sharing an internet connection, but do you have any experience sharing internet with a neighbor or know anyone that has?

 

[Macman45]

I guess we're all up late tonight!(Well, early for you, Macman). I will check the fine print because even though I would like to help her out, I would not do it at the risk of violating contractual agreements.

----------



I can understand why the ISP might be more lenient regarding the same household sharing an internet connection, but do you have any experience sharing internet with a neighbor or know anyone that has?

None of my neighbours here share their connections...I have a guest network setup, but that only applies to buddies who visit me, and is not a breach of my contract with VM (ISP) It's fine to share that way, and it means folks can use iPads, iPhones Mac's of their own and not use mine...

 

[RedCroissant]

None of my neighbours here share their connections...I have a guest network setup, but that only applies to buddies who visit me, and is not a breach of my contract with VM (ISP) It's fine to share that way, and it means folks can use iPads, iPhones Mac's of their own and not use mine...

Well that's good to know. I really appreciate your responses. And with that, I must head off to be d since it is just past 2 a.m. here.

----------

On IPv4, they can't see any further than your router anyway.

Ok, at the risk of coming off as an internet newbie,what is IPv4? Is that a standard that I would already be using that I am not aware of, or is that something that I have to set? And I really am going to go to sleep now since my kids are bound and determined to wake up before 6 a.m. every d@mn day. Goodnight!

 

[SpetsnaZ99]

Here in the UK at least, sharing the connection to another HOUSE is a breach of contract with all ISP's that I know of here. I would read the fine print in your contract but it makes sense.....They want customers, not folks "Piggy-Backing" on others connections. The law may be different back home, but even without a data cap I'd check to be sure.

The current BT advert in the UK seems to encourage neighbours using a single hub.

This is the ad



?

 

[Macman45]

The current BT advert in the UK seems to encourage neighbours using a single hub.

This is the ad



?

LOL....Most people can't make that damn hub work properly for just one household....I guess things do vary from ISP to ISP, but VM definitely do not let you do that....I really wouldn't want to anyway....I'm fine with buddies using my guest network when they are here, but not neighbours....If somebodies router or modem craps out, they can come over and use my connection with their devices....Just about every single user in the lane is with VM anyway, so if the service goes out, it's 3G on my iPhone or nothing....It's been reliable though...Haven't has an outage for a good while now.

 

[samh]

Why is it an ISP no no? I am asking sincerely.

Where you are running into trouble is two places: sharing your connection beyond your own home and in re-selling your connection. It may or may not be legal (I'm not an attorney, do not take this as legal advice) but it will definitely be a matter of conscience. It is almost certainly against the terms of service.

 

[RedCroissant]

Here in the UK at least, sharing the connection to another HOUSE is a breach of contract with all ISP's that I know of here. I would read the fine print in your contract but it makes sense.....They want customers, not folks "Piggy-Backing" on others connections. The law may be different back home, but even without a data cap I'd check to be sure.

Where you are running into trouble is two places: sharing your connection beyond your own home and in re-selling your connection. It may or may not be legal (I'm not an attorney, do not take this as legal advice) but it will definitely be a matter of conscience. It is almost certainly against the terms of service.

Well, I did my research by looking up the TOS from my ISP, and ha ha..you're both absolutely right. Below are two of the things that are on the list of prohibited activities:

1. Modify any cable modem connected to the (ISP) network, regardless of whether the modem is owned by you or leased from (ISP), in order to commit theft of the Service, fraudulently use the Service or provide the Service to a third party. ISP may work with law enforcement if any such theft or fraud occurs.

2.Resell or redistribute the Service to any third party via any means including but not limited to wireless technology.

So...ok then. Thanks again for everyone's input and advice, and I look forward to having people warn me off breaking any more Terms of Service in the future!

I also discovered a few more things while reading the TOS that I wasn't aware of. SO I'm glad that I finally read them. Ok, I'm going now.