Wireless broadband

[Noreen]

I don't use it myself but I was talking to a friend yesterday who told me that her school age daughter had discovered that her laptop could pick up and use a connection without her having to have an ISP. I said that I thought that it was illegal to use another person's wireless broadband connection. However she said that she didn't think so because it was the fault of the other person. Their house is near an internet cafe and also a pub that offers wi-fi connections.

[Rik]

It's illegal to use a network without permission, Noreen, and people have been successfully prosecuted for doing so. It's no defence that the network is unsecured, it's akin to offering a defence to a burglary charge that the door wasn't locked.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/hereford/worcs/6565079.stm

[Sebby]

Yep, as Rik says really. If you connect to an unsecured wireless network and get caught, you will be in trouble.

[Noreen]

That's what I thought, Rik. I suppose that she has to be found out first, I don't know how that happens when she uses it in their house.

[Rik]

It isn't likely to, Noreen, though they may get spotted and barred.

[madasahatter]

Yep - peeps have been successfully prosecuted for doing the same thing - very naughty indeed  

When you think about it, it's akin to hacking into someone else's network - sure, not for malicious purposes, but it's still getting on to a network that you have no right to be on.

[Noreen]

I must stress that it's not me doing this, I don't use wireless. I'll tell her next time I see her but you know what teenagers are like.

[Rik]

Someone who was very determined could probably track her down, but it's unlikely to happen. At most, her MAC could be noticed and barred.

[madasahatter]

I must stress that it's not me doing this, I don't use wireless. I'll tell her next I see her but you know what teenagers are like.

Tis Ok Noreen - we know you'd never do anything like that 

It does kind of raise the question, once again, of how society has changed, and how being dishonest in one way or another is increasingly acceptable. 

[Sebby]

I guess that a lot are not educated on the subject, and even those who are probably find it very difficult to resist. Maybe compulsory encryption is the answer.

[Noreen]

The point is, Mad, that she doesn't think it's criminal. She thinks that there is nothing wrong in taking advantage of another's stupidity. When I said that I thought that people had been prosecuted she said that she would plead ignorance, I'm sure that wouldn't work.

[Inactive]

Better still, compulsory conscription .. 

[Sebby]

[Rik]

The point is, Mad, that she doesn't think it's criminal. She thinks that there is nothing wrong in taking advantage of another's stupidity. When I said that I thought that people had been prosecuted she said that she would plead ignorance, I'm sure that wouldn't work.

It sums up the mentality of many people these days, Noreen, unfortunately. She probably thinks illegal downloads are fine too.

[madasahatter]

Don't get me wrong Sebby, I know peeps who do, and have done, this and it's obviously not the crime of the century, but it is still dishonest, and dishonesty to one degree or another is more prevalent, and a lot more acceptable than it used to be in our society. My point really is, where do you draw the line - how do you decide to what degree dishonesty is acceptable, and when it becomes unacceptable?

[Rik]

You can't, Mad. Something is either right or wrong. A legal system can vary the punishment according to the severity of the offence, but the verdict remains guilty or not guilty.

[madasahatter]

The point is, Mad, that she doesn't think it's criminal. She thinks that there is nothing wrong in taking advantage of another's stupidity.

That's my point Noreen - she has convinced herself that she is doing nothing wrong, and a lot of society would agree. Unfortunately, dishonest is dishonest no matter what spin you put on it.

Don't get me wrong - I'm not trying to be all high and mighty about this - we are all guilty to one degree or another.

[gizmo71]

but the verdict remains guilty or not guilty.

Except in Scotland.

[Rik]

Very true. I was trying not to confuse things, though.

[talos2]

I think Noreen you should make it clear to her that connecting to someones WiFi without their permission is treated as theft and carries the same penalties as such Eg a criminal record, a hefty fine and possible confiscation of all her computer equipment plus costs and compensation. They also have the means to track you down whenever you connect. The question, is it worth it,? is for her alone.

[Baz]

or you could ask her how she would feel if she found out someone was using her connection and had been for months

[Tacitus]

Their house is near an internet cafe and also a pub that offers wi-fi connections.

It could be that either/both of these are offering free WiFi and she is connecting to one of those.  Since they are likely to be open networks it may well be legal, or at the very least be in a grey area.  EG she didn't make a purchase in the pub/cafe and therefore shouldn't be using the WiFi.

However if it is a domestic unsecured connection then as others have said it wouldn't be legal.

[Noreen]

I don't think the mother really has a clue about wireless broadband. The daughter got her new laptop up and running and she found that she had a broadband connection much to her surprise and excitement. They didn't go looking for it. Of course I got all this secondhand as I wasn't there.

[Gary]

What annoys me is that wifi routers supplied have basic encryption set up these days but its generally wep, also if people read they would learn about network security just google it, I use a 64 hex character key with WPA2, and a 32 hex router SSID which is hidden, I also use mac filtering, I try the hardest to keep my connection secure. To be honest there really is no excuse to have unlocked connections now as most ISP's providers give their routers with some form of security, its generally people buying third party routers that don't bother it seems 

[Rik]

More often than not, Gary, they simply don't know any better and we are headed back to our call for people to have to pass a basic competence test before being allowed online.