You just can't beat a good 'ol laptop!



Nightrain

 

But that would be stealing... wouldn't it?

 

That's an intresting question you bring up Ken. If its broadcast and anyone with the proper equipment can pick it up for free its not stealing, its like antenna tv, it's broadcast for free, you just need the hardware to pick up the siganl. Just my thoughts though.

 

Ahh, I'll have to agree with herman. Kinda reminds me of picking up the local TV stations, just as he said.

All in all, it was a joke by all means... Just trying to be funny. (Would be nice to pick up his signal, though... lol.)

Nightrain

 

Someone doesn't know how to secure their network (or doesn't know they need to) so that makes it okay to piggy-back on the service they paid for and you didn't pay for? Just because it's over the air instead of a wire doesn't make it non-theft. Its not much different than plugging into their cable wire - either way you are using their service without their permission.

The fact of the matter it is stealing. Legally it is considered intrusion, trespass and unauthorized access --- all of which have laws protecting against such use.

There is also legal case law:
Benjamin Smith III was arrested in Florida for accessing the wireless connection of Richard Dinon from outside Richard's home.
Paul Timmins pled guilty to a misdemeanor for checking his email through Lowe's network, the first criminal conviction for wardriving in the U.S. He was sentenced to two years probation.
Adam Botbyl pled guilty to one count of conspiracy and was sentenced to 26 months in federal prison followed by two years on parole.
Brian Salcedo pled guilty to conspiracy, transmitting computer code to cause damage to a computer, unauthorized computer access, and computer fraud and was sentenced to nine years in federal prison.

http://www.timewarnercable.com/corporate/customerservice/cablethefttypes.html
http://www.techdirt.com/articles/20070417/112235.shtml

Additionally, it potentially puts the victim of the crime at high risk. For example, someone piggy-backs their connection to download child **** and the FBI arrests the innocent person because it traces back to their home.

Justifications wouldn't hold water with any judge knowledgeable in this area of the law.

 

As I said, Ken... It was a joke.

Trying to add a little humor here and there is all.

Nightrain

 

Well, as I said before you brought up an intresting question there Ken, and I'm sure we could probably go on for days about it, but in the long run you are right. It is stealing no matter how you put it, although there are two different views I was just presenting the other side, that's all. But isn't there something to be said about it being so painfully easy to steal? Shouldn't there be somesort of mandatory security measures put in place so it isn't so easy to steal instead of the optional ones? But wouldn't it be nice if we could get something that normally costs $50 a month for free and it wouldn't be illegal?

 

I understand that...

But on the flip side there were attempts to justify it as being okay.

If you know your neighbor has an unsecured network do them a favor and let them know. I've let 1 business know recently, and have also done so in the past in our office building. No need to tell my two neighbors, they are pretty far away but occasionally I've seen their signal on Net Stumbler and thankfully they were both secured so I didn't have to let them know.

BTW, Net Stumbler is a great tool for diagnosing signal-overlap, noise and signal-strength problems. I used it to diagnose interferance from our wireless home phone. Its why I now use a 5 GHz wireless connection instead of 2.4 GHz. 5 GHz has very few people using it (I don't think I've ever seen a 5 GHz connection outside of my home).

 

Yeah, it would be nice. It would be nice if my house was free, my credit cards were free, my phones were free, my satellite dish was free, electricity was free and my vehicles were free. :-) I'm sure no one wants to cover those costs for their neighbors! Yikes!

 

i wonder if a group of neighbors, like in an apartment building, could just have one and everyone gets the signal and just split the cost?

i heard someone getting convicted of under "theft of services" for using someones internet signal.

 

Personally, I have both and use them at the same time... I have a desktop for business and a laptop for everything else. I keep my business back up files on a external hard drive, so I can tap into them whenever I want and on whichever computer I am using at the time. Both have good qualities, so you just have to figure out what you need, and choose.

 

Can't do that under the license from the cable company, unless you specifically purchase a plan that allows it. Some apartment complexes do it, but they are paying for that type of service. I'm sure some are also doing it and not paying for that type of service. A lot to risk to save a few bucks.

 

Hummmm... Both
Wife has a desktop that is the server for our home network and her main computer. She also has a laptop she uses when we travel & it is also a backup to MY laptop that I use for work on the road.
I have a desktop for my company and surffing the net while at home, another desktop for back up & surffing while I'm actually doing work on the main computer.
My laptop comes to the office with me when home & is hooked up to main as a backup & net toy.
Then I have an old home built system I use fro testing new things that I RARELLY hook up to the home network. Kids get to play on this one, can't hurt anything or loose anything.
The 5 of them all back up each other & I also have a 30Gig external hard drive that I use for backing up the bus. files and moveing files to and from other peoples computers.