MattyJ wrote:
The thing is, if you have an open AP, then the EMR from that AP is
blasting at everyone with range of it. As far as I'm concerned, once
you've radiated it, it's up for grabs by anyone. I didn't take it
from you. *You* offered it to *me* by not confining it! If anyone
should be assaulted by lawyers over this, it should be the person
sharing his ISP's bandwidth with the world, not the people just
soaking up something that wandered uninvited into /their/ house.
I'm coming in late to this one. I apologize if the points have been
covered already.
Most people running an open AP are not aware they are doing so.
'What's the harm' is a weak argument for stealing something, whether
or not the person knows it's being stolen. If I accidentally leave my
keys in the car, it doesn't give you the right to go on a joyride as I
sleep, even if you fill the gas tank and get the tires rotated. I pay
for my car, you don't, it's not yours, keep out.
Good analogy, except there's no wear-and-tear on your WAP, nor physical
deprival. There's good reason it was called *ether*net.
People *pay* for their networks, and others have to go out of their
way to find and connect to them. Your neighbor's wireless doesn't just
flow into your computer like wayward water. Legal schmegal, the moral
implications of this should be obvious. Wouldn't it be awesome if
someone else within range of your neighbor hacked into their likely
insecure Windows box, stole their credit cards, ran them up, took
their identity, ruined their life... but you got free wireless. Sweet!
There is a clear educational opportunity here.
Some have even capitalized on it. I remember hearing about people who
would cruise neighborhoods looking for open APs, notifying the owners,
educating them enough to show them the need for their service, and then
securing their APs for a small fee.
Tangentially related, the ISP I use (SpeakEasy) has a program
(NetShare) where someone with a wireless network can 'partner' with
Speakeasy to sell their bandwidth to their neighbors. I can imagine
there are folks in apartment buildings that essentially have their
wireless paid for by their neighbors. Hopefully your neighbor gets
wind of this.
I like the idea of setting up a WAP and naming it "askMeForFreeAccess".
Of course, you would get what you pay for. If no one else is accessing
my AP (especially me), you could have full soak. But as other accesses
(especially my own) increase, all others would decrease.
--
Ralph
--------------------
You can't help respecting someone who can spell Tuesday even if he can't
spell it right.
--Winnie the Pooh
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