What John is telling you as far as password protecting a wireless
network is correct, but as you are saying, since you are tied directly
into your DSL modem, you do not need to worry about this with one
caveat: If your mac has an airport card in and you did have 'share
network connection turned on, etc., then it is possible they could
hitchhike. The easiest way to stop that in YOUR situation it to turn
the airport card off.
If they do not have wireless systems, then the tapping would have to be
done by the airport card in the machine (or by physical connections via
ethernet into the computer side of the router). or they have to use
advanced alien-based technology to interface with the computer, which I
doubt they are doing, because DSL lines would not be fast enough for
the alines to use to accomplish much (smile).
The idea of him using a wireless network like you are saying is called
war-driving and war-chalking, etc (you can hit Google for fascinating
tales about this thing if you wish).
Jerry
On Jul 21, 2004, at 8:29 PM, Mike Watkins wrote:
> All,
>
> Is there anything I need to do to protect my computer's DSL service
> from being used by someone outside my home? I do not have a wireless/
> airport type set-up... just a regular BellSouth high speed DSL
> conection.
>
> There's a kid in our neighborhood who is lurking outside some of my
> neighbor's houses to use their internet on his laptop... I've seen him
> by two of my neighbor's houses, and that's what he says he's doing. He
> told me he didn't think they'd mind. (Of course, they're not home at
> the time.) He sat out in front of my next-door neighbor's for several
> hours on Monday. She doesn't have a wireless set-up, either... perhaps
> he was really tapping into the folks across the street's system?
>
> If he or someone else can access my internet, what are the dangers to
> my system? I don't know how skilled he is. If he did anything illegal
> using my connection, or if his computer had a virus, or whatever...
> what could happen? Would you report him to anyone... and, if so, who?
>
> Anyone know about this stuff?
>
> Mike
>
>
>
> | The next meeting of the Louisville Computer Society will
> | be July 27. The LCS Web page is <http://www.kymac.org>.
> | List posting address: <mailto:macgroup at erdos.math.louisville.edu>
> | List Web page: <http://erdos.math.louisville.edu/macgroup>
>
>
-----------------------------------
Someday, I will come up with a clever signature line. I am not sure if
I will use it or not, but I will come up with one.
| The next meeting of the Louisville Computer Society will
| be July 27. The LCS Web page is <http://www.kymac.org>.
| List posting address: <mailto:macgroup at erdos.math.louisville.edu>
| List Web page: <http://erdos.math.louisville.edu/macgroup>
