I'm Receiving Free Wireless Internet

[syd barrett]

I just noticed that my wireless laptop is picking up an unsecured free local network, at pretty good speeds and signal.

It seems too good to be true and is very useful for me.

What are the dangers? Is security ie. password accounts a big risk. Can people see what I browse?

Thanks for any comments.

[Johnxxx]

I just noticed that my wireless laptop is picking up an unsecured free local network, at pretty good speeds and signal.

It seems too good to be true and is very useful for me.

What are the dangers? Is security ie. password accounts a big risk. Can people see what I browse?

Thanks for any comments.

I think the biggest danger is that the person with the free network makes a key for it and you do not have it anymore. Otherwise there are the same dangers that you have with any public (wireless) network. If they are clever enough they could watch you - you are on their network. It is possible but not so easy if they cannot install tools on your computer. Your ISP could see everything too. But often people buy a modem and plug it in and have no idea about keys.

[syd barrett]

I just noticed that my wireless laptop is picking up an unsecured free local network, at pretty good speeds and signal.

It seems too good to be true and is very useful for me.

What are the dangers? Is security ie. password accounts a big risk. Can people see what I browse?

Thanks for any comments.

I think the biggest danger is that the person with the free network makes a key for it and you do not have it anymore.

What is a 'key' why don't they use one, surely me downloading stuff is slowing their speeds?

[dave_boo]

If they're stupid enough to not set up WEP or WPA than they're not going to be sniffing your packets, injecting code, or anything like that.

You'd think they'd notice the slowdown in speed, but T.I.T., and slowdowns are par for the course. However, if they were to look at their router's DHCP table they'd quickly see that you were attached and could get help to get the hole closed.

Ethically it's wrong, but if you have no qualms mooching off of someone else ignorance, up to you. You could also look into link aggregation (purely as an academic adventure).

23 posts to the magical 2000!

[webfact]

In my condo building I have identified 9 unprotected networks!

I'll second what Johnxxx wrote "people buy a modem and plug it in and have no idea about keys"

/only 519 posts to the magical 2000...easy going

Edited May 20, 2009 by webfact

[Johnxxx]

I just noticed that my wireless laptop is picking up an unsecured free local network, at pretty good speeds and signal.

It seems too good to be true and is very useful for me.

What are the dangers? Is security ie. password accounts a big risk. Can people see what I browse?

Thanks for any comments.

I think the biggest danger is that the person with the free network makes a key for it and you do not have it anymore.

What is a 'key' why don't they use one, surely me downloading stuff is slowing their speeds?

A key is like a password that you have to enter so that you can log on to a network. In addition to this it encrypts the transmitted data. And to be complete - it slows down the wireless network. Why does he not use one - you have to set up the modem to use one.

If you use their network you will make it slower. You can throttle your downloads for instance with Freedownloadmanager - it is free and great. So they will not have a bottleneck for their data.

But it always depends what the other side does - just watching sex photos on the internet? If they have at least a 2 Mbps connection they will not even notice you then. And even if they have a feeling that the internet is not so quick now...they will call the hotline of the ISP and complain about the slow internet. If they knew how it works they would have used a key anyway

But anyhow it is against the law and some people use because of this software to change their MAC - the unique address of your computer. On the other hand they have to find you and your computer to check the MAC...

Edited May 20, 2009 by Johnxxx

[phaethon]

23 posts to the magical 2000!

You know.. I could really use a list of the elements up to and including Vanadium... in separate posts please... for some obscure Thai cultural reason...

[tlock]

If they're stupid enough to not set up WEP or WPA than they're not going to be sniffing your packets, injecting code, or anything like that.

You'd think they'd notice the slowdown in speed, but T.I.T., and slowdowns are par for the course. However, if they were to look at their router's DHCP table they'd quickly see that you were attached and could get help to get the hole closed.

Ethically it's wrong, but if you have no qualms mooching off of someone else ignorance, up to you. You could also look into link aggregation (purely as an academic adventure).

23 posts to the magical 2000!

I'm computer savvy, and I leave my network unsecured cuz i know how cool it is to check into a hotel and find a free wireless network to check your email on. I'm not ignorant, and I don't think "ethically it's wrong". I'm leaving it open intentionally. We're all brothers, brother.

[syd barrett]

I am a bit of a dummy here. But what have they done? Done wrong? Surely this sort of stuff is installed by TTT experts?

[davee58]

23 posts to the magical 2000!

You know.. I could really use a list of the elements up to and including Vanadium... in separate posts please... for some obscure Thai cultural reason...

Hydrogen

[davee58]

23 posts to the magical 2000!

You know.. I could really use a list of the elements up to and including Vanadium... in separate posts please... for some obscure Thai cultural reason...

Helium

OK - I give in, this is too much work!

[phaethon]

You buy a wireless router and plug it into your Internet connection. When you connect to the router wirelessly you are supposed to access the router's configuration interface, usually a web page accessed through a browser with an address like http://192.168.0.1/ (for a D-Link router) and first change the default username and password (you can find these on the Internet for any particular make/model of router) and then set up wireless security which generates a code that all computers accessing the modem wirelessly need to provide to connect.

Your unwitting provider has failed to do the latter and probably the former too. A unscrupulous hacker could go in and configure all sorts of things in the router such as port forwarding for torrent downloads etc. It is likely (s)he had an existing Internet connection and simply went out and bought a wireless router and plugged it in.

Sometimes you will see in your wireless network browser a network which is unsecured, but when you connect and try to browse the browser is redirected to a login page that you have to complete before you can browse or use any other Internet method - these are called captive portals and are used by Hotels, restaurants, condos etc. for easy customer access.

[syd barrett]

You buy a wireless router and plug it into your Internet connection. When you connect to the router wirelessly you are supposed to access the router's configuration interface, usually a web page accessed through a browser with an address like http://192.168.0.1/ (for a D-Link router) and first change the default username and password (you can find these on the Internet for any particular make/model of router) and then set up wireless security which generates a code that all computers accessing the modem wirelessly need to provide to connect.

Your unwitting provider has failed to do the latter and probably the former too. A unscrupulous hacker could go in and configure all sorts of things in the router such as port forwarding for torrent downloads etc. It is likely (s)he had an existing Internet connection and simply went out and bought a wireless router and plugged it in.

Sometimes you will see in your wireless network browser a network which is unsecured, but when you connect and try to browse the browser is redirected to a login page that you have to complete before you can browse or use any other Internet method - these are called captive portals and are used by Hotels, restaurants, condos etc. for easy customer access.

Thanks for the info. Yes, they must have just plugged in. Will they ever know, they are free-for-all?

[joncl]

What are the dangers?

prosecution

Edited May 20, 2009 by joncl

[syd barrett]

What are the dangers?

prosecution

Really?

[phaethon]

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/magazine/6960304.stm

The [uK] Communications Act 2003 says a "person who ( a ) dishonestly obtains an electronic communications service, and ( b ) does so with intent to avoid payment of a charge applicable to the provision of that service, is guilty of an offence".

What's the situation in LOS? Anyone's guess, like most things it depends on how much trouble the owners and/or police want to make for you.

Edited May 20, 2009 by phaethon

[phaethon]

OK - I give in, this is too much work!

Dave... There aren't enough elements to get you up to 2000 posts...

[longball53098]

It is possible but unlikely the person sending the "free" wireless is baiting anyone dumb enough to use it. Once they see someone on the system for a while they can now go to work and get into the unsuspecting freeloaders computer.

[borovik]

So many replies for this post,but nobody has mentioned this:

encryption standart:WEP used to protect WiFi network is flawed and should be avoided;in fact it is as good as no protection at all,or better:worse,then no protection,because it gives you false sense o security.

You should use WPA2 and good password.

If you are altruist - you can keep your network opened for guests or neighbours,up to you,as they say in LOS!I do not think,that

it is very risky,but dangers do exist.

[BigSnake]

Oh Lucky you, beware now if they get wise to your FREELOADING them they could send you a very nasty VIRUS.

[nidge]

Ethically it's wrong, but if you have no qualms mooching off of someone else ignorance, up to you. You could also look into link aggregation (purely as an academic adventure).

Why is it ethically wrong? If you are in your own house using an unsecured network. Is it also wrong if someone plays loud music and you listen you it from your living room. Or if your neighbour has a mango tree that hangs into your garden and you pick mangos from your side? Nearly everybody knows the dangers of poor security on the internet. Thouse that don't should not be allowed to use the internet at all.

Nidge

[H2oDunc]

In the UK several people have been prosecuted for this offence. You are actually stealing from whoever the network belongs to. Can he see you are using it YES can he do something about it YES Your computer is open to attack from him if he chooses to. Will he ? very unlikely. Most people would just use it till the guy cottons on and closes it by putting a password onto the network

[Mobi]

There is a scam where professional hackers can access your laptop from unprotected wireless networks.

Typically what they do is send you an email while you are on line, saying it is from your internet bank, advising there is a problem with your account and asking you to confirm back your user name and password. Of course no one is stupid enough to do that, but what many people do, after receiving an email like this, is to log into their banking account to make sure nothing has been stolen. Once you do that, the hackers have your details.

You should never log onto internet banking, provide credit card info, or onto other similar sites on an unsecured public network, and not even on a private , secured wireless network if it is not controlled by you, as you never know if the owner/operator is a crook. (e.g hotel, internet Cafe, Pattaya beach area).

BTW For less than 2,000 Baht you can set up a small home wireless network, and you don't need to be an IT professional to do it.

[angiud]

cheap charly

[webfact]

So many replies for this post,but nobody has mentioned this:

encryption standart:WEP used to protect WiFi network is flawed and should be avoided;in fact it is as good as no protection at all,or better:worse,then no protection,because it gives you false sense o security.

You should use WPA2 and good password.

If you are altruist - you can keep your network opened for guests or neighbours,up to you,as they say in LOS!I do not think,that

it is very risky,but dangers do exist.

If you want use WPA2 make sure the Microsoft WPA2 support patch is applied to your Windows XP. It is not included in SP2.

Further you have to check if the network adapter in your laptops/PC's attached to your network support WPA2. Some older internal/external adapters don't and you might need a firmware upgrade as well.

WPA2 setup isn't that easy at it sounds... and I want to mention that!

[namoo]

Speaking of Wireless security. I noticed yesterday there was 1 extra DHCP client on my wireless network - strange as there should be only 4 devices connected in my network.

1. Macbook Pro

2. Macbook

3. Apple Tv

4. Mac Mini

5. HPxxxx

I was using WEP - easily hackable. So changed to WPA2 and MAC FILTER active and HIDE SSD. Mysteriously enough mr HP disappeared and has not returned.

Just a word of warning that don't think because you have WEP enabled you are safe from the bandwidth thieves.

[dave_boo]

I'm computer savvy, and I leave my network unsecured cuz i know how cool it is to check into a hotel and find a free wireless network to check your email on. I'm not ignorant, and I don't think "ethically it's wrong". I'm leaving it open intentionally. We're all brothers, brother.

There's a difference between being altruistic and someone preying on another's stupidity. I also think that access should be free across the board in certain cases; much as libraries are free-except for those stupid card's cost. Funny thing is that I can leave my network open also, but I think the nearest computers are down in the amphur which is over 7 kilometers away.

OK - I give in, this is too much work!

Dave... There aren't enough elements to get you up to 2000 posts...

Start on the isotopes.

Why is it ethically wrong? If you are in your own house using an unsecured network. Is it also wrong if someone plays loud music and you listen you it from your living room. Or if your neighbour has a mango tree that hangs into your garden and you pick mangos from your side? Nearly everybody knows the dangers of poor security on the internet. Thouse that don't should not be allowed to use the internet at all.

Nidge

As I mentioned previously, I think that everyone should have access to the net, at little to no cost. Heavy users (torrent users) should pay more for a fat pipe, but a basic line say ISDN speed should be one thing everyone should have access to. I also think that marijuana should be de-illegalised, simply because there's more reasons for that than the continuing of it being illegal.

However, that's not how things work! Until my proposals take effect what is being suggested in this thread is illegal. And since the mods can be funny at times I needed to make that note early in the thread.

Oh, and by the way, everyone should have to take an IQ test as a child and if they don't score at least in the mid 80 percentile they should be chemically nutured. That may prevent stuff like this from happening in the future.

[Crushdepth]

If you're using someone else's wireless network you should give some thought to the possibility that it may have been left open deliberately, or (more likely) that someone has left a machine connected to sniff the traffic. A wanna be thief just needs to sit back and collect all the credentials passing through, sift through it later. There's still a lot of logins out there that aren't encrypted. Once they get into someone's email account they can retrieve 'forgotten' passwords for many other accounts and services.

Wouldn't be hard to do in a place like Bangkok and there have been the odd report from Thaivisa members about wireless security problems. Hotspots frequented by wealthy clientele might be particularly attractive to dirtbags.

[borovik]

I'm computer savvy, and I leave my network unsecured cuz i know how cool it is to check into a hotel and find a free wireless network to check your email on. I'm not ignorant, and I don't think "ethically it's wrong". I'm leaving it open intentionally. We're all brothers, brother.

In "hotel situation"(30$ for wi-fi/day) it is very usefull to have external antena connected by cable.

In practice - you have to use seperate USB wi-fi modem,USB cable can be long enough to position

your antena in place with strong signal,which is usually outside window,yes?-instead of hanging there

with your laptop!Company called "Senao" makes them,one with the digit "5" in name is the best,used by hobbyists(wifi DX-ers).I played this hobby myself,when I stayed in populated place,with condominium towers around.Some years ago - it was popular hobby in US:hunting for wi-fi spots.There is that DIY antena:you need used ordinary tin(baked beans) and not much more,it works great!Its known on internet as "tin antena",it will not work on rice fields,rather in places like Rachadapisek.

To protect your network from such hobbists - the most effective is to use wireless router with special

"push buton".When new comp wants to connect with your network,router emit signal,and somebody must acknowledge it pushing the button.I forget whats the name of this "pushbuton" technology.

Now,I do not need to do such tricks - my dogs will first sniffout any intruder!low tech approach..

[angiud]

I don't understand why TV allows to talk about something illegal.

Do you want internet connection? you have to pay it. Connecting in somebody else wifi is illegal, unfair and keeniao