Anyone stealing wiFI from your neighbors?

[george graves]

So - I really don't want to pay for broadband. So - I was wondering if any of you steal bandwidth from a open wifi connection in your neghiborhood?

I live in a relly densely populated aera that in just one long road of appartment complexs.

How far will wifi travel? Anyone using a coffee can antenna to steal bandwidth?

Thank!

[Ryan Stewart]

When I was visting my grandpartents I stole bandwidth in a neighbourhood of plantation style homes. In apartment complexes there is nearly an infinite number of connections available.

You could get a Wifi car with a longer range antenna, ive seen people use those outdoors on campus.

[nickmp0wer]

have you bought a wireless card and seen if it picks up any?

just make sure you arent sharing your my documents folder or anything, if i saw someone using my network their files would be gone!

[Jon325i]

I recently set up a Linksys Wireless-G router....absolutely love it too. About an hour into surfing with this new router, I get this window in the middle of my screen letting me know someone was tapping into my (broadband grade) bandwidth. I went back to the Linksys site and quickly changed things to a secure network. That put the kabosh on the freeloader :evil:

Jon

[aglio]

i've left quite a few .txt messages in random folk's shared folders to let them know thier networks aren't secure...although i must admit i'm guilty of snagging a free connection here and there.

if your neighbors find out they'll prob be pissed. could always ask first and give the neighbor a 20 spot or something?

[golde30]

at my office we have a network setup, but its hardwired like every other office, so i brought in my laptop and picked up some wireless network in the area. i use it all the time, sometimes theres like 4 of us using it...LOL

[92 mtechnic cabrio]

just remember if one is even at the least computer proficient, it is very easy to find out whether you are on their network or not.

a quick double click of the network neighborhood, or even more slightly advanced, a quick glance at the DHCP clients.

[Ryan Stewart]

If you turn off the server service they wont see you in network neighbourhood. Its also one of the best ways to protect yourself on open networks.

The DHCP one works unless you pull a DHCP IP and then manually configer the IP from there, most people use routers that are up 24/7 so its unlikely it would take the IP for something else. Especially if they dont have it properly configured for security.

Then the only way to find out really is a mac address poll.

[StereoInstaller1]

At my last house, I walked over to my neighbors house, asked if they had a firewall. They said no, they didn't.

He is a Comcast installer.

I installed the router that I bought at Home Depot for like $30...instant free wifi connection, and helped secure my neighbor. As a benefit, I used his bandwidth.

He had some decent pRon, too.

Well, did anyway.

Luke

[Matt86es]

We're sharing a connection with our neigbors directly below us and splitting the costs. It works out to $15 a person/per month.

[Bimmerfanatik]

When I was in my last apartment, my roommates didn't even know what a computer was, so getting cable broadband installed would have been my responsibility - and it wasn't worth it, as I was never home.

So I picked up a WiFi card for my laptop, and a DC adapter, and started checking it in neighborhoods and parking lots of businesses. Low and behold, I found a solid connection in the parking lot of the gym next to my work. So I'd just swing into the parking lot, check my mail, surf a bit, etc, then be on my way :)

I <3 stealing bandwith.