Man Charged With Stealing Wi-Fi Signal

[Lueyen]

how does someone just happen to unintentionally stumble onto someones home based wireless connection? i was kinda under the impression people had to drive around looking for a strong enough signal to tap into.

If my prefered wireless network is unavailable (the case when I'm traveling) my computer is set to connect to any available network, presumably the one with the strongest signal. This is usually the case in motels ect where they offer wireless, and makes connections easy as there is very little if anything to configure.

Now if my neighbor also uses wireless and I boot up my laptop outside on my deck, and the signal from thier router is stronger then the signal from mine it would connect to his network instead of mine automatically. It gives a message that it's connected, and like many common messages you get used to seeing you may not actually read it and just click by it. This has been the case for me, not with a neighbors network, but with that of a business network in the area.

And yes Mappatazee I think that is a better comparison, with the exception that when viewing someone elses TV you wouldn't be degrading thier services performance which you are at least to an extent with networks because even just browsing you are using some bandwidth, even if small and probably unoticable.

[xaoshaen]

The fellow never set foot upon the accusor's property.

Not physically, no.

There's really no way to set foot on someone's property save for physically.

semantics

My point exactly.

[xaoshaen]

The fellow never set foot upon the accusor's property.

Not physically, no.

There's really no way to set foot on someone's property save for physically.

If someone stole your identity, would that be theft, since there is no actual taking? if someone connected to your computer and downloaded your files without your permission, would that not be trespassing?

Not analagous situations.

[Lyion]

Hacking into someones PC is as much trespassing as walking through their front door.

Completely equivalent comparisons.

[Tikker]

Someone earlier made the comment that it was similar to standing on the sidewalk and watching tv thru the window


this would be true if:

you also had a remote, and could change channels
you also could order PPV pr0n




The long and short of it is that if i'm not offering free wifi, and you're leeching off of me willfully, you're stealing

[xaoshaen]

Hacking into someones PC is as much trespassing as walking through their front door.

Completely equivalent comparisons.

No. Entirely different charges and penalties. It's more akin to theft than trespassing.

[Gidan]

Hacking into someones PC is as much trespassing as walking through their front door.

Completely equivalent comparisons.

No. Entirely different charges and penalties. It's more akin to theft than trespassing.

How is hacking into somones PC theft. If you dont take anything, what exactly are you stealing? How is it different then walking into somone elses home?

[xaoshaen]

Hacking into someones PC is as much trespassing as walking through their front door.

Completely equivalent comparisons.

No. Entirely different charges and penalties. It's more akin to theft than trespassing.

How is hacking into somones PC theft. If you dont take anything, what exactly are you stealing? How is it different then walking into somone elses home?

Read the original post.

[runamonk]

It should fall under radio rules...if it's transmitted thru the air and you have the equipment to pick it up you can do with it as you please.

That's not true, you can do the same with cell phones but it's considered illegal.

[runamonk]

how does someone just happen to unintentionally stumble onto someones home based wireless connection? i was kinda under the impression people had to drive around looking for a strong enough signal to tap into.

They do have to drive around until they get a signal. There is a handy little PDA like device that will tell you if there are wifi signals in your immediate area. It's pretty cheap too.

[kaharthemad]

Hell at present my WIFI reaches to my neighbors house. Since he is a kid I allow him access only on the agreement he logs onto my SWG account and grinds my Master Shipwright out. I think it is a fair trade yes the wifi is secured he just has my passwords to it. should his grades drop the kid loses his nice wireless g bandwidth.

[kaharthemad]

as for the stealing of bandwidth..I think it should be covered under FCC jurisdiction.
If your stupid enough to have a unsecured radio wave your stupid enough to get taken by it.

[Captain Insano]

In my old apartment complex I used to go wardriving around with my laptop, changing people's router passwords and then encrypting their WIFI networks so only I could use them and they couldn't. Sometimes I would even haxor into their computers and delete stuff. It was fun. My dirty mexican friend taught me how to do all this evil haxor shit. Neat stuff I must say.

[Tuggan]

In my old apartment complex I used to go wardriving around with my laptop, changing people's router passwords and then encrypting their WIFI networks so only I could use them and they couldn't. Sometimes I would even haxor into their computers and delete stuff. It was fun. My dirty mexican friend taught me how to do all this evil haxor shit. Neat stuff I must say.

And thus the reason why it should be considered illegal.