Comments on: Open Wifi Access

By: papapilo

papapilo — Thu, 19 Apr 2007 19:00:39 +0000

http://freifunk.net/ is a good open alternative (though mostly german)

By: Baz

Baz — Wed, 18 Apr 2007 18:06:34 +0000

Peter: I see the point about people doing ‘illegal stuff’, but downloading a film can take hours, and most people’s battery would run out before then.

I’d be interested to know if anyone has ever been ‘talked to’ by the police for what people have done on their open node.

My policy is: so long as it’s not abused I keep it open.

By: Peter

Peter — Wed, 18 Apr 2007 16:55:39 +0000

Mezz: I was referring to a chaise lounge, the ones you can lay down on, three people could it on it.
If you rented the entire bench, you rented it for a reason, either you wanted the space or you just felt like it. It doesn’t give somebody the right to sit on the bench without asking.

By: Mez

Mez — Wed, 18 Apr 2007 16:30:18 +0000

Peter: I would never go wardrving myself, but to me, the Deck Chair thing doesn’t stand up.

A Chair is obviously only possible to be used by one person at a time, therefore, by them using the chair they’re denying you access to it. This would be a DoS attack in modern day times.

Think of Wireless more of a very long bench. Would you begrudge someone sharing it if there was still space on it for you ?

By: Peter

Peter — Wed, 18 Apr 2007 16:17:56 +0000

Mezz: Good point. A different example, you are on the beach, public space. You rent a chair, put your towel on it, put some of your bags underneath, it’s clear to anybody this chair is not theirs. Would it be OK for a stranger to use your chair while you are swimming in the ocean?

My point is that if you are using somebody’s bandwidth you know it’s not yours so what gives you the right to use it? I think it is a bit harsh to have people arrested for using your bandwidth but I don’t believe it’s my responsibility to make sure nobody can use my bandwidth.

In an apartment complex I can see how you sometimes use your neighbors wireless instead of your own and that’s accidental but to sit in front of a house, in your car and using a wireless you discovered that’s just to much.

By: Mez

Mez — Wed, 18 Apr 2007 15:52:32 +0000

Peter: surely though that pool and swingset is IN your backyard. It isn’t half in your backyard, half in your neighbours yard, and half in the street? If it was, then it’d be more in the context of wireless, and I’m sure you’d see more people jumping in your pool or using your swingset

By: Mez

Mez — Wed, 18 Apr 2007 15:48:46 +0000

I don’t actually use my wireless myself, except on the rare occasion a friend comes round or for chatting through Jabber on my laptop while sitting in bed. Everything important goes through my main PC, and If I need anything important, I SSH into that through the wireless!

I don’t particularly need wireless, but it’s there, because my router I inherited has it, so why not let other people benefit ?

By: Peter

Peter — Wed, 18 Apr 2007 15:47:21 +0000

Baz: It’s not so much the download capping that would be an issue. It’s like others have said, the illegal activity is what can be a hassle.
Downloading child porn, movies, apps.

In response to blaming the people leaving their router open, I disagree on that point. The fact most people don’t have a clue how to put a “lock” on their router doesn’t mean you are free to use it.
I have a pool and swingset in my backyard, would you think about walking by and jumping in my pool or have your kids use my swingset? I guess not and I believe the same should be applied to wireless access.

Yes people should know how to put a secure the wireless access, and manufactures should make it more clear how and why to do it. But an open access doesn’t mean you are free to use it.

By: tpg

tpg — Wed, 18 Apr 2007 15:42:51 +0000

Surely, if you’re wireless is unencrypted, anybody who is in range to connect can also intercept your data packets? They could then potentially be reading any personal information that is sent over the wireless as plaintext (such as emails). Obviously this depends on the network type (hub/switched), but even so this seems like a serious security hole.

By: Baz

Baz — Wed, 18 Apr 2007 15:03:07 +0000

There’s a lot of over hyping of the risks of opening your wifi. OK, you do risk people hogging your download cap, but if, like me, you’re not capped I don’t see that as an issue.