So I'm leaching wifi from neighbors

[racketboy]

So I'm leaching wifi from neighbors

Well I just got my wifi card to use at school. So I plug it in while at my apartment and I notice i have a connection even though I don't have any other wifi equipment. I open up Mozilla and notice I can surf at high speed.

Turns out a couple of my neighbors must have DSL or cable with a wifi network.,

Anything I should know?

 

[Dud]

So I'm leaching wifi from neighbors

You're very lucky. As far as I know there are no legal reprocussions for leaching WIFI. In fact, there are websites dedicated to sharing info about spots across the country where you can get free access.

EDIT: I'd really wait for ExCyber or someone else that knows what they are talking about, before continuing that to any great extent.

 

[Dyne]

So I'm leaching wifi from neighbors

i saw an episode of the screen savers where this guy had enough equiptment to share his internet connection with an 8 square mile radius around his house. just nuts 😀

 

[ExCyber]

So I'm leaching wifi from neighbors

If you can get on their network, they can (in principle) see what you're doing. Although I'm not aware of any particular laws against wi-fi leeching, more general laws might apply, and there are other possible consequences, particularly from the ISP policy end. For example, you could be counting toward an IP limit, or the connection could be a metered one (unlikely but possible).

Realistically, it's unlikely that you're going to piss anybody off too much, but you are using someone else's bandwidth without their permission.

 

[racketboy]

So I'm leaching wifi from neighbors

thanks for the info guys.

If I get an access point/router to hook up to my desktop, will I be able to connect to the net in the same way as my laptop?

Also, since the access point/router has an external antenna, would it get better reception, and then pass that reception onto my laptop? In addition, could I build one of those tincan antenna to make reception even better?

 

[ExCyber]

So I'm leaching wifi from neighbors

could I build one of those tincan antenna to make reception even better?

Only if you know where the signal is coming from. The "cantennas" are highly directional.

edit: read this too.

 

[racketboy]

So I'm leaching wifi from neighbors

ok, so what if I get an official antenna? or even the normal ones for the router?

 

[Alexvrb]

So I'm leaching wifi from neighbors

Some of the big names, like Linksys, offer optional high-gain antennas. But they're not cheap, and you may not need anything more than the standard antenna a wireless router comes with. But they're there, if you need one. Make sure you get a router that supports (out-of-the-box or through updates) the newer available standards.

 

[racketboy]

So I'm leaching wifi from neighbors

I got the router in the mail today and have my desktop hooked up to it.

I want to be able to share nearly all the resources between my desktop and my laptop. Is there a way for me to be able to share files only between my two machines, but at the same time connect to the wireless net connection?

I'm using XP Pro BTW.

 

[thewasp31]

So I'm leaching wifi from neighbors

One day i brought my wireless laptop to a mates house who has a wireless router. To his horror I connected instantly with no effort. Later on that month I came back and admitidly could not connect onto his network. But by placing the laptop next to a wall I was able to connect to someone elses wireless! :banana

Seems poeple don't put in the effort to secure there wireless, make sure you do.

I also recall networking files to be a bitch between winxp pro and windowsME. Are both the machines XP?

Also when i connected to my mates wireless, I could only browse the net, not access shared files. Hopefully someone more experienced will have more info on that.

 

[Gallstaff]

So I'm leaching wifi from neighbors

Our school has wireless all over it but they're retarded and don't properly monitor it so I just stick my laptop in my bag and leech away on various things.

I loves me some Terintino flicks 😉

 

[racketboy]

So I'm leaching wifi from neighbors

well now the network that had the net connection seemed to disappear. been gone for a couple days now 🙁