Getting a webpage in the city on my laptop
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Thread: Getting a webpage in the city on my laptop

  1. #1
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    Getting a webpage in the city on my laptop

    Playing around with my laptop in the city of Los Angeles in my car, I got a webpage. I was near some businesses and apartment complexes. I had seen that I had about 5 connections and one of them was open for me to use.

    Is this allowed to use someone's connection to use the Internet in your car?

    If it is legal then how do I know which of these 5 connections would work? Is there something that I can read to see if I can use it like WEP or SSID?

    I have a wireless connection at home. If I want to make it unavailable to others out of my house, what do I have to enable or disable or set so that it will not be available for others?
    Note: My questions may be to help others
    Thanks, JB

  2. #2
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    Greetings jonnyb,

    A Wi-Fi hotspot made be made publicly available usually for Internet access. You often find hotspots in hotels or airports where people usually travel. These hotspots are usually for business travelers.

    Yes, if your network isn't secure they can definately use your network connection if within range between your router or router and access point and their computer. If you ever find your neighbors that are wide open I suggest that you tell the person who is in charge of the network aware let them know.

    These are the basic steps that should be taken to secure your network.

    1. Enable the highest level of encryption that your wireless network equipment supports. From highest to lowest: WPA, 128 bit WEP, or 64-bit WEP.

    2. Change the default SSID.

    3. Change the encryption key regularly.

    4. Enable MAC address filtering.

    5. Enable the router activity log and examine it regularly.

    6. Change the router's password from its default.
    Eric

  3. #3
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    That's really funny. You want to steal from someone else but make your own signal unavailable to others. Follow Erics advice for encryption of your own siganl and quit being a leech on others.
    (Stepping down off the soapbox).
    MCSE 2003, Network+, Security+
    Microsoft MVP Windows Server - Networking

  4. #4
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    http://www.wi-fihotspotlist.com/brow...00238/2050242/

    If you check, you will find there are companies that do not mind folks using their wifi after business hours, etc.
    Plus there are public usage spots in some cities. I know they have listed some in the seattle newspapers.

    So doing some research will let you know what is what. The link I posted can be used as a starter.

  5. #5
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    I read somewhere awhile back about this becoming a "sport", sort of a wireless twist to a road rally. But instead of driving from spot to spot following clues, they drive around with notebooks and a wireless network cards looking for vulneralbilities.
    Whoever gets into more unprotected networks in a givin time period wins. I think they called it ramdriving or something like that.

  6. #6
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    Wardriving Triple7's
    Eric

  7. #7
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    Try "War Driving".
    MCSE 2003, Network+, Security+
    Microsoft MVP Windows Server - Networking

  8. #8
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    Uh...........OK.
    Two letters backwards and one upside down
    Last edited by Triple7's; January 30th, 2005 at 12:40 PM.

  9. #9
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    I heard that some cities and some areas are completely wired for wireless so there won't be any need for hunting down a connection.
    With the parking so bad in the Los Angeles area, it's much easier to Leach off of someone else in the middle of the block somewhere.
    Besides living in a big city and having wireless in your apartment complex or condo, people should know that they should hide their connection. If they don't hide it then they must not care.
    Last edited by jonnyb; January 30th, 2005 at 01:17 PM.
    Note: My questions may be to help others
    Thanks, JB

  10. #10
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    So knowing that all the money is tucked away in a bank makes it okay to rob it, right???

    Stealing a signal is just that, theft.
    MCSE 2003, Network+, Security+
    Microsoft MVP Windows Server - Networking

  11. #11
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    Yes just like a radio station is always on. You can listen to it. There is nothing illegal about sitting in a car checking your email from a invisible signal that is flying out in the neighborhood. If you throw an apple out the window and someone catches it that is hungry then they will eat it.

    If you throw your wifi out the window and someone catches it then they should be welcome to it as long as they are not trying to sneek into your personal files.
    Note: My questions may be to help others
    Thanks, JB

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